[Basil Ashmore and the Amersham Repertory Players.] Typed Letter Signed introducing himself to theatre historian W. Macqueen-Pope, with accompanying duplicated set of typed press notices, and carbon of MP’s reply.

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The three items are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The first has slight wear to one edge, the second and third are pinned together. ONE: BA to MP, 10 January 1956. 1p, 4to. Folded for postage. Begins: ‘I wonder if I may introduce myself by means of the enclosed press notices? I am also noted in Whos Who in the Theatre and have letters of personal recommendation from Sir Desmond MacCarthy, Sir Beverley Baxter, J. C. Trewin, Eric Linklater and others.’ He is ‘passionately addicted to Kean’ (the actor Edmund Kean, subject of MP’s final book), and has ‘long hoped to be able to produce a really good play about him. (I have rather a good one by a modern young English poet). Recently I have been working in films. Michael Powell gave me a number of scenes to prepare for shooting in “The Battle of the River Plate”’. Powell seemed ‘very satisfied’ and ‘shot all the scenes exactly as I had prepared them, camera angles and all. On the strength of this I have an appointment to see Sir Michael Balcon very soon. Michael Powell thought I should go on doing more of this work (I suppose one calls it assistant direction) and offered to recommend me personally. Seeing that George Jessel is to do a film on Kean makes me very anxious to contact him, as I should like nothing better than to have a chance on such a splendid theme.’ TWO: Duplicated Typed ‘PRESS OPINIONS’, headed ‘BASIL ASHMORE / Drama and Operatic Producer. / Seasons at the Boltons and Lindsey Theatres. Opera productions for Glyndebourne and the Carl Rosa Opera Co.’ 2pp, 4to. A wide range of appreciative comments, from sources ranging from the Observer, Spectator and New Statesman to the Evening Standard and Daily Mail. THREE: Carbon Copy of MP’s Typed reply to Item One, 12 January 1956. ‘As regards the Kean film, I am afraid you are a little late, as I have already almost finished the script which it is my job to do - being, rightly or wrongly - considered one of the experts on this most remarkable man. But keep in touch. We might be able to do something.’ The film was not made, but MP produced a biography of Kean in the year of his death.