129 résultats
180528473London: John Cawthorn 1805. Group of 30 Portraits of Actors and Actresses. All mezzotint by several hands. 1 vols. 12mo. 1/2 red morrocco on marbled boards. A very good copy. Group of 30 Portraits of Actors and Actresses. All mezzotint by several hands. 1 vols. 12mo. Unusual. John Cawthorn unknown books
1978755New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons 1978. First Edition. SIGNED by Tennessee Williams and Richard Leavitt the editor number 64 of 250 copies. A lavishly illustrated book on the life and work of Tennessee Williams. 4to. 176 pages. Near Fine in a price-clipped dust jacket in original cardboard slipcase. Errata slip laid in. Slipcase a bit dusty. <br/><br/> G.P. Putnam's Sons unknown books
1988884New York: Playbill Incorporated 1988. No Edition Stated. SIGNED and stamped by David Mamet with his blue Chicago stamp on the title page page 23. The Playbill for Mamet's comedy about the Hollywood movie industry which opened at the Royale Theatre in New York and starred Madonna Ron Silver and Joe Mantegna. The play was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play and Silver's performance won him a Tony Award for Best Actor. 8vo. 66 pages in stapled wrappers. Near Fine with some creasing to the front cover. Playbills signed by David Mamet are not at all common and signed copies of the Playbill for "Speed-the-Plow" are especially elusive. As of March 10 2016 there were no other signed Playbills of Speed-the-Plow on the market. SCARCE. <br/><br/> Playbill Incorporated unknown books
19141240Boston: The Gorham Press 1914. First Edition First Printing. <br /><br />Small 8vo 7 1/2 inches / 19 cm 168 pages. Printed paper labels to spine and front board. <br /><br />Eugene O'Neill's first book one of 1000 copies printed and featuring five plays: Thirst The Web Warnings Fog and Recklessness. O'Neill's father financed the $450 printing costs. The books didn't sell well so the publisher Richard G. Badger sold the remaining volumes to Frances Steloff who became the owner of the Gotham Book Mart in New York. <br /><br />Eugene O'Neill 1888-1953 won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1936.<br /><br />CONDITION: Spine darkened some light wear to spine edges soiling to top edge and fore edge. A Very Good or better copy lacking the rare dust jacket. The Gorham Press hardcover books
1985003482Theatre Communications Group 1985 1985. Book. Fine. Trade Paperback. Signed by Authors. Not a First. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Trade Paperback. No Jacket. Not a First. Signed by Author. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. The book that made the author actor famous.Tragic Sucide. Fine copy.Ink name.Extremely rare signed copy. Signed" Spalding Gray" in red ink. Theatre Communications Group, 1985 Paperback books
1960751New York: The Living Theatre 1960. First Edition. Season program for the avant-garde New York theatre group which was founded in 1947 and still exists today. The season's productions included "In the Jungle of Cities" by Bertolt Brecht; "The Connection" by Jack Gelber; "The Marrying Maiden" by Jackson MacLow; and "Women of Trachis" by Sophocles in a version by Ezra Pound and featuring a young Martin Sheen as Hyllos. 8vo. unpaginated. Near Fine in stapled wrappers with mild edge sunning. Laid in is a Cue magazine offprint about Judith Malina and Julian Beck the co-founders of the group. OCLC lists only 5 copies held by libraries. SCARCE. <br/><br/>The Living Theatre has broken new ground and plenty of rules for realistic drama since its founding in 1947. The company has produced some of the most-acclaimed cutting-edge plays to be seen in Off-Broadway theatre including Jack Gelber's "The Connection" included in this season program. The Living Theatre unknown books
19611607New York: The Living Theatre 1961. First Edition First Printing. <br /><br />Oblong 16mo 6 1/2 x 5 1/8 inches; 165 x 130 mm 4 pages in stapled red white and blue wrappers. <p>Invitation for a Champagne party and auction at the studio of artist Larry Rivers on May 2 1961 to raise money for the Living Theatre and its forthcoming European tour. The auction included art works and manuscripts most notably the entire manuscript of Allen Ginsberg's "Kaddish" as well as works by John Cage Louise Nevelson Robert Rauschenberg Grace Hartigan Jasper Johns Willem De Kooning Helen Frankenthaler Franz Kline and others.<br /></p><p>Rivers's studio was at 102 West Third Street in the West Village. The invitation requested a contribution of $25 per couple and assured attendees that the evening was "informal." The guests of honor were Eva Gabor Denise Darcel Arlene Francis Shelley Winters and Kim Stanley.<br /></p><p>The evening was a huge success according to The New York Times raising about $20500 equal to around $180000 in 2021. Foundations had promised an additional $5000 while $18000 had already been raised in previous months thus assuring that the Living Theatre's European trip would go ahead.<br /></p><p>The Living Theatre planned to perform in Paris Rome London Turin Milan Amsterdam Glasgow and Florence with plays by Bertolt Brecht In the Jungle of Cities William Carlos Williams Many Loves Jack Gelber The Connection and Luigi Pirandello Tonight We Improvise.<br /></p><p>An interesting snapshot of the New York art literary and entertainment worlds of 1961. And of course a rare piece of Living Theatre ephemera. <b>RARE</b>.<br /></p><p>CONDITION: Near Fine with trivial hints of edge wear. Sharp clean and fresh.<br /></p><p><br /></p> The Living Theatre books
198651118NY: Grove Press 1986. First edition first prnt. Signed by Mamet on the title page. Additionally he has stamped the page with his blue name chop. Dustjacket with two short closed tears one on the front panel bottom edge and the othe on the rear panel topedge and shallow creases on the front panel bottom edge. Tight bright copy in Fine condition in a Very Good dustjacket with an archival cover. among the leat available Mamet titles especially signed. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hardcovers. Fine/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Grove Press Hardcover books
199920812NY: Penguin Books 1999. 50th Anniversary edition first prnt. Signed by Miller on the title page. Preface for this edition by Miller. Afterword by Christopher Bigsby. Selected Chronology of Productions 1949-1999. Black and white photos of the original cast production and color photos of the 1999 Broadway production. Spine topedge cloth with small wrinkle and spine bottom edge cloth trife rubbed; otherwise an unread copy in Fine condition in a Fine dustjacket with an archival cover. Signed by Author. Hardcovers. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Penguin Books Hardcover books
19552089Tempo Playhouse Playbill Stein Gertrude and Jean Genet. <b>Julie Bovasso and Cletus L. Gundy Present a Tempo Playhouse Production: Gertrude Stein's "The 13th of March": Selections From the First Reader and Jean Genet's "The Maids." </b>New York: Tempo Playhouse 1955. <br /><br />Octavo 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches; 215 x 140 mm 8 pages in stapled wrappers. <br /><br />A rare playbill for the first plays presented by Julie Bovasso's Tempo Playhouse in New York: Gertrude Stein's "The 13th of March: Selections From the First Reader" and Jean Genet's "The Maids." In fact this was the first production of "The Maids" in the United States. Both plays were directed by Strowan Robertson with sets and costumes by Lester Hackett. <br /><br />The 24-year-old Bovasso founded the theatre with $250 from the sale of a painting by her husband George Ortman. She rented an apartment at 4 St. Mark's Place in the East Village and built a small stage and a box office. See Stephen J. Bottoms "<i>Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-Off-Broadway Movement"</i> pages 37-38. <br /><br />The playbill doesn't give the opening date but a small item in The New York Times of March 10 1955 states the opening would take place on Saturday March 12. The Times also placed the location of the opening at Steyer Hall Playhouse 184 Eldridge Street which must have been a temporary venue.<br /><br />Bovasso played the role of Claire in "The Maids" which ran until mid-July 1955. The following year the Village Voice initiated the Obie Awards for Off-Broadway. Bovasso won the first Obie for Best Actress and Tempo Playhouse received a special citation that year.<br /><br />Bovasso's co-stars in "The Maids" were Joyce Henry as Solange and Fran Malis as Madame. Being the versatile actress that she was Bovasso also apparently played Solange at times.<br /><br />For the Stein production -- which was actually two plays: "In a Garden" and "Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters" -- the actors were Herbert King Philip Stanley Pitts Kit Raccoon Nancy Ponder Lucy Willow Anne Edwards Helen and Marcia Pavia Ellen.<br /><br />Just like playbills for the Living Theatre the Tempo playbill lists paintings and sculptures for sale at the theatre. Painters include Joan Mitchell Perle Fine Lois Dodd Angelo Ippolito Michael Goldberg Margaret Barlett George Ortman and Miles Forst and the sculptors Marisol Escobar and William King. <br /><br />This playbill is rare. OCLC shows no institutional holdings although a separate search turns up a copy at the University of Florida. <b>RARE</b>. <br /><br />CONDITION: Some creases and folds but clean and unmarked. A Very Good or better copy. Tempo Playhouse books
19391481New York: Theatre Arts Committee 1939. First Edition. <br /><br />Quarto 11 3/4 inches x 8 3/4 inches; 292 x 220 mm 31 1 pages in stapled pictorial wrappers soft cover. <br /><br /><p>Scarce monthly magazine of the Theatre Arts Committee a left-wing theatre group that was active in supporting victims of the Spanish Civil War. Heavily illustrated with black-and-white photos.<br /></p><p>The cover story by Leon Turrou discusses the film "Confessions of a Nazi Spy." Turrou was a former G-man who served as technical adviser on the film. Vera Caspary delves into the Zurich theatre world; Michael Blankfort writes about his profession screenwriting; Kenneth White describes a new puppet film for the World's Fair; Robert Stebbins reviews movies; Eleanor Flexner reviews theatre; and Aaron Copland contributes a short article on music.<br /></p><p>Scarce in commerce.<br /></p><p>CONDITION: Soling to covers internally clean and bright. A Very Good or better copy.<br /></p><p><br /></p> Theatre Arts Committee paperback books
19302043Ballets Russes Georges-Michel Michel; Waldemar George; and Nathalie Gontcharova. <b>Les Ballets Russes de Serge de Diaghilew par Michel Georges-Michel Waldemar George / Le Costume Théatral par Nathalie Gontcharova</b>. Paris: Pierre Vorms 1930. First Edition First Printing. <br /><br />Small Quarto 10 5/8 x 7 3/8 inches; 270 x 185 mm 31 1 pages in printed wrappers. <br /><br />A sumptuously illustrated tribute to Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes issued in 1930 one year after his death. Diaghilev rendered here as Diaghilew created one of the world's most innovative ballet and opera companies and hired some of the greatest artists of the 20th century to design sets and costumes. <br /><br />Artists represented here include Picasso Laurencin Braque Derain de Chirico Rouault Bakst and others. The book features 19 plates depicting sets and costumes with four of the plates in color. There is also a photo of Diaghilev taken several days before his death at the young age of 57. <br /><br />Michel Georges-Michel and Waldemar George have written introductions while Nathalie Gontcharova has written about costumes; the book is illustrated with several of her designs for sets and costumes. There is also a complete list of the troupe's productions and a list of all the artists who designed sets and costumes. All text is in French. <br /><br />This book should not be confused with a 1955 revised edition. An altogether wonderful tribute to the Ballets Russes. <br /><br />CONDITION: Light edge wear toning to the wrappers especially the lower wrapper. Internally clean bright and unmarked. A beautiful Near Fine copy. Pierre Vorms paperback books
19131590London: Constable and Company Ltd. 1913. First Edition Thus. 12mo 7 1/8 x 5 inches; 180 x 125 mm xix 210 2 pages in yellow-green cloth. Modest rubbing to boards page edges lightly toned small "First Edition" stamp on front paste down some dusting to top edge numerous pages unopened small closed tear to page xix. The dust jacket is darkened along the spine and has a few small chips. Overall a Very Good or better copy.George Bernard Shaw's 1891 essay on the plays of Henrik Ibsen presented here with a new preface for this edition as well an analysis of plays that Ibsen wrote after 1891. The book is an important expression of Shaw's theories about theatre in which he contrasts Ibsen's vibrant social realism with a more formal and stagnant Victorian theatre. A lovely collectible copy in the scarce dust jacket. <br /><br /> Constable and Company Ltd. hardcover books
19491230New York: Theatre Arts Books: Robert M. MacGregor 1949. First Edition First Printing. Stanislavski's important sequel to "An Actor Prepares" covering the physical aspects of acting such as movement voice tempo and rhythm. It's written in the form of a diary by an acting student with frequent appearances by the teacher and director Tortsov obviously a stand-in for Stanislavski himself. This volume published by Theatre Arts Books in New York is the first edition in English; a U.K. edition appeared a year later. The Russian edition was issued in 1948. Translated with a Foreword by Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood who collaborated closely with Stanislavski. There's also an entertaining Introduction by actor and director Jonathan Logan who visited Stanislavski in Moscow in 1931. 8vo 8 1/2 inches / 22 cm xx 292 pages. Some fraying to the boards with a bump in the lower right corner of the front board. A bit of soiling to the top edge and toning to the end papers. Otherwise Very Good. The dust jacket has a few closed tears and shows some sunning to the spine and top of the front panel. First-edition copies in the dust jacket are uncommon to the market. SCARCE in dust jacket. <br/><br/>This is an essential reference on Stanislavski's system of acting which is in wide use today. Theatre Arts Books: Robert M. MacGregor hardcover books
1952844<p>New York: Greenberg 1952. First Edition. SIGNED on the front free end paper by 15 important stars of Broadway including Fritzi Scheff Eli Wallach Uta Hagen Maureen Stapleton Blanche Ring Francine Larrimore Leonore Ulric Margaret Phillips Bert Lahr Contance Collier Judith Evelyn Frances Starr Douglas Watson Charles Nolte and Dorothy Gish.</p><p>4to 12 1/4 inches / 31 cm. tall v 150 2 pages. Tipped in is a "Publisher's Weekly" article describing the signing party at Brentano's in 1952. Near Fine in a Very Good dust jacket that has a half-inch chip at the bottom of the front panel where it meets the spine a few small chips on the rear panel some edge wear and soiling. Copies signed by so many of the stars are not often found in the market. Presumably a previous owner obtained the signatures during the book party at Brentano's in 1952. SCARCE signed. <br /><br />The signers are among the 150 stars featured with two-page photo spreads in this loving theatre tribute that reaches back to Lillian Russell and Sarah Bernhardt but also includes a few newcomers such as Carol Channing.</p><p>Daniel Blum the author was an authoritative journalist/historian of theatre who published an annual review of the theatre season called Theatre World. Needless to say he knew many of the actors profiled in the book.</p><p>Especially interesting are the author's comments about the actors. Marlon Brando: "He is a nonconformist and likes to shock people.He dislikes cats interviews shoes and large parties." Maureen Stapleton: "She dislikes spooky movies and books." Beatrice Pearson: "When she is depressed she spends money like a drunken sailor." Charlton Heston: "He is frank genial and outspoken but thinks actors should keep quiet on any other subject but their work." That was the Charlton Heston of 1952. He dabbled in politics later in life.</p> Greenberg books
1810285195London: Miller 1810. hardcover. very good. 3 volumes Copperplate vignettes on title pages. 595pp. 614pp. 598pp. double column tall 8vo polished calf ornately gilt spines black leather spine labels boards crackled and quite darkened at edges hinges strengthened corners worn. London: William Miller 1810. Very good.<br/><br/> Miller unknown books
19711262London: The Aldwych Theatre 1971. First Edition. <br /><br />Octavo 9 x 5 1/4 inches / 230 x 132 mm 20 pages in the stapled wrappers. <p><b>INSCRIBED</b> by Harold Pinter at his biography page "To Milton from Harold" and SIGNED by the stars Vivien Merchant Dorothy Tutin and Colin Blakely and director Peter Hall at their biographies. The program for the first production of Old Times staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Aldwych Theatre beginning June 1 1971. This was Pinter's first full-length play since The Homecoming and the fifth of his plays to be given its stage premiere by the Royal Shakespeare Company. </p><p>Although book editions of this play are readily available we find no copies of the program for the London stage production in commerce as of January 2021. Copies such as this signed by the three actors the director and Pinter himself would be even more elusive. <b>RARE SIGNED</b>.<br /></p><p>CONDITION: Covers lightly rubbed and soiled corners a little creased contents lightly toned. A Very Good copy.</p> The Aldwych Theatre books
19522088New York: The Living Theatre 1952. First Edition First Printing. <br /><br />Small Quarto 9 1/8 x 6 inches; 230 x 155 mm 16 pages in stapled red wrappers printed on Japanese paper.<br /><br />Program for Paul Goodman's "Faustina" which opened at the Living Theatre on May 251952 starring Julie Bovasso as Faustina. Judith Malina directed and Julian Beck designed sets and costumes.<br /><br />This production was part of the first season at the Living Theatre's first permanent performance space at the Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village. The program includes a "portrait sketch" of playwright Paul Goodman by Laura Perls; "Notes on a Ritual Tragedy" by Judith Malina; and a full-page drawing by Larry Rivers for "A City Winter and Other Poems" by Frank O'Hara. <br /><br />There are also advertisements from local businesses especially bookstores and cafes; a list of paintings for sale by Julian Beck; and a list of sponsors which included John Cage Jean Cocteau Merce Cunningham Betty Parsons and other luminaries of the art and literary worlds.<br /><br />"Faustina" was an important milestone in Living Theatre history. The play's title refers to the wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. At the end of the play Faustina is supposed to step forward and chastise the audience for not leaping on stage and stopping a murder. However Julie Bovasso as Faustina felt this moment was pretentious and told the audience on opening night about her irritation. She quit the production after just a few performances. Stephen J. Bottoms <i>Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-Off-Broadway Movement</i> pages 25-26. <br /><br />Despite the controversy the speech "was the beginning of direct audience confrontation by the Living Theatre a technique used extensively in later productions." Theodore Shank <i>American Alternative Theater</i> pages 8-9. <br /><br />This program is rare and is notable for the use of stunning Japanese paper for the wrappers. OCLC shows only two institutional holdings at SUNY/Buffalo and Michigan. <b>RARE</b>. <br /><br />CONDITION: Slight toning to the pages and bit of edge wear to the Japanese paper wrappers. A beautiful production. Near Fine.<br /><br /> The Living Theatre books
19321480New York: United Workers Theatres of New York 1932. First Edition. 4to 11 inches / 280 mm tall 2 41 1 mimeographed pages in side-stapled pink and black wrappers. Contents clean and unmarked wrappers edge worn with several diagonal creases to the corners wrappers splitting along spine fold loose but holding and a bit of soiling. A Very Good copy of a scarce fragile publication.Monthly publication promoting left-wing theatre in the U.S. during the Depression; it appeared from 1931 to 1933 and was closely associated with the Communist Party. The United Workers Theatres of New York the publisher worked in conjunction with the Workers Laboratory Theatre and the German agitprop troupe Prolet-Buehne. Contents here include an announcement for a First National Workers Theatre Conference and Spartakiade to be staged April 16-17 1932 in New York. The Spartakiade required contestants to act "with proletarian responsibility with great energy with full speed" to make the conference and Spartakiade "a great event in the history of the workingclass in this country!"Also included is an article on scene design by Mordecai Gorelik; three plays two of them by the Prolet-Buehne and the other by Tom Lewis; an article on Soviet movies by Harry Alan Potamkin; an article on children's theatre by Kay Rankin as well as reviews and a listing of forthcoming events.A fascinating look at the state of "workers' theatre" in New York during the Depression. SCARCE. <br /><br /> United Workers Theatres of New York books
2401n.p. n.d. <br /><br />Single typescript sheet measuring 11 x 8 1/2 inches 280 x 217 mm typed on one side of the sheet. <br /><br />SIGNED by Samuel Beckett at bottom of the page. The typescript is from the stage directions and opening lines for Endgame one of Beckett's greatest plays about two men in the "endgame" of their lives. The play's first performance took place on April 3 1957 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. <br /><br />CONDITION: Faint yellowing along the edges most likely from having been matted at one time. Small piece of matting tape to top edge of verso. Some handling wear and creasing. Very Good or better. books
1980100146Dallas: Pressworks 1980. First edition limited to 376 copies signed by Warren & illustrator Bill Komodore of which 350 were numbered and meant for sale and 26 lettered meant for use of the contributors and publisher. Copy "W ." Quarter cloth and paper-covered boards in acetate dustwrapper. With actetate inserts protecting color illustrations laid-in as issued. 4 pp music score by Alexie Haieff in stapled printed wraps laid-in as issued. Fine condition. Lettered copies are not commonly available. Signed By Author & Artist. First Edition. Hardcovers. Fine/Not Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Limited Edition. Pressworks Hardcover books
1795212574London: Robinson; T.N. Longman; T.N. Longman 1795. First editions. Engraved frontispiece to third playe Windsor Castle. 4 86 1; 8 84; 8 40 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Three quarter blue polished calf gilt spine t.e.g. Covers detached. First editions. Engraved frontispiece to third playe Windsor Castle. 4 86 1; 8 84; 8 40 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Robinson; T.N. Longman; T.N. Longman unknown books
1800130Venice 1800. 1. Mercier Louis Sébastien. Il Disertore. Commedia del Sig. Mercier. Tradotta dal Francese. Bologna: Stamperia di S. Tommaso d'Aquino 1772. 8vo. 82 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. ICCU cites one copy in Bologna; NUC cites only the 1796 edition at Johns Hopkins only. Not in OCLC. 2. Albergati Capacelli Francesco. Il Capriccioso. Farsa del Cittadino Francesco Albergati Capacelli. Venice. 1797. 8vo. 42 pp. Original past paper wrappers. NUC cites copies at Johns Hopkins and NYPL; OCLC adds Munich; ICCU list 8 locations. 3. Alberghetti Forciroli Carlo. Edipo. Tragedia inedita del Cavaliere Carlo Alberghetti Forciroli. Venice 1797. 8vo. 68 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. NUC cites copies at Johns Hopkins and NYPL; OCLC adds U Penn; ICCU lists 12 locations. 4. Collin d'Harleville Jean François I Castelli in Aria. Commedia del Signor Collin d'Arleville. Traduzione inedita di Giovanni Piazza. Venice 1798. 8vo. 76 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. No copies in US libraries. ICCU cites 20 locations. 5. Cornielle Pierre. Il Cid. Tragedia di Pietro Cornelio. Tradotta da Giuseppe Greatti. Venice 1798. 8vo. 87 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. OCLC cites copies at Johns Hopkins U Penn Duke and Getty. 6. Dumaniant M. Guerra Aperta Ovvero Astuzia Conrto Astuzia. Commedia del Sig. Dumaniant tradotta da Pietro Andolfati. Venice 1798. 8vo. 76 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. OCLC Johns Hopkins and U Penn. 7. Piron Alexis. Gustavo Wasa. Tragedia di Alessio Piron. Tradotta dal Nobile Francesco Gritti. Venice: 1798. 8vo. 95 pp. Original paste paper wrappers. OCLC cites copies at Johns Hopkins and U Penn. 8. Bassi Domenico. L'Impensato Accidente. Commedia del Signor Domenico Bassi. Venice 1799. 8vo. 72 pp. Original paste paper boards. NUC cites copies at Boston Public Library and NYPL; OCLC adds U. Penn. 9. Avelloni Francesco. Giulio Villenwelt Assassino. Commedia del Signor Francesco Antonio Avelloni. Venice: 1800. 8vo. 64 pp. Original paste paper boards. OCLC cites copies at Johns Hopkins and Michigan State. 130. unknown books
19612348London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. 1961. First Edition First Printing. <br />12mo 7 3/8 x 5 inches; 188 x 125 mm 134 pages in original black cloth titles in gilt to spine in a photo illustrated unclipped dust jacket hard cover. <br /><br />INSCRIBED by Harold Pinter on the title page to Jacques Brunius: "To Jaques Brunius from Harold." Yes Pinter misspelled Jacques. Brunius 1906-1967 was a French actor and director. He also translated some of Pinter's plays into French including one of the plays in this book A Night Out. Thus a nice literary association. <br /><br />The book contains A Slight Ache A Night Out The Dwarfs as well as five revue sketches: Trouble in the Works The Black and White Request Stop Last to Go and Applicant. <br /><br />The title play here A Slight Ache is a dark comedy about an English couple Flora and Edward who interrogate a poor and silent match seller who stands outside their gate every day. The play was first performed on the BBC's Third Programme on July 29 1959 and starred Maurice Denham and Vivien Merchant Pinter's wife. The stage version opened on January 18 1961 at the Arts Theatre in London and starred Emlyn Williams Alison Leggat and Richard Briers. <br /><br />We find no other signed presentation copies of this book in the market. It's especially noteworthy because of Pinter's collaboration with the recipient Jacques Brunius. <br /><br />CONDITION: Light toning to page edges but otherwise clean and unmarked. Near Fine in a Very Good unclipped dust jacket that has rubbing to panels toning to upper edges of the flaps and to verso of the jacket and a few small nicks to the extremities. <br /><br /> Methuen & Co. Ltd. hardcover books
18051002594London: James Cundee 1805. Second edition expanded and extra-illustrated of this alphabetical pocket guide to the eighteenth-century English stage first published in 1802. The great figures of the era are all represented: David Garrick Sarah Siddons John Kemble Peg Woffington John Gay Oliver Goldsmith Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Lesser-known characters appear as well like the mad Mrs. Vanbruggen who crashed a London performance of Hamlet: "She was in truth Ophelia herself to the amazement of the performers as well as the audience." Extensively extra-illustrated featuring eighteen inserted portraits in addition to the twenty-two "elegant engravings" promised on the title page. A unique copy of a fascinating book. Twelvemo measuring 6.75 x 4 inches: iv 396. Contemporary full tree calf Greek key borders to boards spine ruled and decorated in gilt red morocco spine label lettered in gilt gilt dentelles marbled endpapers all edges stained yellow. Engraved pictorial title page before letterpress title 38 engraved plates one engraving "David Garrick" printed on page iv. Addenda and publisher's advertisements at rear. Early owner signature to front flyleaf; "twenty-two" in "twenty-two elegant engravings" crossed out on the title page and replaced with the manuscript numeral "40;" manuscript correction to the entry for Robert William Elliston. Joints and corners rubbed two gouges to lower board. James Cundee unknown books
