Biographie
Barbara Angell received her education at PLC in Melbourne and pursued music studies at the Melba Conservatorium. She started her career as an actress with Melbourne's Little Theatre, then worked as a dancer-comedian with the Tivoli Circuit for four years.
In 1959-60, she traveled to the U.K., where she was introduced to Revue and began writing comedy sketches, music, and lyrics. Upon returning to Australia, she established her own Revue company, co-writing and producing several successful stage shows. She enjoyed many years of television and stage performances, contributed writing to the satirical "Mavis Bramston Show," and starred in it throughout its four-year run.
In 1969, she returned to England and spent the next two decades acting in stage productions, films, and television dramas and comedies, including "All Creatures Great and Small," "Shoestring," and "Angels." She served as Artistic Director of the Association of Australian Artistes at the Australian High Commission in London. Additionally, she managed her own small theatre company, leasing the Arts Theatre in Great Newport Street, WC2, to present lunchtime performances and direct a series of plays.
Her first book, "The Entertainment Machine," was published in 1972 (Horwitz). She followed with "Voyage To Port Phillip, 1803" in 1983 (Nepean Historical Society), and "A Woman's War" in 2003 (New Holland). While most of her extensive writing career has focused on television and stage, her latest book, "The Coral Browne Story: Theatrical Life and Times of a Lustrous Australian," was published in Sydney in May 2007 by her own company, Angell Productions Pty Limited.
Barbara has also been actively involved with Alzheimer's Societies in both the U.K. and Australia, serving on the Council in the U.K. and later as President of the NSW chapter (1991-93) and the National chapter (1993-94).
