Joan's Book | ScienceGate

Gerry visits Nigeria – proposes filming The Lion and the Jewel in Tunisia. My ‘commercial’ production, a non-existent script. The composer’s wild suggestions – a mixed cast – the choreographer and George Cooper. I quit. My successor fares badly. Newbam against the Fun Palace. The Greater London Council for their storm tanks, which were never built. We withdraw our appeal to the Minister for fear of endangering the whole Lea Valley Bill, which is to go before parliament. Deadlock. Gerry and Joan return to Tunisia, our only Fun Palace, for the second year’s programme.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0074 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Commercial Production

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To Hammamet, Tunisia, with Gerry, to teach as part of an International Summer School at Le Centre Culturel. We train Arabs and French students – a telegram from Dick Bowdler. Still no decision from County Hall – need cash. Interrupt work to return to London. Sign on for a commercial production. Cedric Price will appeal to the Minister regarding Mill Meads. Return to Hammamet. Twelve days later, the London County Council, now the Greater London Council, say Mill Meads needed for storm water tanks. That is not on, the land is scheduled Public Open Space. Our appeal will go ahead. Finish our training course at Hammamet.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0073 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Summer School ◽

Open Space ◽

County Council ◽

Commercial Production ◽

Storm Water ◽

Training Course ◽

Public Open Space ◽

Water Tanks ◽

International Summer School

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Sparrers film’s East End première – I don’t go – puzzling over presenting the Irish in the 1914–18 War. Company have mixed reaction to film. Good idea for church scene and title, Oh What A Lovely War. Henri Barbusse book gives me an ending for it. First run, local people as audience. Souvenirs of that War presented to us. The show works. We are indebted to the unnamed soldiers who wrote the lyrics we sing.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0070 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Local People ◽

East End ◽

Mixed Reaction

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BBC Singers dislike changes. Technical requirements are many. Mornings removing schmaltz from songs, afternoons cutting film. BBC singers leave. John Gower (baritone), Colin Kemball (tenor) stay. Gerry finds an army sergeant to drill actors. His language too blue to be repeated. Ann Beach in tears over lack of script. With Camel on design, Dick Bowdler on news panel, Ivor Dykes making slides and Gerry collecting facts and figures, we shall have something.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0069 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

John Gower ◽

Technical Requirements

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The Hostage is opening in New York. Gerry and I go ahead to contradict the bad press Brendan has been getting. A curious radio interview. The company and Brendan arrive, he is mobbed by press men. The backers worry about our accents. We play a joke on them. A brush with the Stage Manager. The first-night audience. Next day, Vic visits Lee Strasberg’s studio. Dudley Sutton looks for Khrushchev’s boat. Studs Terkel corners me. We meet Libby Holman. Tom Driberg to the Labour Party Conference, Scarborough – Gerry and I to London, Brendan and Beatrice remain in New York.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0059 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Labour Party ◽

Stage Manager

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The Hostage notices. Brendan changes a line in one of his songs. And what about the Lord Chamberlain? We try for a war of the theatres with the Royal Court. They won’t play.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0055 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Royal Court

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Brendan in London for the launch of Borstal Boy. The first hostage of our time killed in Cyprus. There is a play in it. B.B. says he will write it, in Ireland, and goes. The Royal Court try to take over Shelagh. Gerry tries Arts Council for a bursary for her. She is given a hundred pounds. Graham Greene praises us and gives Shelagh a typewriter. Brendan returns from Ireland, drinking. Gerry chases him across Blackheath. He also attempts to stop Shelagh spending all her money, which she resents. We try everything to make Brendan write. He begins phoning bits of songs and jokes to the theatre. We patch two acts together. Three days before opening night there is no third act. We ad lib it. Shelagh’s second play not good. I tell her to study well-constructed plays. She says other people will work on it.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0054 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Graham Greene ◽

Royal Court

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The troubles in Palestine. We witness two outbreaks of anti-Semitism in Manchester. We wish to show people what we have seen and find a vehicle. The play Professor Mamlock will serve. We can parallel what we have seen with events in Germany. The Lord Chamberlain warns us not to mention what we have seen in Manchester; despite protests from journalists, the ban holds. We mount a castrated version. While playing Operation Olive Branch in Manchester, I invite some lonely-looking German prisoners to the play. The company disapprove. I am invited to the prison camp to see the Germans acting. Gerry and I try to shelter at the Rudolf Steiner Hall, see Ken Tynan rehearsing Hamlet.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0036 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Rudolf Steiner ◽

The Troubles ◽

Anti Semitism ◽

Prison Camp

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I am introduced to Jimmie Miller. For the first time, bear an Eisler song and the story of agitprop. See the work of ‘Theatre of Action’, find the rep work unsatisfying. The public go for me, so does Stan Laurel’s talent scout. Ernst Toller arrives to superintend production of his play Draw the Fires at the rep. The actors are not suited to it. I introduce members of ‘Theatre of Action’. The play goes to London, without them. It is sabotaged. I try to save it, then quit.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0019 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

The Public ◽

Ernst Toller ◽

First Time

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In Paris at the age of sixteen. Art and Nick’s arty friends. She wants me to be a painter, she wants to adopt me. Back in London, she takes me to a Chelsea studio and helps me with my painting. I leave Kate and Jim, go to live in Pimlico.

Joan's Book ◽

10.5040/9781474233255.0016 ◽

2016 ◽

Download Full-text

Joan's Book
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Published By Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The Hostage notices. Brendan changes a line in one of his songs. And what about the Lord Chamberlain? We try for a war of the theatres with the Royal Court. They won’t play.

In Paris at the age of sixteen. Art and Nick’s arty friends. She wants me to be a painter, she wants to adopt me. Back in London, she takes me to a Chelsea studio and helps me with my painting. I leave Kate and Jim, go to live in Pimlico.

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Joan's BookLatest Publications

TOTAL DOCUMENTS

H-INDEX

Published By Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The Hostage notices. Brendan changes a line in one of his songs. And what about the Lord Chamberlain? We try for a war of the theatres with the Royal Court. They won’t play.

In Paris at the age of sixteen. Art and Nick’s arty friends. She wants me to be a painter, she wants to adopt me. Back in London, she takes me to a Chelsea studio and helps me with my painting. I leave Kate and Jim, go to live in Pimlico.

Joan's Book
Latest Publications