This paper explores brief examples of performances similarly vocalising historical song by Grenfell, Russell and Berberian. It discusses how these functioned as interventions into accepted and expected cultural practices of performing paying particular attention to ways amateur/non-professional/natural/untrained vocal musicking were referenced. The simulation or pretence of amateur voice production in a professional setting can be seen as stimulating both the comedic genres developed out of classical recital formats and also the audiences who are in evidence in recordings of mid 20thc performances.

Which aspects of Russell and Grenfell’s performative language appeared to impact on Berberian’s creative persona? Which vocal and associated gestural qualities specifically was she hearing, listening for and responding to in their work?

Recapturing Grenfell and Russell’s untutored voices as influential on avant-garde vocal practices extends the conversation about Berberian’s link into a historical trajectory of staged vocal practices and explores the nature of their challenge in asking why these older women’s feminist performing practices attracted Berberian’s attention.

Russell and Grenfell’s influence on Berberian’s developing theatrical imagination also raises a significant question about the lack of value placed on the work of these older performers who could themselves be re-evaluated as pioneering, even avant-garde, due to their impact beyond the confines of mid 20thc stage and broadcast comedic recitals.