Author

Plays

Play readingHis first play Eskimo Trance was performed at the Stoke on Trent theatre-in-the-round; he directed it later at the Mermaid theatre, London. He produced his play Mahler (about the despairing love between Mahler and his wife Alma) at the Arts Theatre, London, despite the efforts of Mahler’s daughter to get it off the stage. He later became director of British plays at the Studio Teater in Munich. His forthcoming plays are Lucretia (how the pope’s daughter lovingly obeyed her father in the political marriages he arranged for her, and all but died of despair), Carmagnola (the mercenary soldier who schemed his way to the courts of Italy, but fell foul of treacherous Venice), I want Marigold (a therapist goes fatally too deep with his clients, two of them hermaphrodites), Genes (a geneticist begins to observe and love and caress his rats designed for experiment), Boy Sees Red (a retarded boy and girl fall into the hands of an overwheening social worker named Emily but, together with the girl’s parents, turn Emily into an awed spectator of their family happiness), Daddy won’t buy me a bow wow (bitter war memories that all but wreck a family twenty years after WW2), The Vic on the Strand (a three-character backstage play in which a well-known actor and an unknown actress create within moments of meeting a world of love, lying and mutual contempt – to an unseen audience), Suddenly One Evening (strangers take refuge as the unexpected guests of a gentleman farmer in his well-appointed house during an overpowering flood, and consider these hours of darkness to be their last), Alma Phoenix (Alma Mahler’s story with the painter Kokoshka after Gustav’s death).

I was born in a London working-class family in 1922 and received there what I see now as a perfect grooming for the kind of life I wished to lead. That is, I was dandled like my two elder brothers on my mother’s knee while watching the future comedians perform in Working Men’s Clubs. We all three boys learned timing, pace, contrast in stage work, and all three of us went into the theatre when our time came. My parents also taught us the value of books, and we were quick learners from the age of four, with the playwright George Bernard Shaw as our family idol. When I phoned him at the age of fourteen (one of my brothers had his number) he gave me the time and courtesy any friend of his would have received.

Eskimo Trance

Three men in flight from no one, up in the Canadian bush. (three male parts) Theatre in the Round Stoke on Trent, 1974.

Mahler

A tragic-comedy about the despairing love between the composer Gustav Mahler and his wife. (Portslade Productions, Arts Theatre London, 1976); 2nd performance at Mercury Theatre London directed by author.

Lucretia Borgia

How the pope’s daughter lovingly obeyed her father’s political marriages he arranged for her, and all but died of despair.

Boy Sees Red

A retarded boy and girl fall into the hands of an overweening social worker named Emily but, together with the girl’s parents, turn Emily into an awed spectator of their family happiness. A boy and girl who spoof sex and clearly cannot practice it but bring family and welfare officer into turmoil.

Genes and Gentry

A geneticist who suddenly sees his experimental rodents as equal to,and better than, himself.

I Want Marigold

A therapist goes fatally too deep with his clients, two of them hermaphrodites.

Alma Phoenix

Alma Mahler’s story with the painter Kokoshka after Gustav Mahler’s death. 1 male, 1 female.

Christophe

Full length Black play dealing with Haiti’s king at the time of Napoleon, (large cast).

Daddy Won’t Buy Me A Bow-wow

Bitter war memories that all but wreck a family twenty years after WW2; Ex-soldier of WW2 is reminded of his crimes in battle by his one-time major, causing upheaval in both their families.

Suddenly One Evening

Dark comedy, strangers take refuge as the unexpected guests of a gentleman farmer in his well-appointed house during an overpowering flood, and consider these hours of darkness to be their last. Five people fleeing from floods find a landowner in his study and, strangely, there are seats for their exact number. 3 males, 3 females.

And In Came Ophelia

Comedy, a backstage play in which a well-known actor and an unknown actress create within moments of meeting a world of love, lying and mutual contempt – to an unseen audience. An actor whose sell-by date as Hamlet has expired is visited by an unknown actress who brings them fame. 2 males, 1 female.

Carmangola

The most famous mercenary captain of the middle ages sells his loyalty to too many states. the mercenary soldier who schemed his way to the courts of Italy, but fell foul of treacherous Venice; An account of the perilous life of a mercenary captain in the Middle Ages, on hire to too many states. 5 males, 2 females.

Hormone City

Black Bobbin

One man show based on The Spanish Reign of Terror (Constable London, St martin’s Press New York). A study of Spain’s imperial role in the sixteenth century.

My Husband, My Husband

The Unexpected Wedding

Mechanical Saw

Steel Canticles

Elaine

Monsieur Pujol

Guru Guru

A Man Called Apollo

Black Cats

The Devil’s Brig

Fingerprints On The Water

Pam

The Rye Man

Tick-Tick

One act

The Open Pan System

one act

Public Relations

One act

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