Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies

Drawing of Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as Mirandolina in Mine Hostess, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 1924, possibly a costume design.

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies (1891-1992) had a long career as a stage and screen actress, being particularly known for her performances in Shakespeare and the classics of world theatre. She began her stage career in 1911, and in 1921 joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, for which she played a number of leading roles including Mirandolina in a version of Goldoni's comedy La locandiera, here given the title Mine Hostess, though also known on the British stage as The Mistress of the Inn and Mirandolina. This drawing may be a costume design for the production, in which case it would be the work of designer Paul Shelving (born Frederick William Severne North). However, the initials do not match the monogram on the design, and the faint pencilled date could be 1927.