Search results

Author, Title, Summary Subject Price
Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, with Auden and Eliot a leading exponent of twentieth-century verse drama [BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation], Bush House, London]

[Christopher Fry: BBC Schools talk on 'A Sleep of Prisoners', with reading.] Copy of typescript of BBC Home Service (Schools) talk and reading headed 'Religion and Philosophy | 9. A Play for a Church | by | Christopher Fry'.

Contemporary duplicated typescript, from the Christopher Fry papers. 14pp, 8vo. Each page on a separate leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged. Fry's introductory talk is present in its entirety on pp.1-5, this is followed by an unpaginated page, then pp.8-15 with p.[10] also unpaginated. Hence p...

£220.00
Christopher Hassall [Christopher Vernon Hassall] (1912-1963), poet and dramatist; Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, leading exponent of verse drama [Andrew Young (1885-1971), Scottish poet]

[Christopher Hassall's poem on Andrew Young, with annotations by Christopher Fry.] Typescript of Hassall's poem 'For Andrew Young', with a couple of minor autograph corrections by him, and biographical note on his association with the two men by Fry.

1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged. On Croxley Script cartridge paper. Folded three times. Typed at top left: 'For Andrew Young'. From the Fry papers, with the playwright apparently stating that he found the typescript in a copy of Robert Frost's poems. Hassall's poem is apparently...

£120.00
Denis Johnston (1901-1984), Irish playwright, author and actor; his son Rory Johnston [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, leading exponent of twentieth-century verse drama; Jonathan Swift]

[Denis Johnston's play on Jonathan Swift: 'new version' by his son Rory Johnston.] Typescript of 'The Dreaming Dust | by Denis Johnston | a new version | compiled and adapted by Rory Johnston'. With covering letter to Christopher Fry.

A multi-talented figure, Denis Johnston was a protégé of W. B. Yeats and Bernard Shaw, and had a stormy friendship with Seán O'Casey. Jonathan Swift was a preoccupation of Johnston's (see his 1959 book 'In Search of Swift'), and his play about him, 'The Dreaming Dust', was first produced at the...

£400.00
Dodie Smith [Dorothy Gladys Smith] (1896-1990), children's writer and playwright, author of 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' (1956) and 'I Capture the Castle' (1948) [W. J. MacQueen-Pope (1888-1960)]

[Dodie Smith, children's writer, author of 'The Hundred and One Dalamatians'.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Dodie') to 'Popie' [the theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope], praising his writing, theatre work and latest book, discussing Vivien Leigh.

2pp, 18mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded once. Written in a close, elegant hand. Written on receipt of a presentation copy of MacQueen-Pope's latest book, the letter begins: 'My dear Popie, | Thank you so very much for St James's, Theatre of Distinction. I think I am...

£150.00
Kevin Bailey (b.1954), poet and editor of 'HQ Poetry Magazine', Swindon [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, with Auden and Eliot a leading exponent of twentieth-century verse drama]

[Kevin Bailey, editor of 'HQ Poetry Magazine', to playwright Christopher Fry.] Three Typed Letters Signed and one Autograph Letter Signed, discussing his magazine, its poets, his own poetry, Fry's work. With extract from one of his plays.

A total of 8pp of closely-typed text. In good condition. Also present are an additional four-page copy on pink paper of the first letter and its enclosure. First letter signed 'Kevin Bailey', two others signed 'Kevin B.' aq2 One letter lacks its last page and signature. Long discursive letter,...

£150.00
Noel Streatfeild [Mary Noel Streatfeild] (1895-1986), children's writer and author [W. J. MacQueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian]

[Noel Streatfeild, children's writer and author.] Typed Letter Signed to W. J. MacQueen-Pope - 'the horse's mouth as regards theatre history' - with queries for her 'book on ballet' relating to theatres in the Haymarket.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Mr. MacQueen Pope, | Please forgive me for bothering you, but you are I know, the horse's mouth as regards theatre history.' She explains that she is 'in the throes of a book on ballet' for her publishers William...

£65.00
Paul Tabori [Pál Tábori, pseudonym 'Peter Stafford'] (1908-1974), Hungarian-Jewish author, novelist, journalist and psychical researcher

[Paul Tabori, author, novelist and psychical researcher.] Typed Letter Signed ('Paul Tabori') to Eileen M. Cond, from the 'strange and unreal city' of Los Angeles, sending an Autograph Inscription to be pasted into his book 'The Frontier'.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper. Folded twice. In the typewritten letter he explains that he has been in Los Angeles for four months with his wife, and that they 'intend to stay on for a while as I have film and television commitments here'. He is enclosing 'an inscription...

£35.00
Peter Dunn (1918-c.1998), Sussex poet, naturalist and printer (Poet and Printer, Hatch End), and his widow Ruby Dunn [Christopher Fry (1907-2005), playwright, leading exponent of dramatic verse]

[Ruby Dunn, widow of Sussex poet Peter Dunn, writes to Christopher Fry.] Autograph Letter Signed to Fry from Ruby Dunn, discussing the effect on her of editing her husband's work, with duplicated copies of his poems.

Dunn was a teacher (presumably at Dulwich College), Sussex naturalist and poet. Around 1984 he published his own poem 'Death of a Scarecrow' at his Poet and Printer press, Hatch End. The present collection, from the Christopher Fry papers, is in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: Autograph...

£220.00
Peter Opie (1918-1982), folklorist who, with his wife Iona Opie (1923-2017), worked on children's games and literature, donating their collection to the Bodleian [W. J. MacQueen-Pope (1888-1960)]

[Peter Opie, folklorist, with wife Iona Opie, of children's games and nursery rhymes.] Two Typed Letters Signed to W. J. MacQueen-Pope, on the music hall, John Dunn and 'Jump Jim Crow', the Great Macdermott and 'Jeremiah, blow the fire'.

The three items (two letters from Peter Opie to MacQueen-Pope and carbon copy of his reply to the first of these) are in fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with a slight nick at the head of the first letter. Inspired by the recent publication of MP's 'The Melody Lingers On: The...

£150.00
Robert Donat [Friedrich Robert Donat] (1905-1958), English film and stage actor, whose films included 'The 39 Steps' and 'Goodbye Mr. Chips' [W. J. MacQueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian]

[Robert Donat, film and stage actor.] Typed Letter Signed ('Robert.') to 'Popie', i.e. the theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope, regarding his article 'Children's Theatre | Sound'.

1p, 8vo. On aged and worn paper, with spots of rust staining from paperclip. Folded twice. Addressed to MP at 359 Strand, WC2. Reads: 'Dear Popie, | Children's Theatre | Sound | This is just to acknowledge your rough draft of the article you suggest. I have not had time to look at it yet, but I...

£45.00