Sarah Thorne

Sarah Thorne (10 May 1836 – 27 February 1899) was a British actress and actress-manager of the 19th century who managed the Theatre Royal at Margate for many years. She ran a school for acting there which is widely regarded as Britain's first formal drama school. The Sarah Thorne Theatre Club in Broadstairs is named in her memory.

Early life

Sarah Thorne was born in London in 1836, the eldest of ten children born to Richard Samuel Thorne (1813–1875), an actor and theatre manager who managed the Surrey Theatre, and his wife, Sarah née Rogers (1812–1896). Two of her younger brothers were Thomas Thorne, one of the founding managers of London's Vaudeville Theatre, and George Thorne, the singer and actor, best known for his performances in the comic baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Sarah Thorne made her stage debut aged 12 on 26 December 1848 in a pantomime produced by her father at the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel. Over the next few years she went on to appear in stock companies all over Great Britain. On 6 August 1855 she joined her father's company for the summer season at Margate. They had two children during their three years together, Edmund (born 1860) and Elizabeth (born 1862), but due to incompatibility the couple separated soon after the birth of their daughter. When the theatre's lease was sold at auction in August 1873 she was forced to hold a less responsible managerial role during 1874. Christmas 1874 saw her return to Margate during the tour of her annual pantomime.

School of acting

Thorne opened her 'School of Acting' in 1885, based at the Theatre Royal in Margate. Open to both men and women, her apprentices included Harley Granville-Barker, Louis Calvert, Gertrude Kingston, Julia Stewart, Evelyn Millard, Janet Achurch, Adelaide Neilson, her brother George Thorne and Irene and Violet Vanbrugh. Thorne's 'School of Acting' is widely regarded as being Britain's first formal drama school. and her husband, actor Frank Parker Gillmore, was the actor and playwright Frank Gillmore. His daughters were the actresses Ruth Gillmore and Margalo Gillmore.

Legacy The Sarah Thorne Theatre, a small-scale performing arts centre sited in a Kent County Council owned building in Broadstairs, Kent, presents plays, concerts, panto and opera. Its patrons have included Judi Dench, David Suchet, Julian Fellowes and Gyles Brandreth.