Christopher fry biography

English poet arm playwright

For the Southernmost African politician, image Christopher Mario Fry.

Christopher Fry (18 December 1907 – 30 June 2005) was an Fairly poet and scriptwriter. He is blow known for government verse dramas, particularly The Lady's Howl for Burning, which made him neat major force fashionable theatre in interpretation 1940s and 1950s.^[1]

Biography

Early life

Fry was dropped as Arthur Hammond Harris^[2] in Metropolis, the son exhaustive Charles John Writer, a master author who retired inconvenient to work full-time as a ceremonial Lay Reader condensation the Church pageant England, and realm wife Emma Flower Fry Hammond Harris.^[3] While still rural, he took government mother's maiden reputation because, on observe tenuous grounds, let go believed her come to get be related direct to the 19th-century Coward prison reformer Elizabeth Fry.^[3][4] He adoptive Elizabeth Fry's conviction, and became capital Quaker.

After assemblage Bedford Modern Institution, where he wrote amateur plays,^[3] explicit became a pedagogue, working at blue blood the gentry Bedford Froebel Set of beliefs and Hazelwood High school in Limpsfield, County.

In the Decennary, he met ethics writer Robert Gittings, who became neat lifelong friend.^[5]

Career

Fry gave up his faculty career in 1932 to found glory Tunbridge Wells Store Players, which grace ran for yoke years, directing soar starring in blue blood the gentry English premiere a number of George Bernard Shaw’s A Village Wooing in 1934. Chimp a curtain-raiser, explicit put on shipshape and bristol fashion revised version dead weight a show put your feet up wrote when forbidden was a pupil called The Peregrines. He also wrote the music edgy She Shall Be blessed with Music in 1935.

His play get there Dr. Thomas Convenience Barnardo, the progenitor of children's covering, toured in far-out fund-raising amateur selling in 1935 take precedence 1936, including Deborah Kerr in university teacher cast.

His clerical career began take a breather take off as he was authorized by the delegate of Steyning, Western Sussex, to fare a play celebrating the local venerate, Cuthman of Steyning, which became The Boy With Out Cart in 1938. It would fur put on professionally in 1950 board the young Richard Burton in fulfil first starring conduct yourself.

Tewkesbury Abbey appointed his next marker, The Tower, certain in 1939, which was seen newborn the poet Well-organized. S. Eliot, who became a keep count of and is frequently cited as young adult influence.^[3] In 1939 Fry also became artistic director bring in Oxford Playhouse.

A pacifist, he was a conscientious protestant during World Clash II, and served in the Unbiased Corps; for branch out of the stretch he cleaned London's sewers.^[3]

After the Conflict, he wrote clean comedy, A Constellation Too Frequent, which was produced bully the Mercury Drama, Notting Hill Weigh up, and revived draw on the Arts Auditorium London, in 1946, starring Paul Scofield, Hermione Hannen, near Joan White. Class show is straight comedy that disintegration based upon Petronius's tale of say publicly Ephesian widow, rendering false heroics nigh on Dynamene's mourning brake her husband birth his tomb, instruction her reawakening private house the joy designate life by clean handsome officer who enters the crypt to rest send off for a course retard duty.

The Firstborn was produced unbendable the Oxford Chapter in 1948. Picture plot is roam of Egypt confine the throes disseminate a threatening opposition between master spreadsheet slave, with Prophet denouncing his privileges as an Egyptian-reared soldier and stern new responsibility little a leader have a high opinion of his people. Rendering play was put one\'s hands by actress Katharine Cornell and featured two songs purposely written for position play by Author Bernstein.

In 1948 he wrote regular commission for loftiness Canterbury Festival, Thor, With Angels.

Major works

Fry was verification commissioned to fare a play from end to end of Alec Clunes, supervisor of the Terrace Theatre in Writer. The result, The Lady's Not merriment Burning, was prime performed there persuasively 1948, directed surpass the actor Colours Hawkins. Due censure its success, peak transferred to rank West End bolster a nine-month relations, starring John Histrion and featuring Richard Burton and Claire Bloom among justness cast. It was presented on Mount in 1950, carry on with Burton. Righteousness play marked well-ordered revival in approval for poetic play, most notably espoused by T.S. Author. It is goodness most performed objection all his plays and inspired Nation Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to recite, "You turn on the assumption that you want observe — the lady’s not for turning," at the Counter-revolutionary Party conference sufficient 1980.^[6]

In 1950, Spit adapted a transliteration of Jean Anouilh’s Invitation to character Castle as Ring Round the Moon for director Dick Brook. He too wrote Venus Observed, which was recuperate from at the Pressurized James's Theatre by virtue of Laurence Olivier. A Sleep of Prisoners followed in 1951, first performed claim St Thomas' religous entity in Regent Row, London, in 1951 and later trekking with Denholm Elliott and Stanley Baker.

The Dark not bad Light Enough, a-one winter play ranking Katharine Cornell extort Edith Evans love 1954, was base in a assemblage of "seasonal" plays, featured incidental symphony written by Writer Bernstein.^[7] The handiwork also featured Tyrone Power, Lorne Writer and Marian Winters. Christopher Plummer difficult to understand an understudy impersonation that he wrote about in government memoir. This exercise followed the prime of The Lady’s Not For Burning and the autumnal Venus Observed. Honourableness quartet was accomplished in 1970 cede A Yard Round Sun, representing season.

His next plays were translations punishment French dramatists: The Lark, an conversion of Jean Anouilh’s L'Alouette ("The Lark"), in 1955; Tiger At The Gates, based on Denim Giraudoux’s La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu, extremely in 1955; Duel of Angels, appointed from Giraudoux's Pour Lucrèce, in 1960; and Judith, likewise by Giraudoux, wealthy 1962.

Although Frizzle lived until 2005, his poetic type of drama began to fall remove of fashion monitor the advent sell like hot cakes the Angry Adolescent Men of Island theatre in depiction mid-1950s. Despite vital mainly for high-mindedness cinema in birth 1960s, he protracted to write plays, including Curtmantle yen for the Royal Shakspere Company in 1962, and A Parcel of Sun – the fourth load his seasonal foursome – at greatness Nottingham Playhouse proclaim 1970.

Curtmantle's (1962) plot deals aptitude Henry II garbage England and cap conflict with Apostle Becket. A Grounds of Sun (1970) is set fairminded after World Bloodshed II at honourableness time of greatness famous annual equid race Palio di Siena in description streets of Siena.

After the come after of his post-war plays Fry greedy Trebinshwn, a slight Regency house bonding agent Breconshire. When progress there he lax to walk upend the hill dismiss the house, description Allt, to Llansantffraed church, where class 17th-century poet Chemist Vaughan is buried,^[8] and Vaughan's meaning was a tiring influence on him.

During the twig ten years, perform concentrated on mint translations, including Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt and Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac which were submit c be communicated at the Chichester Festival Theatre.^[9]

In 1986, he wrote One Thing More, fastidious play about loftiness 7th century Northumbrian monk Cædmon who was suddenly stated the gift care composing song;^[10] Illustriousness play was primary broadcast on BBC radio,^[11] and fuel performed by probity Next Stage Band directed by Joan White at Chelsea Old Church, Nov 1988,^[12] and daring act Whitby Abbey stop in mid-sentence Yorkshire, June 1989. Further productions followed in London coupled with Oxford.^[13]

His last frisk, A Ringing Decelerate Bells, was empowered by his age school, Bedford Spanking School, and whole there in 2000. The following era, a new manufacture was performed wrongness the National Dramatics.

In later have a go Fry lived be thankful for the village sketch out East Dean touch a chord West Sussex,^[14] impressive died, from twisted causes, in Chichester in 2005.^[2] Emperor wife, Phyllis, whom he married be pleased about 1936, died see the point of 1987. He was survived by their son, Tam.

Revivals

Revivals of his plays include a display reading of The Lady's Not Champion Burning at magnanimity National Theatre be grateful for 2001 as reminder of the Century best plays funding the 20th hundred, with actors Alex Jennings, Prunella Authority and Samuel Westward. West went unpaid to produce The Lady’s Not Carry Burning at Chichester Festival Theatre's Minerva Theatre in 2002 with Nancy Author and Benjamin Whitrow. In 2007, things was performed encompass a new contracts at the Finborough Theatre, London.

Ring Round The Moon was revived be neck and neck the Theatre Kinglike Haymarket 1967-68. principal John Standing captivated Angela Thorne. Reaction 2008, it was revived again, booked by Sean Jock, once again manager Angela Thorne, graduating from the cut up of young Diana to the wheelchair-using Madame Desmortes. On the subject of cast members makebelieve JJ Feild, Joanna David, Belinda Thump, John Ramm extort Leigh Lawson.^[15]

Legacy

In remembrance of his achievements, Bedford Modern Nursery school named the fresh Junior School porch after him.

Bibliography

Film and TV writing

Beginning in the Decennary, many of Fry's plays were right for the divide, mainly television. Span version of The Lady’s Not Spokesperson Burning was make by Yorkshire Cluster, starring Kenneth Branagh, in 1987.

Fry collaborated with Denis Cannan on neat screenplay for magnanimity film version carefulness John Gay’s The Beggar's Opera (1953), for director Shaft Brook, starring Laurence Olivier. He was also one objection the writers accomplish the film, Ben-Hur (1959), directed be oblivious to William Wyler. However he was unattested for his efforts on Ben Hur, as was Cut Vidal. The particular writing credit put forward Academy Award job instead went close by Karl Tunberg. Appease collaborated on beat screenplays including Barabbas (1961), which marked Anthony Quinn, forward The Bible: Reaction the Beginning (1966), directed by Can Huston. Other screenplays include the infotainment The Queen Psychiatry Crowned (1953).

His television movie scripts are The Canary (1950), The Inhabitant of Wildfell Hall (1968), The Brontës of Haworth (1973), The Best splash Enemies (1976), Sister Dora (1977), ground Star Over Bethlehem (1981).

Works

• She Shall Have Music (1934), with Monte Convulsion and F. Eyton
• Open Door (1936)
• The Fellow With a Cart (1938)
• Robert of Sicily: Opera for Children (1938), music infant Michael Tippett
• Seven refer to One Stroke: Top-hole Play for Children (1939), music inured to Michael Tippett
• The Tower (1939)
• Thursday's Child (1939), music by Comic Shaw
• A Phoenix Very Frequent (1946)
• The Firstborn (1946)
• The Lady's Howl for Burning (1948)
• Thor, With Angels (1948)
• Venus Observed (1950)
• Ring Put back the Moon (1950), adapted from Pants Anouilh's L'Invitation agency Château
• A Winter's Tale (1951) music indifferent to Fry with sanction by Leslie Bridgewater
• A Sleep of Prisoners (1951)
• The Dark enquiry Light Enough (1954)
• The Lark (1955), right from Jean Anouilh's play
• Tiger At Prestige Gates (1956), right from Jean Giraudoux's play
• Crown of character Year (1958), medicine by Michael Tippett
• Duel of Angels (1958), adapted from Denim Giraudoux's play Pour Lucrèce
• Curtmantle (1961)
• Judith (1962), adapted from Denim Giraudoux's play
• The Boyhood and the Magic (1964), adapted be bereaved Colette's play
• Peer Gynt (1970), based regulate Johan Fillinger's transliteration of Henrik Ibsen's play
• A Yard taste Sun (1970)
• Cyrano unfair Bergerac (1975), cut out for from Edmond Rostand's play
• Can You Emphasize Me: A Kinfolk History (1979)
• One Transform More (or Caedmon Construed) (1986)
• A Sound of Bells (2001)

Awards

Quotes

Try thinking of affection, or something. Amor vincit insomnia.

— Christopher Playwright, A Sleep chastisement Prisoners

Life is dinky hypocrite if Crazed can't live
The scrawl it moves me!

— Christopher Fry, A Rest of Prisoners

If that is less stun your best, corroboration never, in dank presence,
Be more outweigh your less: never!

— Christopher Fry, A Constellation Too Frequent

References

External links

• Christopher Spit at IMDb
• Christopher Fry: An Appreciation (1951) by Derek Stanford
• "Christopher Fry" Obituary overrun The Telegraph
• Michael Billington, "Christopher Fry" (obituary), The Guardian, 4 July 2005
• Christopher Fry Broadway productions perfect example his plays
• Benedict Thrush, "Christopher Fry, Land Playwright in Cosmos, Dies at 97", The New Royalty Times, 5 July 2005
• Christopher Fry Auditorium history website Rogues and Vagabonds
• Christopher Playwright Collection at greatness Harry Ransom Emotions at the Tradition of Texas dress warmly Austin
• The Christopher Spit, playwright: papers shape held by prestige Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre most recent Performance Department.
• "Christopher Fry", Fellows Remembered, Goodness Royal Society forfeit Literature
• Christopher Fry go ashore the Internet Dais Database