From the category archives:

20th-century Drama

46 post(s)

Playwright Ronald Harwood appreciates Donald Wolfit (1/2)

8 May 2012

in 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers, Books, Playwrights, Theatre People

DONALD WOLFIT SPECIAL (1/2) Playwright Sir Ronald Harwood, biographer of legendary actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit and a former member of his company, discusses the man and his work with Howard Loxton at an event that was part of the Society for Theatre Research’s lecture series.

Playwright Ronald Harwood appreciates Donald Wolfit (2/2)

8 May 2012

in 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers, Books, Playwrights, Theatre People

DONALD WOLFIT SPECIAL (2/2) Playwright Sir Ronald Harwood, biographer of legendary actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit and a former member of his company, discusses the man and his work with Howard Loxton at an event that was part of the Society for Theatre Research’s lecture series.

Polymath playwright Philip Ridley discusses his work

17 February 2012

in 20th-century Drama, New Writing, Playwrights

1 Comment

INTERVIEW: PHILIP RIDLEY The playwright talks to Aleks Sierz about the first London revival of his 1991 classic, The Pitchfork Disney (currently at the Arcola) and about his new play, Shivered (about to open at the Southwark Playhouse).

West End Review: July 2011 (2/2)

31 July 2011

in 20th-century Drama, Reviews and Roundtables, Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama

WEST END REVIEW (2/2) Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and his guests David Benedict (Variety), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph), and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) discuss Shakespeare’s Richard III (Old Vic), Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (Comedy Theatre), Thomas Heywood’s A Woman Killed with Kindness (National Theatre) and Ibsen’s Emperor and Galilean (National Theatre).

Arnold Wesker reads two letters from Terence Rattigan

18 June 2011

in 1950s Drama, 20th-century Drama, Playwrights

WESKER EXCLUSIVE Sir Arnold Wesker reads private letters from Terence Rattigan. Currently enjoying the successful revival of his play Chicken Soup with Barley at the Royal Court, Arnold Wesker reads two letters of admiration sent to him at the time of the original production from Terence Rattigan. Excerpt from an interview with John Nathan.

West End Review: April 2011 (2/2)

25 April 2011

in 20th-century Drama, Playwrights, Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and his guests David Benedict (Variety), Libby Purvis (Times) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) assess Flare Path (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Cause Celebre (Old Vic); Blithe Spirit (Apollo); Ecstasy (Duchess Theatre); Moonlight (Donmar Warehouse); Rocket to the Moon (National Theatre).

Simon Callow on Twelfth Night and Sir Toby Belch

18 February 2011

in 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers, Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama

SHAKESPEARE: TWELFTH NIGHT Heather Neill talks to the award-winning veteran actor and author Simon Callow about playing Sir Toby Belch for 80-year-old Sir Peter Hall in Twelfth Night, which is currently at the National. He also discusses the broader cultural context of postwar theatre. Recorded at the National.

Director Ian Rickson discusses Lillian Hellman

17 February 2011

in 20th-century Drama, American Drama, Directors

INTERVIEW: IAN RICKSON The director talks to Carole Woddis about his hit West End production of Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour (Comedy Theatre), which stars Keira Knightley and Elisabeth Moss in a play that was scandalous on its first outing in 1934, and continues to be relevant. Recorded at Graeae.

Dublin Theatre Festival – a quick guide to work in 2010

2 October 2010

in 20th-century Drama, Irish Drama

INTERVIEW: LOUGHLIN DEEGAN The director of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival talks to Dominic Cavendish about the 2010 programme, which features work by Samuel Beckett, David Mamet and Harold Pinter. The festival runs to 17 October.

Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes

4 August 2010

in 20th-century Drama, Design

INTERVIEW: JANE PRITCHARD The Curator of Dance at the V&A talks to Carole Woddis about Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes, the upcoming V&A exhibition which marks the centenary of the Ballets Russes, including items relating to The Firebird (1910) and The Rite of Spring (1913). She also describes the V&A’s Theatre and Performance Collection, located at Blythe House.

Roger Rees on starring in Waiting for Godot

11 February 2010

in 1950s Drama, 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers,

INTERVIEW: ROGER REES The Welsh actor, who has made his return to the London stage as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (Haymarket) opposite Ian McKellen’s Estragon, talks about the role, his days at the RSC and his more recent work. Dominic Cavendish quizzes.

West End Review: October 2009 (2/2)

9 October 2009

in 20th-century Drama, Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW (2/2) Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), David Benedict (Variety) and Patrick Marmion (Daily Mail) discuss Mother Courage and Her Children (National), An Inspector Calls (Novello), Judgment Day (Almeida), Inherit the Wind (Old Vic) and Lenny Henry’s Othello (Trafalgar Studios). Recorded at Dewynters, London.

British Library exhibition: British Theatre 1945-1968 (2/2)

29 September 2008

in 1950s Drama, 1960s Drama, 20th-century Drama,

GOLDEN GENERATION SPECIAL (2/2) The British Library’s Jamie Andrews, Head of Modern Literary Manuscripts, and co-curator Alec Patton continue their discussion of The Golden Generation: British Theatre 1945-1968, with Aleks Sierz. Recorded at the British Library.

British Library exhibition: British Theatre 1945-1968 (1/2)

29 September 2008

in 1950s Drama, 1960s Drama, 20th-century Drama,

GOLDEN GENERATION SPECIAL (1/2) The British Library’s Jamie Andrews, Head of Modern Literary Manuscripts, and co-curator Alec Patton discuss their current exhibition, The Golden Generation: British Theatre 1945-1968, with Aleks Sierz. Recorded at the British Library.

West End Review: September 2008

26 September 2008

in 20th-century Drama, Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) invites guests Charles Spencer (Telegraph), David Benedict (Variety) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) to chew over London’s big autumnal productions: Ivanov (Wyndham’s), Six Characters in Search of an Author (Gielgud), Now or Later (Royal Court), Riflemind (Trafalgar Studios), Rain Man (Apollo) and in-i (National Theatre). Recorded at Dewynters, London.

Peter Nichols at the British Library (2/2)

9 September 2008

in 20th-century Drama, Playwrights

PETER NICHOLS SPECIAL (2/2) Q&A. The playwright answers questions from the audience at the British Library conference, The Golden Generation? New Light on British Theatre between 1945 and 1968, held on 8-9 September 2008. Part of the AHRC-sponsored Theatre Archive Project, a collaboration between the British Library and the University of Sheffield. Recorded live.

Peter Nichols at the British Library (1/2)

9 September 2008

in 20th-century Drama, Playwrights

PETER NICHOLS SPECIAL (1/2) The playwright interviewed by Jamie Andrews and Alec Patton at the British Library conference, The Golden Generation? New Light on British Theatre between 1945 and 1968, held on 8-9 September 2008. Part of the AHRC-sponsored Theatre Archive Project, a collaboration between the British Library and the University of Sheffield. Recorded live.

Actor Bella Merlin on Stanislavski

8 August 2008

in 19th-century Drama, 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers, Books, Directors, Russian Drama

FOCUS ON ACTING (1/2) Actor and teacher Bella Merlin, author of The Complete Stanislavski Toolkit (Nick Hern, 2007), talks to Aleks Sierz about the importance of the ideas of Konstantin Stanislavski for performance today. Recorded at Dewynters, London.

The Adding Machine comes to New York

2 January 2008

in 20th-century Drama, American Drama, Directors

NEW YORK SPECIAL David Cromer, director of the lauded chamber musical The Adding Machine, based on the 1923 Elmer Rice expressionist drama, talks to Philip Fisher, prior to its arrival at the Minetta Lane Theater.

Michael Billington on the state of the nation

23 November 2007

in 20th-century Drama, Books, Criticism

INTERVIEW: MICHAEL BILLINGTON The venerated Guardian theatre critic talks to Aleks Sierz about the lifetime of reviewing packed into his newly published survey of British post-war theatre, State of the Nation (Faber and Faber). Substantial excerpt.

Paterson Joseph on The Emperor Jones, and acting

11 September 2007

in 20th-century Drama, Actors and Performers, American Drama,

INTERVIEW: PATERSON JOSEPH The actor talks to Heather Neill about starring in Eugene O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones and George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan at the National, and the use of the n-word on stage, as well as about his acting career.

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