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John Hall (English playwright)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SkylarWoodward (talk | contribs) at 15:46, 14 May 2022 (Added links to articles in The Times, The Manchester Guardian, The Stage, the Daily Telegraph.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: Please post on a note on the draft's talk page three sources that have written in-depth (2-3 paragraphs) about him or his work. S0091 (talk) 22:22, 30 January 2022 (UTC)
  • Comment: His papers are not a reliable source (see WP:SELFPUB), nor are photos. What is needed are sources that have written about him. S0091 (talk) 20:19, 10 October 2021 (UTC)
John Hall in 1960

John Clifford Hall (26 June 1925 – 25 March 2001) was an English playwright who wrote over thirty plays for theatre, television and radio.[1][2]

Hall was educated at Queens College, Oxford,[3][4] where he studied under C. S. Lewis. Study for his MA was interrupted by service in the RNVR.  For this he studied Japanese and worked in Intelligence at Bletchley Park.[5][6]

His first produced play World Behind Your Back, was in collaboration with actor William Eedle, at the Mercury Theatre in London in 1952.[7][8]

Albert Finney starred in one of his most successful plays The Lizard on the Rock, at Birmingham Repertory Theatre[9][10][11][12] [13][14] of which Michael Billington wrote: 'Above all, I remember him [Finney] in The Lizard on the Rock by John Hall, which required him to be shot at point-blank range in the stomach: as he suddenly crumpled, uttering cat-like cries, the critic Kenneth Tynan in The Observer described it as "the best fall since Feuillère", who was then queen of the French stage'.[15]

The cover of The Lizard on the Rock, published by Methuen

The Lizard on the Rock was well-received.[16][17][18] It is a story based around '...an industrialist - a Senator - who is prospecting for water...'[19] '...in the Western Australian desert... the central character [is] outwardly a man of success and power, but faced with the collapse of his achievements...'[11] and the realisation that 'Life cannot depend upon "the blandishments of power; the blind man groping among the useless treasure.'"[20][21]

Sir John Gielgud was quoted as saying that the play contained 'a great deal of power and originality'.[9] and the playwright Christopher Fry wrote: 'Mr Hall's mind is his own; what he has to say is his own...'[9] The review in The Stage for the Birmingham production of the play read: 'an interesting journey through a variety of tense scenes, each peopled with characters that might in turn be the focal point of the play themselves... Mr. Hall... gives them an aura pregnant with possibilities.'[10] The International Theatre Annual described the blank verse in The Lizard on the Rock as 'Eliotesque'.[22]

Hall wrote his play Exit, Joe, Running influenced by 'the marked contrasts of life at Oxford... and Keele [Universities]... The leading character - within a few months of leaving academia - writes a paper titled "39 Reasons Why University Is No Good"'.[23]

Hall considered the most important playwrights of the 1960s were '...Harold Pinter, Christopher Fry, Robert Bolt, John Arden, John Osborne, Arnold Wesker, Peter Schaeffer and Charles Wood'.[1] He was influenced by Christopher Fry during the resurrection of verse drama, and by Anton Chekhov. One of his own favourite plays was Everly, which never got beyond a rehearsed reading.[1] Wrang-Gaites, written for his sons to enjoy,[24] was originally performed by the York Theatre Royal Activists in 1973[25] and was later set to music at Chichester University.[26] Of Wrang-Gaites, playwright Christopher Fry wrote: 'It is as though the traditional Mummer's Play of St George and the Dragon had spread and ramified and leapt into the twentieth century.'[27]

An archive of his letters and works can be found in Columbia University Library's Archival Collection[28] and at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas.[6]

Works

Stage Plays

  • 1957    The Strangers  -  Bristol Old Vic[4][29][30]
  • 1957    The Lizard on the Rock[11] -  With Albert Finney (Augsberg theatre and Birmingham repertory company)[31]
  • 1958    The Holiday  -  No 1 tour with Sylvia Syms, Sian Phillips and Peter O’Toole
  • 1959    The Net  -  Harrogate Opera House
  • 1959    A Pennyworth of Love   -  Northampton Rep. theatre
  • 1962    The Lizard on the Rock[32][33][34]  -  tour and London Phoenix theatre with Sian Phillips, John Laurie and Harry Andrews[35]
  • 1963    I, John Brown[36][37]  -  with Sir Ian McKellen, Ipswich Arts theatre
  • 1965    Convolvulus[38]  -  Theatre Royal, Windsor
  • 1967    The Little Woman  -  Traverse theatre, Edinburgh
  • 1973    Bondi’s Dream  -  Pool Theatre, Edinburgh
  • 1973    Alva the Widow  -  Netherbow, Edinburgh
  • 1974    Grass and Sky  -  Strathclyde University theatre group
  • 1976    Skin and Bones  -  Aberdeen University
  • 1976    Wrang-Gaites  -  York and Aberdeen student productions
  • 1977    Everly  -  workshop production for Scottish society of playwrights
  • 1978    Any Horse looks Fast Going Past Trees  -  Lyceum. Edinburgh

Television plays

  • 1961    The Break-Up, starring Rosalie Crutchley and James Donald  -  Play of the Week, ITV
  • 1963    The Swindler  -  Armchair theatre, ABC TV
  • 1964    Exit Joe, Running[39], starring Tim Preece  -  Armchair theatre, ABC TV
  • 1984    Movie Queen[40], with Toyah Wilcox and Annie Ross -  HTV
  • 1985    Child Marlene[41]  -  BBC2, Thirty Minute Theatre
  • 1986    The Proposal  -  ITV, Love Story series

Radio plays

  • 1982    Chrissie  -  Radio 4
  • 1983    Jackie  -  Radio 4, Saturday Night theatre
  • 1985    The Gaudy[42][43]  -  Radio 3
  • 1985    In the Venn Country[44][45]  -  Radio 4
  • 1986    Breakfast at Mother Brown’s  -  Radio 4          
  • 1987    The Bridge[46]  -  Radio 4
  • 1988    The Little House[47]  -  Radio 3
  • 1989    The Wedding of Jackie[48]  -  Radio 4

References

  1. ^ a b c Ransom, Harry H. (Summer 1967). "British Drama in the Sixties - A Note from London". The Texas Quarterly, Volume X: Number 2. X: Number 2: 15 – via Book.
  2. ^ Hobson, Harold (1958). International Theatre Annual No. 3. London: John Calder (Ltd). p. 232.
  3. ^
    Certicate of MA from Oxford University, John Hall
  4. ^ a b "UoB Calmview5: Search results". calmview.bham.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. ^ Statement of Service, Royal Naval Service Records John Clifford HALL DOB: 26 June 1925, Saltford, Somerset Official service number: JX 679401. Promoted to Officer in the RNVR: 03-03-44 Date of commencement of service: 3 November 1943 Date and cause of discharge: 30 December 1946. Released in Clas "A". Rank or Rating held: Ordinary Seaman, Temporary Midshipman, Temporary Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Temporary Sub-Lieutenant Source: Departmental Records Ministry of Defence Bourne Avenue Hayes Middlesex UB3 1RF Accessed 29 May 1997
  6. ^ a b "John Hall: An Inventory of His Collection at the Harry Ransom Center". norman.hrc.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  7. ^ "Review: World Behind Your Back". The Stage, London. 10 July 1952. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. ^ Wearing, J. P. (2014). The London Stage 1950-1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. London: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 698.
  9. ^ a b c Hall, John (1956). The Lizard on the Rock. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. pp. Cover.
  10. ^ a b "The Lizard On The Rock, Review". The Stage. 18 July 1957. Retrieved 10 Oct 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "REPERTORY: THREE WORLD PREMIERES FOR BIRMINGHAM". The Stage. 24 January 1957. Retrieved 10 Oct 2021.
  12. ^ V&A Images. "Albert Finney, Rosamund Hall, Lizard on the Rock". V&A Images.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Production of Lizard on the Rock | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  14. ^ FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (July 10, 1957). "John Hall's The Lizard on The Rock at Birmingham Rep". The Times (London). p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ^ Billington, Michael (2020-01-29). "A tribute to the four great theatre talents we lost in 2019". Country Life. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  16. ^ Gibbs, Patrick (10 July 1957). "New Play of Scope & Power". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  17. ^ The Stage (18 July 1957). "The Lizard on the Rock". The Stage. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  18. ^ N.S. (11 July 1957). "The Lizard on the Rock, John Hall's Tragedy". The Manchester Guardian. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  19. ^ FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (July 10, 1957). "John Hall's The Lizard on The Rock at Birmingham Rep". The Times (London). p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ Hobson, Harold (1958). International Theatre Annual No.3. London: John Calder, London. p. 34.
  21. ^ Hall, John (1956). The Lizard on the Rock. London: Methuen. p. 22.
  22. ^ Hobson, Harold (1958). International Theatre Annual No.3. London: John Calder (Ltd). p. 35.
  23. ^ White, Leonard (2003). Armchair theatre : the lost years. Tiverton: Kelly Publications. ISBN 1-903053-18-8. OCLC 53030738.
  24. ^ Hall, John (1973). Wrang-Gaites. Kirkhill, Dyce.: The Lizard Press. p. 3.
  25. ^ Hall, John (1973). Wrang-Gaites. Kirkhill, Dyce: The Lizard Press. p. 5.
  26. ^ Pierce, Parker (November 27, 2017). "Painted musical representation and mnemonics". CIM04 Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology: 102.
  27. ^ Hall, John (1973). Wrang-Gaites. Kirkhill, Dyce: The Lizard Press. p. 7.
  28. ^ "John Hall papers, 1950-1997 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library | Columbia University Libraries Finding Aids". findingaids.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  29. ^ "Programme for 'The Strangers' by John Hall". Mercury Theatre. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  30. ^ FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (July 10, 1957). "John Hall's The Lizard on The Rock at Birmingham Rep". The Times (London). p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  31. ^ "John Hall's The Lizard on the Rock at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, photo Lisel Haas. England, 1957 | V&A Images". V & A Images. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  32. ^ "Phillips, Siân 1934- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  33. ^ "Schedule - BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  34. ^ "Dalzell & Beresford Ltd - Dame Siân Phillips". www.dalzellandberesford.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  35. ^ The Times correspondent (19 May 1962). "Mr. John Hall's Play For The Phoenix". The Times (London). p. 4. Retrieved 15 May 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  36. ^ "I, JOHN BROWN with Ian McKellen". mckellen.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  37. ^ "Sir Ian McKellen | Stage | Plays |Theatre | Ipswich". mckellen.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  38. ^ "Production of Convolvulus | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  39. ^ "Exit Joe - Running (1964)". BFI. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  40. ^ "Movie Queen, Toyah Wilcox". Toyah.net.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ "Child Marlene (1967)". BFI. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  42. ^ "Schedule - BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  43. ^ "BBC Radio Drama, Radio 3 , 1985,DIVERSITY website". www.suttonelms.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  44. ^ "radio plays drama,bbc,The Monday Play, DIVERSITY website". www.suttonelms.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  45. ^ "Schedule - BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  46. ^ Gillard, David (16–22 January 1988). "Hear This! Radio Highlights with David Gillard (Pg 14)". Radio Times 16-22 January 1988.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  47. ^ "radio plays drama,bbc,Alec Reid, DIVERSITY website". www.suttonelms.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  48. ^ "radio plays 1990,bbc,radio drama,DIVERSITY WEBSITE,english,british,uk,classic". www.suttonelms.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
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