C’est avec une profonde tristesse que nous avons appris le 21 octobre 2021 le décès de Martha Henry, première élève diplômée de l’École nationale de théâtre, en 1962. Légende du théâtre canadien, Martha Henry a joué dans plus de 30 pièces de Shakespeare et était un des piliers du festival de Stratford. Élève de la première cohorte en 1960, alors que l’École ouvre tout juste ses portes, la brillante carrière de Martha Henry l’a conduite à être diplômée dès 1962, moment où elle rejoint Stratford, ce qui fait d’elle la première personne à être diplômée de l’École nationale de théâtre. Nous tenons à souligner le travail d’exception de Martha Henry, et offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à ses proches et à sa famille.
Martha Henry par Alisa Palmer
"I first met Martha Henry when I auditioned for her. I was young and green but had managed to get a callback for a role in a Shakespeare being produced at the Banff Centre. I had just moved to Toronto from Montreal where my training had included Bouffon with Phillippe Gaullier, corporeal mime with Omnibus, trampoline and floor gymnastics at Cirque de Soleil, and the creation of a bilingual feminist improv comedy troupe that played in grungy bars in Montreal. I had no experience acting text let alone Shakespeare, and even less experience auditioning. At the table sat Bill Hutt, Patricia Hamilton and Martha Henry. I didn’t know who they were, but I had a sense they were heavy hitters…. I did a terrible audition. Bill Hutt made a joke about my “colourful “ CV… Perhaps he was trying to lighten the mood but I think my take on Kate in Taming of the Shrew offended his sensibilities. Which was perhaps my intention…
I was embarrassed and I got the message that I had no place in this theatre community. However, soon after I received a letter saying how lovely it was to have met me, that my company “Hysterical Women” sounded fascinating; I clearly had a lot to say and perhaps I should consider directing. It was from Martha.
A few years later when I was named Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, I received another note from her, this time a handwritten congratulations. I hadn’t seen Martha in the time between these two events, but I had watched her work onstage and off. And clearly, she had been keeping an eye on me.
Martha continued to play this of role in my life, initially at arm’s length and then over the years, more closely. I tried to learn all I could from Martha as a mentor and then friend, listening to her stories, and learning by the example of her legendary career.
Martha carved a profound artistic path, emerging from Class One at NTS in 1962 to her final magnificent performance at Stratford this month. She was prolific and ambitious, and what struck me was that Martha’s ambition was not only for herself and her work but for all theatre, all theatre artists, and all audiences. Anyone who loved theatre was her family.
Martha truly saw me when I was young and needed it most. Even though our paths diverged artistically and sometimes politically, being seen by Martha continued to galvanize my choices and I believe it helped make me a stronger artist, director and leader. As the Artistic Director of NTS, Martha’s alma mater, the ambition she had for all theatre continues to fuel my commitment to the next generation of theatre artists."
- Alisa Palmer, Artistic Director of the English Section and Director of the Acting and Residency Programs