Front Row: Evenings at the Theatre - Hardcover

Beryl Bainbridge

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0826487874 ISBN 13: 9780826487872

Publisher: Continuum, 2005

Synopsis

With an outstanding introductory essay, one of the greatest living English novelists has assembled her writings, essays and reviews about the theatre to provide a highly individual view of contemporary theatre and actors.

About this title

Review:

'Contains fascinating insights... as well as delightful sketches of actors.' Good Book Guide 'The refreshing aspect of this collection of reviews is that you feel they have been written by someone who is open to the experience of what she is about to see without prejudging it... her real strength is her outline of the story, which, as one of our foremost novelists, is hardly surprising. The emphasis in all of these reviews is on a succinct appraisal of the narrative and an appreciation of the writer... will appeal to anyone wanting a browse through that decade, not only of the plays, but also some of the sociological phonomena of that decade, in the always entertaining company of the author.' Camden New Journal 'Bainbridge the novelist can't resist the essential absurdity of people pretending not to be themselves eight times a week... the sending-up, however, is done with great affection. Bainbridge can never be a great critic of the theatre because she loves it too deeply and still identifies with people on the other side of the proscenium arch.'--Kate Saunders "Sunday Times " 'Your professional critic is inclined to go to see a play with their knives sharpened and ready to use if it doesn't meet their preconceived expectations, whereas Dame Beryl goes more as a punter.' Islington Tribune 'Enjoyable... there is a lack of snobbishness in the columns collected here; Bainbridge is as happy to sit through Shakespeare as she is through a farce or a muscial. She still marvels at the magic of theatre and her reviews lack the dour quality of so many braodsheet hacks... Front Row is an ideal book to gorge all at once or dip into every now and then... an idiosyncratic record of the last decade of the theatre, but also an intimate portrayal of one of our greatest writers and is perhaps as close as we will ever get to a full autobiography.' Attitude Magazine '... I was not a stranger to the world of the stage. At the age of five I became a member of the Thelma Bickerstaff tap-dancing troupe appearing at the Garrick Theatre, Southport. Four years later I went solo and sang Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major to an audience of wounded soldiers transported from the local hospital.' '...Her introductory essay is beguilling - '--, "Times " '...'--, "West End Extra " 'This volume has a wonderful and insightful introductory essay, whilst also containing comment on the work of those such as Alan Bennett and Alan Rickman, and some delightful anecdotes fromBainbridge's early days in the theatre.' Good Book Guide, 01/09/2006 '...The reviews in this book are mainly of a random selection of plays in the 1990s and will appeal to anyone wanting a browse through that decade, not only of the plays, but also some of the sociological phenomena of that decade, in the always entertaining company of the author.'--Sanford Lakoff "West End Extra " '...Her introductory essay is beguilling - when, please, will Dame Beryl write her autobiography.'--Sanford Lakoff "Times " '...highly entertaining and informed view of the London theatre.'--Sanford Lakoff "Liverpool Daily Post "

Synopsis:

With an outstanding introductory essay, one of the greatest living English novelists has assembled her writings, essays and reviews about the theatre to provide a highly individual view of contemporary theatre and actors. The incredible range of Beryl Bainbridge's talents is known to her most fervent admirers. As well as being one of Britain's most acclaimed and biggest selling novelists, she is also an artist, a former actor and, in recent years, an accomplished theatre critic. As well as starting her life in the arts as an actor, appearing in rep and early episodes of Coronation Street, she wrote for years a column for the Standard, often touching on theatrical matters, and most recently writes for The Oldie as their theatre critic. The book contains fascinating insight into the work of people like Alan Bennett, Alan Rickman and Ronald Harwood. There are delightful little sketches of the actors and actresses Bainbridge worked with in the early years-including Judith Chalmers. Here is a book to enchant Beryl Bainbridge's countless fans and, through the lengthy autobiographical introduction, to give new insight into the imagination of a creative genius.

About this edition

• Publisher: Continuum
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0826487874
• ISBN 13: 9780826487872
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224