Overview

‘A glorious compendium of John’s scintillating irreverences and fabulous faux pas... He was one of the greatest of all theatrical personalities, and these utterly characteristic throwaway squibs bring him vividly back to life.’ Simon Callow This delicious feast of ""Gielgoodies"", compiled by Gielgud’s biographer, reveals a less well-known side to this celebrated man of the theatre: his lightning wit, his love of scandal and gossip, his wicked delight in putting down his fellow-artists, his relish of bawdy humour. Full of startling new material, drawn from many unpublished letters and Jonathan Croall’s extensive interviews, the book also celebrates the man who dropped a thousand bricks. Gielgud’s excruciating gaffes were legendary, and here are both the famous and the unknown, collected in all their glory. Whether committed backstage, in the wings or in rehearsals, on film sets or in television studios, they bring this merry and much-loved man vividly to life.

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9781783190072

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Reviews

'Gielgud was indiscreet even by the exacting standards of the acting profession - I could hear Sir John's voice as I read which lent extra poignancy to some of his observations' The Sunday Times 'A glorious celebration of the idiosyncratic but wholly endearing warmth of a unique figure' The Stage 'This is a slim, patrician and elegant little volume - filled with the most amusing series of gaffes and inappropriate comments... this book is very funny and can lead to some embarrassment when read in public places... most amusing' British Theatre Guide 'Shows Gielgud's absolutely genuine innocence, sweetness and honesty... highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a giggle, particularly when laced with a good swig of theatre history.' Harriet Devine, Blue Pages

Author Information

Jonathan Croall is a journalist, editor and biographer specialising in theatre. He has written over 20 books on a range of subjects & has also directed and written plays for the London fringe. A former features editor of the Times Educational Supplement, he edited the National Theatre's magazine StageWrite, and recently published Buzz Buzz!, a collection of his interviews with actors, directors and playwrights at the National. His book The Coming of Godot: A Short History of a Masterpiece (also published by Oberon) was short-listed for the 2005 Theatre Book Prize. The new edition of his biography of John Gielgud was published as John Gielgud: Matinee Idol to Movie Star.

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