Malcolm Jones Lectures and Presentations

LECTURES

THE HONOURABLE AND DISHONOURABLE ART OF ACTING
Shakespeare described actors in Hamlet, writing ‘they are the abstract and brief chronicles of our time’. Actors tell stories that reflect the hopes and anxieties of our times from Oedipus Rex to Jerusalem. Often seen as rogues and vagabonds the road to respectability was a long and lively journey with some fascinating characters until the start of the 20th century established the actor as an ‘honourable’ profession and the great generation of actors emerged including John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier,
Peggy Ashcroft and Edith Evans.

NOT IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE – Censorship on the British stage
On September 26 1968, after 231 years of official censorship, Britain ended the power of the Lord Chamberlain to decide what the British public should and shouldn’t see. Official vetting and censoring of plays was established by the Theatres Licensing Act of 1737 and led to years of controversy, absurdity and fascinating battles between the theatre makers and the authority of the Theatre Censor.

FROM RESTORATION to REFORMATION: Theatre from Charles II to David Garrick.
Theatres had been officially closed for 18 years under the puritan Government when Charles II returned to England and re-opened the playhouses. Restoration Theatre reflected the explosion of immorality and freedom associated with the restoration. Fun though it was Theatre became ill-disciplined and a place respectable people would not go. Over the next 100 years actors and managers like David Garrick sought to create a professional and artistically respected art form.

SPREAD A LITTLE HAPPINESS - THE STORY OF THE BRITISH MUSICAL
The British Musical was triumphant in the 1930s when the musicals of Noel Coward and Ivor Novello dominated the West End. However the arrival of Oklahoma in 1948 changed everything. Over the next 30 years the American musical dominated the West End although there were moments when British writing has moments of success Julian Slade, Sandy Wilson David Heneker and Lionel Bart before Andrew Lloyd Webber re-established the British musical internationally.

TOP OF THE BILL – MUSIC HALL & VARIETY
The urban population exploded in the 19th century and demanded entertaining. The music halls grew out of the pubs and song and supper clubs and was a truly working class entertainment. The songs reflected the lives of its audience and the stars were the celebrities of the day. In the 20th century Music Hall developed into Variety theatre and served the population it’s wonderfully eclectic mixture of acts from singers to magicians, eccentric dancers and comedians. The stars also began to use film and radio as a way to reach a wider audience.

SHAKESPEARE ONSTAGE 1660 TO TODAY
Shakespeare’s plays have had a chequered and lively history from the re-opening of theatres in 1660 until the present day. Throughout that history they have often been re-written to accommodate contemporary tastes. The plays were sometimes star vehicles for great actors or a means of creating spectacle onstage. In the 20th century Shakespeare’s plays returned to more authentic texts particularly at The Old Vic, although we are not without the odd controversial production today.

MELODRAMA , SPECTACLE and REFORMATION 19th CENTURY THEATRE
The 19th century theatre has left very little legacy in terms of plays and dramatic literature but its story of boisterous, riotous audiences, flamboyant melodramatic drama and stage spectacle is an exciting one. The reformation in the latter years of the century established our modern theatres and audiences and enabled writers like Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde to emerge and the knighthood of Sir Henry Irving in 1895 seem to seal the theatres search for respectability.

A VERY BRITISH ART FORM - THE STORY OF PANTOMIME
Sometimes called Britain’s greatest ‘Art Form’, Pantomime has been a popular form of entertainment for over 300 years. In the early 18th century the word was used to describe the performances at Drury Lane Theatre based on the Italian Commedia dell’arte. In the 18th century it was often seen as an opportunity for political satire but it is through the 19th century the fairy-tale story plots were established and the extrovert Music Hall entertainers created the traditions that we know as pantomime today.

MAD ABOUT THE BOY – NOEL COWARD
John Osborne said “Mr Coward is his own invention and contribution to this century. Anyone who cannot see that should keep well away from the theatre.” From fairly humble beginnings Noel Coward went on to establish himself as the most astonishing theatre animal of the 20th century. Playwright and composer, performer and director Noel Coward created some of the most memorable songs and plays in theatre history and some very witty quotes along the way.

RESTORATION THEATRE Rakes, Fops and Wenches
The return of Charles II led to the re-opening of theatres after the 18 year closure of public playhouses under the Commonwealth Government. The new theatres saw the first actress on the stage replacing the cross-dressing males, great actors and lively audiences. Restoration Theatre brought the morals of the court onto the stage in its comedies of city life and an era of great playwriting was unleashed.

1930s GLAMOUR AND GRIME
The theatre of the 1930s reflected the turbulent, changing society between the wars. While the West End had the wit and escapism of Noel Coward and Ivor Novello and the great public packed Variety theatres there was also a new theatre movement created by the legacy of WW1. The working class theatre movement in England personified by Unity Theatre in London and Joan Littlewood and Ewan McColl’s Theatre Workshop offered new opportunities for writers and actors and explored new forms of presenting plays and writing about subjects that were unlikely to be seen in the West End.

SPOKEN WORD ENTERTAINMENTS
The Diary of a Victorian Actress

Larry and Viv – The story of Laurence Oliver and Vivien Leigh

Agatha Christie Onstage – The story of the plays of Agatha Christie

WALKING TOURS
West End Theatre from St Martin’s Lane to the Aldwych

Shakespeare’s Bankside

PANELS & INTERVIEWS
Chairs post and pre show talks and interviews for the V&A and ATG








			Brian Murphy and Linda Regan In Conversation With Malcolm Jones at the Clarendon Hotel
			LECTURES THE HONOURABLE AND DISHONOURABLE ART OF ACTING Shakespeare described actors in Hamlet, writing ‘they are the abstract and brief chronicles of our time’. Actors tell stories that reflect the hopes and anxieties of our times from Oedipus Rex to Jerusalem. Often seen as rogues and vagabonds the road to respectability was a long and lively journey with some fascinating characters until the start of the 20th century established the actor as an ‘honourable’ profession and the great generation of actors emerged including John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft and Edith Evans. NOT IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE – Censorship on the British stage On September 26 1968, after 231 years of official censorship, Britain ended the power of the Lord Chamberlain to decide what the British public should and shouldn’t see. Official vetting and censoring of plays was established by the Theatres Licensing Act of 1737 and led to years of controversy, absurdity and fascinating battles between the theatre makers and the authority of the Theatre Censor. FROM RESTORATION to REFORMATION: Theatre from Charles II to David Garrick. Theatres had been officially closed for 18 years under the puritan Government when Charles II returned to England and re-opened the playhouses. Restoration Theatre reflected the explosion of immorality and freedom associated with the restoration. Fun though it was Theatre became ill-disciplined and a place respectable people would not go. Over the next 100 years actors and managers like David Garrick sought to create a professional and artistically respected art form. SPREAD A LITTLE HAPPINESS - THE STORY OF THE BRITISH MUSICAL The British Musical was triumphant in the 1930s when the musicals of Noel Coward and Ivor Novello dominated the West End. However the arrival of Oklahoma in 1948 changed everything. Over the next 30 years the American musical dominated the West End although there were moments when British writing has moments of success Julian Slade, Sandy Wilson David Heneker and Lionel Bart before Andrew Lloyd Webber re-established the British musical internationally. TOP OF THE BILL – MUSIC HALL & VARIETY The urban population exploded in the 19th century and demanded entertaining. The music halls grew out of the pubs and song and supper clubs and was a truly working class entertainment. The songs reflected the lives of its audience and the stars were the celebrities of the day. In the 20th century Music Hall developed into Variety theatre and served the population it’s wonderfully eclectic mixture of acts from singers to magicians, eccentric dancers and comedians. The stars also began to use film and radio as a way to reach a wider audience. SHAKESPEARE ONSTAGE 1660 TO TODAY Shakespeare’s plays have had a chequered and lively history from the re-opening of theatres in 1660 until the present day. Throughout that history they have often been re-written to accommodate contemporary tastes. The plays were sometimes star vehicles for great actors or a means of creating spectacle onstage. In the 20th century Shakespeare’s plays returned to more authentic texts particularly at The Old Vic, although we are not without the odd controversial production today. MELODRAMA , SPECTACLE and REFORMATION 19th CENTURY THEATRE The 19th century theatre has left very little legacy in terms of plays and dramatic literature but its story of boisterous, riotous audiences, flamboyant melodramatic drama and stage spectacle is an exciting one. The reformation in the latter years of the century established our modern theatres and audiences and enabled writers like Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde to emerge and the knighthood of Sir Henry Irving in 1895 seem to seal the theatres search for respectability. A VERY BRITISH ART FORM - THE STORY OF PANTOMIME Sometimes called Britain’s greatest ‘Art Form’, Pantomime has been a popular form of entertainment for over 300 years. In the early 18th century the word was used to describe the performances at Drury Lane Theatre based on the Italian Commedia dell’arte. In the 18th century it was often seen as an opportunity for political satire but it is through the 19th century the fairy-tale story plots were established and the extrovert Music Hall entertainers created the traditions that we know as pantomime today. MAD ABOUT THE BOY – NOEL COWARD John Osborne said “Mr Coward is his own invention and contribution to this century. Anyone who cannot see that should keep well away from the theatre.” From fairly humble beginnings Noel Coward went on to establish himself as the most astonishing theatre animal of the 20th century. Playwright and composer, performer and director Noel Coward created some of the most memorable songs and plays in theatre history and some very witty quotes along the way. RESTORATION THEATRE Rakes, Fops and Wenches The return of Charles II led to the re-opening of theatres after the 18 year closure of public playhouses under the Commonwealth Government. The new theatres saw the first actress on the stage replacing the cross-dressing males, great actors and lively audiences. Restoration Theatre brought the morals of the court onto the stage in its comedies of city life and an era of great playwriting was unleashed. 1930s GLAMOUR AND GRIME The theatre of the 1930s reflected the turbulent, changing society between the wars. While the West End had the wit and escapism of Noel Coward and Ivor Novello and the great public packed Variety theatres there was also a new theatre movement created by the legacy of WW1. The working class theatre movement in England personified by Unity Theatre in London and Joan Littlewood and Ewan McColl’s Theatre Workshop offered new opportunities for writers and actors and explored new forms of presenting plays and writing about subjects that were unlikely to be seen in the West End. SPOKEN WORD ENTERTAINMENTS The Diary of a Victorian Actress Larry and Viv – The story of Laurence Oliver and Vivien Leigh Agatha Christie Onstage – The story of the plays of Agatha Christie WALKING TOURS West End Theatre from St Martin’s Lane to the Aldwych Shakespeare’s Bankside PANELS & INTERVIEWS Chairs post and pre show talks and interviews for the V&A and ATG








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