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Judi Dench as the Blessed Virgin Mary lays Christ (Brian Spinks) into the tomb surrounded by ten other characters.

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Photographs : Judi Dench as Mary, 1957

Item type: Photographs
Archive reference: YMP/A/3/1/3
Date/year: 1957
Description: Photograph (Black/white) of 1957 production. Judi Dench as the Blessed Virgin Mary lays her son Christ (Brian Spink) into the tomb surrounded by ten other characters.  In some productions the Virgin Mary and Mary the Mother (as in this scene) are played by different actresses.
In 1951 Judi Dench, whose family lived in York and was at school here, had played an Angel; in 1954 she played the Angel of the Resurrection.  In 1957 she was beginning her professional career.
Here is a scan of a 1957 postcard showing the Virgin Mary.

1957 Virgin Mary
  In 1957 one of the cast - Zacheus wife - asked members of the cast to sign a linen tablecloth.  She then embroidered the signature in red thread next to the role in blue.  Judi Dench's signature is one of those in the middle of the cloth.


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