OXFORD PLAYHOUSE COLLECTION Archive of autograph and typed letters signed, programmes and epheme...

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE COLLECTION Archive of autograph and typed letters signed, programmes and ephemera relating to a performance of Chekov's 'The Seagull' (1948), the publication of 'Oxford Playhouse Jubilee. 1923-1948' (1948), and a fundraising 'Appeal' and fundraising 'Theatrical Garden Party' for the Oxford Playhouse, compiled by Charles Morgenstern, the theatre's publicity manager including letters of endorsement (some reprinted in the published programme) and encouragement for a performance of 'The Seagull' from Andre Gide ('Dans l'admirable chaine de la litterature russe, la cime Tchekhov nous parait aujourd'hui atteindre a la hauteur des plus celebres sommets...', typed, with original envelope, 14 May 1948), John Gielgud ('I have always been grateful to Oxford audiences, for it was at the old Playhouse in 1924 I played, for the first time Chekhov, as Trofimov in J.B. Fagan's production of Cherry Orchard...', 12 May 1948), Ralph Richardson ('... the drama of this delicate master [Chekhov] will ever more and more be felt'), Peggy Ashcroft ('... like Shakespeare's characters we are never tired of meeting them again'), Edith Evans (reminiscing about a performance at the Moscow State Theatre of 'The Three Sisters'), Sybil Thorndike, John Masefield, A.P. Herbert, Ivor Brown, etc; letters in reply to an invitation to the fund raising Theatrical Garden Party (featuring Ram Gopal, 'India's Greatest Dancer', 8 July 1950), from Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Margaret Lockwood, Trevor Howard, Richard Attenborough, John Mills, Margaret Rutherford, Joyce Grenfell, Celia Johnson, Dennis Price, Alicia Markhova, Val Gielgud, and others, various sizes 1948-1950 (collection) Footnotes: 'I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GRATEFUL TO OXFORD AUDIENCES, FOR IT WAS AT THE OLD PLAYHOUSE IN 1924 I PLAYED, FOR THE FIRST TIME, CHEKHOV...' - John Gielgud and other noted theatre and film actors, and writers support the Oxford Playhouse, and endorse their 1948 production of Chekhov's The Seagull put on to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the play's premier at the Moscow Art Theatre. Amongst the printed ephemera are the programme, prospectus and pictorial flyer to the Playhouse's production of 'The Seagull' (31 May-5 June 1948); the programme, flyer, press photographs of the star performer Ram Gopal, and an original ink study for the cover illustration of the programme for the Theatrical Garden Party; an exhibition catalogue, with accompanying photograph and correspondence, for 'Andre Gide 1869-1969. Exposition', held at the Maison francaise d'Oxford, 21 October-7 November 1969, which included the Gide letter in this archive. Provenance: Charles Morgenstern (1916-2002), publicity manager and music director of the Oxford Playhouse, secretary to the Oxford Playhouse Appeal in 1950, and editor of The Oxford Playhouse. Silver Jubilee 1923-1948 to which he also contributed the chapter on 'The First Twenty-five Years'; by descent to the present owner. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing