5 Reasons You Might Enjoy ‘Discovering Joan - A Deeply Unofficial Book’
Joan talking to the gang at a cafe
‘Discovering Joan - A Deeply Unofficial Book’ will be ready for you to grab during the Summer of 2024. This book is an opportunity to share much of what I learnt about the philosophy, politics and ever-evolving practice of Joan Littlewood whilst I worked on a 14 year archive and documentary project which celebrates her legacy. Here are 5 reasons you might enjoy the read...
Are you a devotee of change-making theatre rebels? If yes, then have I got news for you! This book contains anecdotes spanning 5 decades of the work based offerings of Joan Littlewood, foremother of radical people’s theatre. It includes tales of ‘Uranium 235’ a post World War II anti-nuclear play by Ewan MacColl, and how, at one unlikely venue, the company was assisted with a quick ‘get out’ by a helpful troupe of all-in-wrestlers. And if you’re not intrigued to learn more about that sort of thing, this is not the book for you.
If you’re a risk enthusiast, then details about Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop taking a production of Macbeth behind the Iron Curtain during the mid-1950s at the height of the Cold War, when she was already being watched by MI5 will seem like the story for you, and perhaps you’ll be feverish with glee as you learn such tales as the fate of actors Glynn Edwards, Richard Harris and Brian Murphy when they missed their train to Zurich after alighting for a quick bite somewhere on the railway tracks of France.
3. If you’re a people’s theatre aficionado, you’ll be fully absorbed by tales of the dedicated efforts of Joan and her company to stay on the road despite being totally skint, during their early touring years. Leading to the time they managed to somehow acquisition and repurpose a glut of tomatoes, resulting in an evening in the cells and a huge amount of soup. If you’re not a fan of misappropriated soup, this is not the book for you.
4. If you’re a cheerleader for supporting working-class writers in the sharing of their stories, then break out the pom-poms, because Joan Littlewood certainly opened doors to talents such as Brendan Behan, Shelagh Delaney, Frank Norman and Stephen Lewis - each set the world of theatre ablaze with their offerings. This book features memories from company members who worked with Joan as she platformed each of these writers.
5. If you’re a fun enthusiast, just wait until you hear some of the ways in which Joan threw her company in at the deep end; including sending a brood of chickens onstage during a live performance of George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Arms and the Man’, chaos ensued and the audience were left rolling in the aisles - despite the seriousness of the work she always found ways to incorporate fun into proceedings - injecting thunderbolts of energy into live performance. If you’re not a fan of fun, this is not the book for you.
When the hat is off, there’s trouble brewing!