Let Me Set the Scene: Twenty Years at the Heart of British Theatre, 1956 to 1976 (Art of Theatre Series) Michael Hallifax

In his fascinating book, Michael Hallifax first takes us backstage and tells how he prepared for the arrival of the remarkable English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre ("Remove the stage boxes and build assemblies there.") and gives us details of life at the Court ("Please clear the stage for a lunch-time concert on Thursday."). Next we learn of his experiences as manager of a West End theatre ("Where is the change the usherette promised to give me?") and so to Stratford-upon-Avon where, for the Royal Shakespeare Company under Peter Hall, he was Manager and Licensee. Here we realize how different theatre life was beside the Rive Avon ("There’s the Town’s Fire Alarm. Perhaps it’s the theatre.") The it was back to London, to the Aldwych Theatre, with its many pleasures ("Please arrange for a World Theatre Season, seven companies from overseas in thirteen weeks.") and problems ("Simultaneous translation is causing a riot in the back stalls.") before we find him crossing the river to Old Vic and the National Theatre under Sir Laurence Olivier—busy but blissful ("We must prepare to take three productions for a six-week tour right across Canada."). During these extraordinary years, we will come across many interesting characters from faithful cleaners to great actors and amongst the latter we meet Sir John Gielgud, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Michael MacLiammoir, and Sir Ralph Richardson in addition to the three Artistic Directors with whom he worked, George Devine, SirPeter Hall, and Sir Laurence Olivier. Это и многое другое вы найдете в книге Let Me Set the Scene: Twenty Years at the Heart of British Theatre, 1956 to 1976 (Art of Theatre Series) (Michael Hallifax)