THEATRICAL

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 11.5 cm leaf of blue paper, with rounded outer corners, torn from an autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged, with spotting on reverse. Reads: ‘Best Wishes / Tom Walls.’ Good bold writing, with stylistic flourish linking the cross-stroke of the T in ‘Tom’ with the S of ‘wishes’, and two small vertical strokes at the centre of the underlining of the signature. See image

Ten items relating to Percy Nash’s unsuccessful attempt to turn Goldsmith’s ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ into a musical, casting light on English theatre production practices in the immediate postwar period. Despite interest from the theatre impressario Jack Gladwyn, the project stalls. Percy Nash (1868-1958), who made around 70 films between 1912 and 1927, was a key figure in the creation of Elstree Studios. His career as a film maker was effectively ended following the screening of his 1921 film 'How Kitchener was betrayed'.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On grey paper. In fair condition, with a few light creases and two punch-holes to inner margin. Good large signature (‘Anna Neagle.’) in black ink. She thanks him for his letter and kindness in sending the photographs: ‘I think they are excellent.’ She is glad that she was ‘able to get along to the Party’, and thanks him ‘and the Committee’ for making her visit so pleasant.

Chambers is not mentioned in Dame Nellie Melba’s entry in the Oxford DNB. She met him in London in 1895, and their affair ended for unknown reasons in 1904. It is clearly the ‘notorious’ affair in whose fame Chambers ‘rejoiced to the last’, according to Somerset Maugham’s devastating assessment of the man in ‘A Writer’s Notebook’ (1946). Harry de Windt gives a markedly kinder account of Chambers in his ‘My Note-Book at Home and Abroad’ (1923). The recipient would appear to be Chambers’s agent. Regarding the content of this letter, see ‘The Theatre’, 1 November 1894: ‘Mr.

Chambers is not mentioned in Dame Nellie Melba’s entry in the Oxford DNB. She met him in London in 1895, and their affair ended for unknown reasons in 1904. It is clearly the ‘notorious’ affair in whose fame Chambers ‘rejoiced to the last’, according to Somerset Maugham’s devastating assessment of the man in ‘A Writer’s Notebook’ (1946). Harry de Windt gives a markedly kinder account of Chambers in his ‘My Note-Book at Home and Abroad’ (1923).

Toole’s entry in the Oxford DNB describes how ‘Toole was desolate, and his health broke’, after the Tooles’ twenty-two year-old daughter Florence died from typhoid fever on in November 1888, contracted a week before when visiting her parents who were performing at Cork. Her mother, Toole’s wife Susan, died three and a half months later, in February 1889. Both letter and card are in good condition. They are enclosed in a grubby envelop, with stamp and postmarks, addressed to ‘David Cunningham Esq / Belmont / Antrim / Ireland’. Letter and envelope have thick mourning border. ONE: ALS.

A scarce piece of English theatrical ephemera, illustrative of the restrictions imposed following the Second World War. From the papers of W. Macqueen-Pope. (See his entry in the Oxford DNB.) The item is a duplicated bulletin of six closely-typed 8vo pages, on three loose leaves. The text is complete and clear, but the item is aged and with wear to edges. The first page is headed by the following, in capitals, above the address and phone number of ‘The Stage’: ‘According to latest directions from the Ministry of Fuel & Power this is for private circulation only and is distributed gratis.

Keys features in his son’s entry in the Oxford DNB. (John Paddy Carstairs was christened Nelson John Keys.) Three theatrical autographs - Nelson Keys, ‘G. L.’ and ‘Gordon’ - on one side of a 25 x 20.5 cm piece of card. Apparently a gift from fellow cast-members to the actress playing the ‘Spirit of Spring’ in the Arthur Wimperis sketch ‘The Queen of Hearts’, in the C. B. Cochran London Pavilion revue ‘London, Paris and New York’, which ran for 366 performances between 1920 and 1921. J. P.

See Michael Caine’s affectionate account of Fox in ‘The Elephant to Hollywood’ (2010), from which the anecdote at the end of this entry is taken. 1p, 4to. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Hindin’, signed ‘Alwyn Fox’ and headed ‘Pantomime - “Dame”.’ While the twenty lines of text are clear and complete, the item is not in the best of condition, on aged and creased on discoloured paper with closed tears to edges. The letter begins: ‘I am at present free for Dame for coming season pants. and would be glad to negotiate with you.

See Fry’s entry by Michael Billington in the Dictonary of National Biography. His brother survives as a rather shadowy figure: he was certainly alive in 1978, when Fry referred to him in the account of his family background ‘Can You Find Me / A Family History’ (OUP). In that volume Fry describes his ‘brother Leslie’ as a baby ‘growing sturdily’, noting that ‘though he was later called by his first name Charles, he was Leslie for many years to come’.

Wardle worked as Kenneth Tynan’s deputy on the Observer between 1959 and 1963. Wynne-Rushton had published a play titled ‘The Gull’s Way’ in 1930, and a book on the papacy for Catholic publishers Burns, Oates and Washburne two years later. 2pp, 4to. In fair condition, folded three times, with wear and loss along one fold line of the second leaf, resulting in loss of a few words of text. Signed ‘Irving Wardle’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Rushton’, identified as G. W. Wynne-Rushton by associated correspondence.

See the entries on author and recipient in the Oxford DNB. The subject of the letter Alan Dent, began his career as a prot?g? of James Agate. Although a somewhat histrionic figure, Wolfit's reputation rivalled that of Gielgud and Olivier, and his influence was acknowledged by both Harold Pinter and Peter O?Toole, and Ronald Harwood based his play and film ?The Dresser? on him. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and wrinkled paper, with slight nick to bottom-right, and evidence of paper clip. Folded once.

The tickets are all in fair condition, each on one side of a landscape slip of paper (all slips roughly 11 x 7 cm). All five with creases from folding. Each of the five signatures has been scored through in ink, indicating that the ticket was used. All read, ?T. R. D. L. / Admit Two Boxes | Henry R Bishop?, with date at bottom left.

See the entries for writer and recipient in the Oxford DNB. The three items in good condition, lightly aged, with the last carrying minor rusting from paperclip. ONE: 3pp, 8vo. She got his office number from ?Mrs. Popie?, ?but the line has been busy all the time?. She asks for ?a pass for darling Ivor?s [i.e. Ivor Novello?s] memorial service?. The previous week she was ?playing at the Regent Theatre, Hayes, & on the Monday night I was weighed down by a dreadful foreboding of disaster?.

For more information on writer (one of West End theatre?s ?most dominant and successful landlords?) and recipient (the foremost British theatre historian of the twentieth century), see their entries in the Oxford DNB. The five items (the TNS is Item Three, the others are ALsS) are in good condition, lightly aged; Item Five with slight paperclip damage to a margin. Each folded once. All five signed ?Prince Littler? and addressed to ?Popie?, two at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, one at 9 Oakdale, London N14, and one at Coventry House, Coventry St, W1.

See her entry and that of her husband Fred Terry (1863-1933), brother of Dame Ellen Terry, and of the recipient of these letters W. J. Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), the foremost British theatre historian of the twentieth century, in the Oxford DNB. The seven items (Neilson?s five letters and carbon copies of two typed letters to her from Macqueen-Pope) are in good condition, lightly aged and creased. The first letter is signed ?Julia Neilson-Terry? and the other four ?Julia?. The first is addressed to ?Mr Macqueen Pope? and the others to ?Popie?. ONE: ALS, 1 March 1949. 3pp, landscape 12mo.

2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. Folded three times. In fair good condition, lightly browned. 36 lines, sloping upwards and written in an untidy hand, which renders the following report somewhat tentative. Signed ‘Rachel’. In French. She has been so busy since the resumption of the ‘théâtre français’ that she is only now able to tackle the need to get her ‘étoffes’. She reports that the ‘Comte de Noailles’ is in London, and asks the recipient, who also appears to be there, to go again to the embassy to ask him to send by two or three packets what she needs to make ‘mes robes’.

Poyser was the author of the first 'Official Song-book of the Scout Movement', 'The Scout Song Book' (1912). He published a history of the Tower of London in 1908, 'when I was Master of the Music of the Collegiate Church of Allhallows Barking-by-the-Tower, City of London'. For more information, see The Times, 3 August 1964 ('Roll of Honour for Scouts'). 125 items, including letters, programmes, drawings, postcards, invitations, newspaper and magazine cuttings, relating to the Boy Players and 1st City of London Scout Troop.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded once. The printing of the letterhead, in red and black, extends along three edges, with decorations including an oriental-style architectural motif in front of a tree at bottom right. At the head of the page the letterhead reads 'Williamson presents The King and I as originally produced by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein 2nd.' The four directors of Williamson Music Limited are named at the foot, including Rodgers, Hammerstein and 'Louis Dreyfus (British formerly American)'. The note, addressed to 'Mr.

1p, 8vo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Folded once. Salutation ('My dear Popey -') and valediction ('My love to you both - | Anna.') in her autograph; the rest typed. Good bold signature. Reads: 'It was so very kind of you to think of me on Saturday.

The three items in good condition, lightly aged. An entertaining and characteristic exchange, with MacQueen-Pope's letter (Item Three) dating from between Hicks's two. ONE: ALS from 'Seymour H.' to 'My dear old Poppie'. Undated, with envelope with Capetown postmark dated 6 July 1942, addressed to 'McQueen Pope Ere. | Drury Lane Theatre | Drury Lane | London | W. C. 1 | From Sir Seymour Hicks'. 2pp, 8vo. 79 lines of closely-written text, headed 'Private & Confidential'.

1p, 8vo. Fifteen lines of text, in green ink. In fair condition, lightly aged, folded twice, with short closed tear to edge of one crease. Signed 'Sybil Thorndike'. Although 'deeply gratified', her 'present duties' will detain her 'at the Theatre every evening until 11 o/c', so that she will not be able to 'act as a Steward at the Anniversary of the Royal Literary Fund at the Guildhall, next Wednesday'.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with crease lines from having been folded into a packet. The letter is from a batch of letters written following Ivor Novello's death in 1951, in Macqueen-Pope's personal papers. He writes to send his new address ('after April 14th.'), having been forced after eight weeks to move from the Holmwood Hotel, 'to seek a little relaxation at a guest house where there will be less noise and Jubilation'.

[24]pp, 12mo. Stapled programme, in shiny covers. Strip torn away from back cover, and with staples slightly rusted, otherwise in fair condition. Large signature 'Ivor Novello' diagonally across title on front cover: 'Richard D. Rose | presents | Ivor Novello | in | I Lived With You | A comedy in three acts | by | Ivor Novello'. An illustrated 'magazine' programme, containing articles and advertisements. No copy on OCLC WorldCat. From the papers of Novello's friend and biographer, the theatre historian W. J.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper, folded twice. Reads: 'Sir Frank Benson regrets that his departure for South Africa will prevent his having the pleasure of availing himself of the Literary Society's kind invitation to assist at the banquet, on Wednesday, July 16th. -'

Each letter 1p, 8vo. Both in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. On signing one of the letters she has slightly smudged it. ONE: 28 May [1950]. She thanks him for his 'fascinating-looking book, THE MELODIES LINGER ON', and for his 'most generous inscription'. She and her husband 'Richard' (the drama critic Richard Halliday) have 'read bits and pieces and have looked at every photograph, and can't wait to really sit down and read the book from cover to cover!' She continues: 'And that will be soon.

An interesting artefact of what was to become the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. See Murray's Guardian obituary, 3 August 2018: 'Murray left Oxford in 1964 without sitting his finals but with a starry reputation.

It is puzzling that Van Druten, one of the most successful British playwrights of the early 1930s, should not have an entry in the Oxford DNB. The present entertaining and informative letter is written from the A. J. C. Ranch in Coachella Valley, which Van Druten purchased with his then-lover Carter Lodge and the British actress Auriol Lee (it was named after the initals of their first names).

A nice artefact of the censorship of pre-First World War British theatre. The London production of Vollmoeller's wordless drama 'Eine Venezianische Nacht' was censored by the Lord Chamberlain's office, and the production at the Palace Theatre, London, in November 1912 was panned by the critics. 15pp, folio, on fifteen leaves gathered together with green ribbon, interleaved with six typed slips of variant text, and with one leaf a composite made up of several sections glued together. Mimeographed typescript. In fair condition, on aged, worn and creased paper, with final leaf detached.

For the background see Murray's 2014 autobiography 'The Worst It Can Be Is A Disaster', where he describes the production as 'a big production with its quasi-musical form. In such a large cast some of the actors were rather basic but some were superb. Michael Elwyn brought the house down as Monsewer [...] Michael York was very touching as the innocent Cockney soldier and the brother owners were expertly played by Ian Davidson, who later became a successful comedy scriptwriter, and the beautiful Canadian Nancy Lane, who is now a distinguished professor at Cambridge.