After The Dance – Upstairs at the Gatehouse
- At March 25, 2014
- By TRS
- In Professional Productions
0
Review – Variation of a Theme
- At March 05, 2014
- By TRS
- In Professional Productions, Reviews
- 0
Rachael Stirling and Martin McCreadie swap bristling bon mots
HELEN MAYBANKS
Here’s a snipper of the review by Donald Hutera in The Times for “Variation of a Theme” at the Finborough Theatre.
“Here’s a rarity, and an oddity, in one elegantly febrile little package. Michael Oakley’s staging of Terence Rattigan’s 1958 play is being touted as the first full production since its West End premiere. Back then it was directed by John Gielgud, starred Margaret Leighton and Jeremy Brett, and closed after just 132 performances. Why?… ” Full review online here.
An Evening on Terence Rattigan, with Princess Galitzine
- At January 28, 2014
- By TRS
- In Events
- 0
The Terence Rattigan Society presents:-
An Evening on Terence Rattigan, with Princess Galitzine at the English-Speaking Union, Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED
Wednesday 21st May, 2014 ,
19.00 – 20.00 in the Long Drawing Room
From 20.00 refreshments in the Churchill Room
Details of how to book for this event will appear in the February edition of ‘The Rattigan Version’.
The great 1950’s Dior fashion model, Jean Dawnay (Princess George Galitzine) was a close friend of the playwright, Sir Terence Rattigan and she was the hostess at many of the glittering parties he held. In particular the party for the opening of the film ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. Jean greeted all the guests, including Marilyn Monroe, who starred in the picture, her husband Arthur Miller, Sir Laurence Olivier and his wife Vivien Leigh as well as Dame Sybil Thorndike, Margot Fonteyn, John Gielgud, Lady Diana Cooper and Peggy Ashcroft.
During the first part of the evening the Princess will be talking about being the friend, muse and hostess of Terence Rattigan with his biographer Geoffrey Wansell. And then Geoffrey and the playwright Giles Cole will give a unique insight into the private face of one of the Twentieth Century’s greatest playwrights.
Actors Judy Buxton and Stephen Martin-Bradley will perform extracts from the plays – ‘In Praise of Love’: ‘The Browning Version’: ‘The Deep Blue Sea’: and ‘Separate Tables’.
Writer and journalist Geoffrey Wansell’s book ‘Terence Rattigan’ was first published in 1995 and he is also the author of the recently published ‘Poirot and Me’, written with David Suchet.
Giles Cole is the author of ‘ The Art of Concealment’, a play which tells the story of Terence Rattigan’s life and which was first performed in Rattigan’s centenary year, 2011.
Variation on a Theme
- At November 12, 2013
- By TRS
- In Events, Professional Productions
- 0
The world’s first professional production in more than 50 years of
VARIATION ON A THEME
by Terence Rattigan
Starring Rachael Stirling as Rose
at The Finborough Theatre from 22nd February – 22nd March, 2014.
‘Variation on a Theme’ opened at the Globe Theatre in London on 8th May 1958, when Rattigan’s star was on the wane. It starred Margaret Leighton and Jeremy Brett, but ran for only 132 performances. It was given a reading at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, staged by Michael Oakley, in the centenary year and now two young producers, Sarah Hammond and Sam Zdzieblo are proud and excited to mount the first professional production for over 50 years.
Inspired by La Dame aux Camelias, and set amidst the glamorous and exotic society of the 1950’s French Riviera, Variation on a Theme revolves around the tempestuous love affair between Rose, a beautiful and wordly socialite and Ron, a young bisexual ballet dancer with a keen eye on advancement. A forgotten classic by “one of the supreme dramatists of the 20th century” (Michael Billington, The Guardian).
The Browning Version/Harlequinade
- At November 10, 2013
- By TRS
- In Amateur Productions
- 0
Production details:
Name of Company – Theatre West Four
Play – The Browning Version/Harlequinade
Dates – 12-16th November 2013: 7:30pm plus a matinée Sat 2:30.
No. of Performances – 7
For more information visit their website: www.theatrewestfour.co.uk
Review: The Winslow Boy – Broadway
- At October 19, 2013
- By TRS
- In Reviews
- 0
The Browning Version and Harlequinade
- At October 17, 2013
- By TRS
- In Events
- 0
The Ladbroke Players
invite you to their latest productions …
The Browning Version and Harlequinade
by Terence Rattigan
(by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd)
The Society has organised a group visit to an amateur matinee production at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday 9th November. Please click here for a booking form for TRS members.
The Ladbroke Players have produced plays in Notting Hill for over 30 years – sometimes at St John’s, but mainly at St Peter’s Church, Kensington Park Road, London W11 2PN, where this production is taking place. They have presented comedies, tragedies and dramas ranging from classics by Shakespeare, Chekhov and Ibsen to contemporary Coward, Stoppard and Wilde.
The Browning Version is one of Terence Rattigan’s most famous plays. It tells the story of an unpopular and unloved public school classics master. Cuckolded by his wife and on the verge of retirement, Crocker-Harris finds a form of redemption in an unexpected parting gift from a previously unregarded pupil – a second-hand copy of Robert Browning’s version of the Agamemnon.
Harlequinade was written to accompany The Browning Version and they were first produced in 1948 as a double-bill entitled Playbill, with Eric Portman and Mary Ellis in leading roles. Set in the bygone era of touring repertory theatre companies in post-war Britain, Harlequinade is a frothy and light-hearted farce. Leading man Arthur is horrified when his hitherto unknown daughter appears as he is about to go on stage to play Romeo. Has he committed bigamy? Will long-suffering stage manager Jack ever find time to marry fiancée Joyce? And who will play 1st Musician?
The Browning Version is directed by Andrew Kenyon, Treasurer of The Terence Rattigan Society, who directed the first production of The Ladbroke Players – Tobias and the Angel – in 1983. Harlequinade is directed by another TRS member, Alison Du Cane, following her previous productions Pygmalion, The Accrington Pals, Separate Tables and Lady Windermere’s Fan. Performance dates are Thursday 7th November – Saturday 9th November at 8pm, with a matinee performance on Saturday 9th at 2.30pm, which TRS members are attending. Profits raised by performances will be donated to Mencap.
If you are not a member of The Terence Rattigan Society, then tickets can be booked by contacting:
Irene Kovacs, 2d, Hedgegate Court, Powis Terrace, London W11 1JD.
Telephone: 020 7221 5665
E-mail: Irenekovacs@btinternet.com
“Less than Kind” – Dallas, Texas
- At August 11, 2013
- By TRS
- In Professional Productions
- 0
For more information, visit our Future Productions Page or click here.
“A Tale of Two Cities” World Premiere
- At July 07, 2013
- By TRS
- In Events
- 0
One of the darkest and most romantic of Dickens’ novels, A Tale of Two Cities was adapted for the stage by the dream-team of Terence Rattigan and John Gielgud, and now gets its world premiere in a daring production by King’s Head Theatre artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher.
The Society has arranged a visit to the theatre on Thursday 3rd October, beginning with an optional supper nearby. Booking forms will be included in the next newsletter – Issue no 8 of ‘The Rattigan Version’.
For more information and tickets, click here.
TERENCE RATTIGAN AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
- At June 25, 2013
- By TRS
- In Events
- 0
TERENCE RATTIGAN AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
The Society has arranged “An Evening on Terence Rattigan with Princess Galitzine” to take place in the Lecture Theatre of the V & A Museum on:-
Monday 15 July, 18.30 – 19.30 (talk): Lecture Theatre
19.30 – 20.15 (refreshments). Silver Galleries
The great 1950’s Dior model, Jean Dawnay (Princess George Galitzine) will discuss being the friend, muse and hostess of Terence Rattigan with his biographer Geoffrey Wansell. Together with Giles Cole, they will give a unique insight into the private face of one of the twentieth century’s greatest playwrights.
Tickets £15 (including wine reception)
The evening will begin with our President, Princess Galitzine in conversation with Geoffrey Wansell, Vice President and a backdrop of photographs of Jean Dawnay in her modelling days. The event will include readings from the plays by actors Judy Buxton, Giles Cole and Stephen Martin-Bradley. (Giles and Stephen are TRS Committee members)
HOW TO BOOK.
The event is open only to members of the V & A and members of the Society. For details of how to book, please contact Barbara Longford (barbara.longford@ntlworld.com )
New Society members should also contact Barbara.
N.B.
Members can read Barbara Longford’s interview with Princess Galitzine, which is published in the July edition of ‘The Oldie’ in the Members’ Area of this website.
