Dramatic Exchanges (Ebook)
Letters of the National Theatre
Buy from
A unique collection of correspondence between the most celebrated actors, directors and playwrights of the past 50 years - now in paperback
The perfect gift for any theatre lover
There has been always as much drama offstage as on at the National Theatre, and much of it is to be found in the letters, telegrams, scribbled notes and colourful postcards of its main players.
- What drove Laurence Olivier to confess: 'The foolishness of my position starts to obsess me'?
- Why did Maggie Smith write: 'I am absolutely heartbroken by your decision'?
- What prompted Judi Dench to ask: 'Can't you write me a musical so that I can sit on a chair in a fur hat & nothing else and sing RUDE songs?'
This book brings together for the first time some of the most inspiring, dramatic and amusing letters from the life of Britain's most beloved theatre: Laurence Olivier's gracious rejection letters, Peter Hall's combative memos, Helen Mirren's impassioned defence of theatrical innovation, fantastical good luck missives and long conspiratorial letters. Together, they reveal the stories behind some of the most lavish, triumphant, daring and disastrous productions in the theatre's history, including Amadeus, Romans in Britain, Laurence Olivier's Othello, Closer, The History Boys and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
A rich collection of correspondence like no other, this book offers a fascinating and celebratory look at the world of theatre and beyond.
Dramatic Exchanges (Paperback)
Letters of the National Theatre
Buy from
A unique collection of correspondence between the most celebrated actors, directors and playwrights of the past 50 years - now in paperback
The perfect gift for any theatre lover
There has been always as much drama offstage as on at the National Theatre, and much of it is to be found in the letters, telegrams, scribbled notes and colourful postcards of its main players.
- What drove Laurence Olivier to confess: 'The foolishness of my position starts to obsess me'?
- Why did Maggie Smith write: 'I am absolutely heartbroken by your decision'?
- What prompted Judi Dench to ask: 'Can't you write me a musical so that I can sit on a chair in a fur hat & nothing else and sing RUDE songs?'
This book brings together for the first time some of the most inspiring, dramatic and amusing letters from the life of Britain's most beloved theatre: Laurence Olivier's gracious rejection letters, Peter Hall's combative memos, Helen Mirren's impassioned defence of theatrical innovation, fantastical good luck missives and long conspiratorial letters. Together, they reveal the stories behind some of the most lavish, triumphant, daring and disastrous productions in the theatre's history, including Amadeus, Romans in Britain, Laurence Olivier's Othello, Closer, The History Boys and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
A rich collection of correspondence like no other, this book offers a fascinating and celebratory look at the world of theatre and beyond.
Reviews for Dramatic Exchanges
Simon Callow Guardian
Sarah Crompton Observer
Mark Lawson New Statesman
British Theatre Guide
Jo Good, BBC
Jewish Chronicle
Libby Purves TLS
Daily Mail
Marianka Swain Broadway World
Michael Billington Country Life
Praise for The National Theatre Story:
The story of the National Theatre is as packed with drama as anything it has staged
'
Sunday Times
Michael Coveney Independent
The Spectator
The Stage
Alastair Mabbott The Herald