Other People’s Fu**ing – An Oxford Affair

Other People’s Fu**ing!

An Oxford Affair

By David Slattery-Christy

Very excited to have completed my new play based on the relationship between historian and All Souls Fellow A.L. Rowse and Prussian activist Adam von Trott. The play covers the period they met in Oxford from 1929 through to the 1930s. There are many twists, turns and surprises along the way.

        Adam von Trott – Oxford circa. 1930

Drawn from Rowse’s memoirs it charts their strange, homoerotic relationship that was conducted in the stifled atmosphere of All Souls. Their illicit affair was shocking and liberating for them both. It defied convention and the law that made homosexual behaviour a criminal offense, and it could have jeopardized Rowse’s position.

“When he came up my stairs that night I was just going up to dress for dinner, I looked over the bannister into his eyes turned to me brimming with light. They are of a rare violet colour, but of a liquid softness I have never seen before.”

Rowse describing seeing Adam for the first time at All Souls, Oxford, 1929.

Trott’s influence on Rowse would affect him for the rest of his life, and would change his attitudes to both homosexulaity, politics and the social history of the 20th century.

Adam von Trott was part of the July 20th plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944. He was found guilty of treason and executed by the Nazis along with his conspirators. Rowse was inconsolable when he heard the fate of his one true love. For indeed he had loved Adam.

Alfred Leslie Rowse (1903-1997)

Adam von Trott zu Solz (1909-1944)

A.L. Rowse (centre) Oxford 1926.

The title of the play is inspired by an embittered quote by Rowse in his last years:

“I don’t want to have my money scalped off me to maintain other people’s children. I don’t like other people; I particularly don’t like their children; I deeply disapprove of their proliferation making the globe uninhabitable. The fucking idiots – I don’t want to pay for their fucking.” A.L. Rowse

A.L. Rowse in his study at Trenarron, Cornwall during his last years.

I have a personal connection to A.L. Rowse as my own father knew him at All Souls, Oxford, during the 1950s and 1960s. My sister remembers going to his rooms at All Souls and making toast on the coal fire – also holidaying as a family at his home Trenarron in Cornwall.

David Slattery-Christy – 9/1/2017

Casting Opportunity / Elvira & I – Puccini’s Scandalous Passions!

Elvira & I – Puccini’s Scandalous Passions!

I am producing a try-out production of my new play at this year’s Lytham Festival – performances 2 to 6 August with rehearsals in the Lytham / Blackpool area. Auditions will be held at the start of April in Lytham.

The play explores the relationship between opera composer Puccini and his eventual wife, Elvira. It is set in their villa at Tore del Lago, Italy, at the time he was composing Madama Butterfly. The play includes adult themes, mental health issues and also suicide. It is based on actual events in their life.

I will be casting for:

Luigi – playing age 30+
Elvira – playing age 40+. Elegant woman but insecure.
Ida – playing age 35+. Elvira’s sister and housekeeper. Practical and no nonsense.
Iginia – playing age 40+. Puccini’s sister and a mother superior with a religious order. Kind and wise nature but steely.
Doria – playing age 20+. Maid at the Puccini villa. Naive and charming.

The production is profit-share with a fringe contract. If anyone would like to audition please email me with CV details and a picture in the first instance to slatterychristy@aol.co.uk

Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,

David Slattery-Christy
Author & Playwright
www.christyplays.com
@DSCAuthor

Puccini

Mildred on the Marne – Centenary Edition for USA Entering WW1 in 1917

Delighted to announce that my biography on American Mildred Aldrich is available in hardback for this year’s centenary of the USA entering WW1. The anniversary will be on 8th April, 2017. Mildred was overjoyed back in 1917 and had campaigned hard for her homeland to enter the war on the side of the Allies. Her home overlooking the Marne Valley in France had been at the forefront of the war – she stayed for the duration to help British and French soldiers. Her accounts of life for French civilians trying to live their daily lives whilst the conflict raged is also fascinating.

“The Stars & Stripes are flying at my gate, and they are flying all over France. What is more they will be flying – if they are not already – over Westminster, for the first time in history.”

Mildred Aldrich/ April 1917

More details coming soon.

Published by the History Press and Spellmount in the UK and the USA

Mildred on the Marne. Mildred Aldrich, Frontline Witness 1914-1918

Book Cover – Mildred’s House La Creste at Huiry, France – Amelie, Mildred’s friend and femme de manage

Other People’s Fu**ing! An Oxford Affair – New History Play

Other People’s Fu**ing!

An Oxford Affair

By David Slattery-Christy

Very excited to have started constructing my new play based on the relationship between historian and All Souls Fellow A.L. Rowse and Prussian activist Adam von Trott. The play covers the period they met in Oxford from 1929 through to the 1930s. There are many twists, turns and surprises along the way.

        Adam von Trott – Oxford circa. 1930

Drawn from Rowse’s memoirs it charts their strange, homoerotic relationship that was conducted in the stifled atmosphere of All Souls. Their illicit affair was shocking and liberating for them both. It defied convention and the law that made homosexual behaviour a criminal offense, and it could have jeopardized Rowse’s position.

“When he came up my stairs that night I was just going up to dress for dinner, I looked over the bannister into his eyes turned to me brimming with light. They are of a rare violet colour, but of a liquid softness I have never seen before.”

Rowse describing seeing Adam for the first time at All Souls, Oxford, 1929.

Trott’s influence on Rowse would affect him for the rest of his life, and would change his attitudes to both homosexulaity, politics and the social history of the 20th century.

Adam von Trott was part of the July 20th plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944. He was found guilty of treason and executed by the Nazis along with his conspirators. Rowse was inconsolable when he heard the fate of his one true love. For indeed he had loved Adam.

Alfred Leslie Rowse (1903-1997)

Adam von Trott zu Solz (1909-1944)

A.L. Rowse (centre) Oxford 1926.

The title of the play is inspired by an embittered quote by Rowse in his last years:

“I don’t want to have my money scalped off me to maintain other people’s children. I don’t like other people; I particularly don’t like their children; I deeply disapprove of their proliferation making the globe uninhabitable. The fucking idiots – I don’t want to pay for their fucking.” A.L. Rowse

A.L. Rowse in his study at Trenarron, Cornwall during his last years.

I have a personal connection to A.L. Rowse as my own father knew him at All Souls, Oxford, during the 1950s and 1960s. My sister remembers going to his rooms at All Souls and making toast on the coal fire – also holidaying as a family at his home Trenarron in Cornwall.

David Slattery-Christy – 9/1/2017

Novello New Year!

Well, what a brilliant Christmas and New Year it has been for Ivor Novello! They say everything comes in threes, and it seem that is exactly what happened.

The BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Week programmes dedicated to Ivor were brilliant with lots of new recording by the BBC Concert Orchestra, solos by @SimonLepper and @KittyWhateley and recordings by the lovely Marylin Hill Smith to name a few. There were also brilliant sections with Billy Differ (Operations Manager for Sir Cameron Mackintosh) in Novello’s old flat, and also with Rosy Runciman who is the archivist for Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

One listener said: “Sensitively researched life story combined with location insights AND the music – worth the @BBC licence fee on its own.” Another said: “@BBCRadio3 @DSCAuthor “Ivor Novello” Awarded the best @BBCRadio3 programme of the year!”

In addition to this I was delighted to release a 10th Anniversary edition of my Novello biography to tie in with the BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Week series. As I was guest of the week for the programmes, it seemed fitting and timely.  ‘Ivor Novello – In Search of Ruritania‘  now available in both paperback and Kindle editions. Excellent and encouraging 5 star reviews!

January sees the publication of The Oxford Handbook of The British Musical – So thrilled that my Ivor Novello biography – In Search of Ruritania – informed this study and is listed in the reference and bibliography section. Thanks to Stewart Nicholls who wrote the section on operetta that includes Novello.

 

I came across this portrait of Novello by Emile Veresmith. It was painted in 1924 and captures him in quite a dark way – I wonder if the artist caught the melancholy and depression that so haunted Novello at times. Food for thought!

 

Well that’s all for now. Not sure if/when the recordings made by the BBC Concert orchestra will be available – but for those who have asked I will let you know if I hear anything from the BBC regarding this. Thank you to Donald Macleod and producer Luke Whitlock at BBC Radio 3.

Happy New Year to all –

Ivor Novello BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Week

Delighted with this great article of my interview with the Operetta Research Center about Ivor and the BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Week broadcasts dedicated to him starting Boxing Day at 12 noon.

http://operetta-research-center.org/ivor-novello-bbc3-composer-week/

New Edition of Novello biography In Search of Ruritania

I am delighted to announce that a brand new 3rd edition of my Ivor Novello biography – In Search of Ruritania – will be released for Christmas 2016. The book will be updated, new information added, along with extra images to celebrate its 10th birthday. It will be available in Paperback and Kindle editions.

It will tie in with the broadcast by BBC Radio 3 –  and their Composer of the Week dedicated to Novello – that I worked as  Novello consultant on, and will be guest interviewee for the week. Presented by Donald Macleod and Produced by Luke Whitlock for the BBC. Due to be broadcast on Boxing Day 2016 for five days.

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ivor novello portrait

Ivor Novello Portrait

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Royal Palace Gardens

Delighted that the book has received a couple of 5 star reviews in its first week or so of release. Thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging and supportive.

I will be talking on BBC Radio Lancashire about the book with John Gillmore on 16th November from the Winter Gardens Blackpool at 3pm.

“Great history of the Royal Palace Gardens. Anybody with an interest in Blackpool’s history will love this book. It’s a history of both the Gardens and the entertainment that people of that era went to see, from music hall to famous battle re enactments. A great insight into that era. It tells of the Gardens from their beginning to their sad end. It is a book I have waited a long time for…” Amazon 5 star – 28 Oct 2016

“What an amazing book. I have learnt so much more about the Raikes Hall and its history. I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. Thank you David for writing this book.” Amazon 5 star – 4 Nov 2016

royal-palace-gardens-history-of-raikes-hall-cover

The book is available to order at Waterstones and other book stores and also online at Amazon and Book depository. Their is free shipping for the book on Amazon.co.uk

Composer of the Week

Delighted to report that BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Week are paying tribute to Ivor Novello with a series of five hour long programmes exploring his life and music – with many new recording by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

I have been delighted to help the producer Luke Whitlock with the script for the five programmes, and also contribute to the programme by being interviewed by Donald Macleod. Also featured are Rosy Runciman, the archivist for Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and Billy Differ, also from Delfont Mackintosh Theatres. It will be a truly wonderful programme and a fitting tribute to Novello who has never previously featured on the programme in its 70 year history.

We had a lovely day at Broadcasting House, The Novello Theatre and also in the Flat atop the Novello Theatre where Novello lived from 1913 until his death in 1951.

The programmes go out from 26th to 30th December 2016 – a real Christmas Special from BBC Radio 3!

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billy-david-rosy-and-donald-in-music-room-of-flat

donald-david-and-rosy-waldorf-bar

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The Mistletoe Haunting - Legend of Minster Lovell

Christmas book for 2016!

The Mistletoe haunting – Legend of Minster Lovell  is a must for your Christmas reading list. One reviewer declared it has “all the hallmarks of a classic” and that it is “a beautiful book, and beautifully written.” Get your copy now – available at Amazon and all good book stores! It would also make a wonderful Christmas gift. More details at www.christyplays.co.uk

The Mistletoe Haunting - Legend of Minster Lovell