WISE CHILD
What business have Mrs. Artminster and her son Jerry in the Home Counties that necessitates a long stay in a small-town hotel in the off-season? The explanation they give the proprietor is obviously contrived, but he has his reasons for allowing them to stay.
In Simon Gray’s first play for the stage—which opened at Wyndham’s Theatre on 10th October, 1967 with Sir Alec Guinness in the lead—the truth is complex and its revelation electrifying. “Wise Child is a clever, moving, perceptive and highly complicated examination of human relationships and emotional needs, with a plot quite subservient to it. Slowly, layer by layer you discover things in the two hotel rooms in which menace creeps up and claustrophobia stifles.” - Caren Meyer, Evening News. …”in Mr Gray..the theatre has discovered a writer of quality and consequence.” - Harold Hobson, The Sunday Times.
| | PRODUCTION HISTORY | | | Wise Child was first performed on 10th October 1967 at Wyndham’s Theatre, London, with the following cast: | | | | MRS ARTMINSTER - Alec Guinness | | MR BOOKER - Gordon Jackson | | JERRY - Simon Ward | | JANICE - Cleo Sylvestre | | | | Director: John Dexter | | Designer: Motley | | Lighting: Richard Pilbrow |
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| | | SIMON GRAY ON WISE CHILD:
...The rest of the cast consisted of Gordon Jackson, who played a rapacious, God-intoxicated homosexual; Simon Ward, who played a motherless but mother-fixated homicidal maniac; and Cleo Sylvestre, who played a simple-minded cockney West Indian. The plot, and the violently farcical sexual collisions and corruptions arising from it were too...READ MORE | | | Read an interview with Cleo Syvestre in which she talks about her experience acting in Wise Child |
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Selected other productions of Wise Child | PUBLISHING INFORMATION | | | | Wise Child is now available as a Faber Contemporary Classic in Simon Gray: Plays 1. To order a copy on special offer at 25% discount please contact Faber and use code GRAYPLAYS. Or check out the plays section of our website. | | | | Wise Child is also available in the following editions: | | | | Wise Child (Faber and Faber 1968) | | Wise Child (Samuel French US 1974) |
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LICENSING INFORMATION For UK and Worldwide professional rights please contact Judy Daish Associates at rozzy@judydaish.com. For amateur rights please contact licensing@judydaish.com. For amateur rights in the USA and Canada, apply to Samuel French Inc at www.samuelfrench.com.
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| NEWS & EVENTS |
The Common Pursuit in New York: an interview with the director
Moises Kaufman talks about the production at the Roundabout Theatre, plus photos of the cast |
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The Common Pursuit in New York: casting announced
The Roundabout Theatre Company's production will open at the Laura Pels Theatre on May 24. |
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Otherwise Engaged: new production on Radio 4
James Purefoy will lead the cast in Simon Gray's classic comedy, to be broadcast on 24th March at 2:30pm. |
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Stage Struck reading at Westport Country Playhouse, Connecticut
Jefferson Mays will lead the cast in Simon Gray's comedy thriller on 12 March 2012. |
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Simon Callow's new website!
A new website devoted to the wonderful actor, writer and director has now been launched. |
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Congratulations to Tom Wells: Most Promising Playwright at the Critics' Circle Awards
First recipient of the Simon Gray Award wins for The Kitchen Sink at the Bush Theatre last year. |
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An interview with Tom Wells, whose play The Kitchen Sink is the first play to be supported by the Simon Gray Award at the Bush Theatre, London
Tom's play, The Kitchen Sink, runs at the Bush Theatre from 16th November to 17th December. |
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Quartermaine's Terms at the Stables Theatre and Arts Centre in Hastings
A new production will be running from 18 to 26 November 2011. |
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Congratulations to Christopher Morahan on his CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Morahan has collaborated frequently with Simon Gray during his career, on both stage and screen. |
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Exclusive interview with Christopher Morahan, by Colin MacCabe
The film, television and theatre director talks about his career and collaborations with Simon Gray |
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Many congratulations to Harriet Walter on being made a Dame in the New Year Honours list.
Harriet has appeared in Simon Gray's works on stage, screen and the radio, and has also played his mother in a documentary. |
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FABER NEW EDITIONS - SPECIAL OFFER
Get 25% off The Early Diaries (RRP 14.99) and each individual volume of Simon Gray: PLAYS 1-5 (RRP 16.99) including free P&P. |
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Critical Quarterly: Simon Gray special edition
An issue of the literary magazine dedicated to Simon Gray's work, edited by Colin MacCabe, came out in April 2010. |
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VIDEO AND PODCAST OF RUNNING LATE EVENING
Watch or listen to Peter Bowles, Udayan Prasad and James Fleet in discussion with Harry Burton at Le Cine Anglais screening |
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THE SMOKING DIARIES AUDIO BOOKS SPECIAL OFFER
Buy the audio books of all three volumes of The Smoking Diaries and Coda, all read by the author, for GBP40 or get 20% off each individual CD volume. |
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VIDEO: Colin Firth talks about A Month in the Country
The actor discusses the film with Ken Trodd, Pat O'Connor and Harry Burton |
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An Interview with Daniel Gerroll
Read an exclusive interview with Daniel Gerroll, the star of The Holy Terror and Chariots of Fire, in our blog now. |
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Ian Jack's blog on Simon Gray and Prizes
Our first guest blogger, Ian Jack, writes exclusively for us on Simon Gray and literary prizes. |
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Margy Kinmonth honored at Women in Film & Television Awards 2009
Producer/Director Margy Kinmonth, who directed the Imagine documentary about Simon Gray, was honored at the ceremony on 4th December. |
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