Michael codron ronald eyre genre drama cast michael redgrave, david wood, amanda murray, andrew sachs, connie merigold. As the second world war begins, the mildmannered protagonist tries to become a writer, but is compelled to become a barrister like his father a towering character depicted with affection and exasperation. John mortimers autobiographical play is the affectionate portrait of a sons relationship with his father. The book was produced when i was about 8 years old.
John mortimer john mortimers autobiographical play is the affectionate portrait of a sons relationship with his father. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing voyage round my father near you. Read a voyage round my father by john mortimer available from rakuten kobo. Im so relieved to find that you can lie as mercilessly as anyone.
The first version of the play appeared as a series of three. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. That brings us to a voyage round my father, which looks at john mortimers relationship with his blind barrister father over a number of years. To mark the 10th anniversary of the filmmaker karel reiszs death, his son. The play is about the early life of the author, up to the time when his father died and centres on the fact that his father was left blind after an accident when the author was still a child. A voyage round my father is an autobiographical play by john mortimer, later adapted for television.
Rumpole of the bailey is a series of books created and written by the british writer and barrister john mortimer based on the television series rumpole of the bailey mortimer adapted his television scripts into a series of short stories and novels starting in 1978. When the penguin book of homosexual verse is published in 1983, sir william asks pointedly if adam has edited it. New statesman, telegraph, times literary supplement, mail on sunday and guardian books of the year 2015 when his widowed father once a high court judge and always a formidable figure drifted into vagueness if not dementia. A series of anthologies and omnibus editions were also released. Jun 08, 2008 scenes for the movie version of the pumpkin eater and the television adaptation of voyage round my father were shot at or near turville heath cottage. Plus the following seven stories selected from the short stories published in the years after the 1993 anthology. Continuing to work after he was struck with blindness, mortimer pere was accompanied on his trips to london by his wife who would read aloud to him. John mortimers autobiographical play is the affectionate p. Mortimer, best known for his rumpole of the bailey stories, has fashioned an unexpurgated but affectionate portrait of his highly eccentric lawyer father clifford mortimer, played by sir laurence olivier. Olivier was 77 when he made a voyage round my father and while he doesnt do all that well at a younger age, when he grows into the part where his real age and his characters age blend hes absolutely superb. This is an exlibrary book and may have the usual libraryused book markings inside. Before creating his beloved courtroom drama rumpole of the bailey, john mortimer wrote of the difficult but enduring love between father and son. Dec 31, 2015 laurence olivier, alan bates, elizabeth sellars and jane asher in the 1984 television version of john mortimers autobiographical play.
With laurence olivier, alan bates, jane asher, elizabeth sellars. A voyage around my father is an autobiographical play by john mortimer, it first appeared as a play on bbc radio in 1963 and was later adapted for the stage. A well laid out garden, with trellis covered in greenery, multiple flowers far stage right and a simple table and chairs up left with a proper period wireless and a central wooden bench was the stage setting for this thought provoking and well presented autobiographical play by john mortimer. Growing up in the shadow of the brilliant barrister, who adored his garden and hated visitors, and whose blindness was never mentioned, the son continually yearns for his fathers love and respect. Authors john mortimer venue royal alexandra theatre show run october 30, 1972 november 18, 1972 producer director.
A voyage round my father laurence olivier alan bates elizabeth sellars 1982 a british writer alan bates recalls his eccentric blind father laurence olivier, a prominent barrister. A voyage round my fathers artwork with apologies to john mortimer. Authors john mortimer venue royal alexandra theatre show run october 30, 1972 november 18, 1972 producer director paul elliott and duncan c. Before creating the beloved courtroom drama rumpole of the bailey. He is touching the face of elizabeth, played by nicola pagett, while his son, played by jeremy brett, looks on.
A father, blind and in his sixties, asks his grown son to describe the flowers and earwig traps. As mortimer himself did in a voyage round my father, she circles her subject. Novelist, playwright and barrister john mortimer has led an extraordinarily rich life, privately and professionally, much of it in the public eye. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. John mortimers autobiographical play is the affectionate portrait of. A voyage round my father tv movie 1982 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Karinthy begins his book with the experience of his first symptom. Laurence olivier, alan bates, elizabeth sellars and jane asher in the 1984 television version of john mortimers autobiographical play.
This is a book which feels like an uneasy mix of memoir, diary and biography. A voyage round my father by john mortimer goodreads. When the novelist and critic adam marsjones set off on a voyage round his father, he chose not to take the most direct route. John mortimers autobiographical play voyage round my father was given a classa tv adaptation in 1984. Mortimer, best known for his rumpole of the bailey stories, has fashioned an unexpurgated but affectionate portrait of his highly eccentric lawyer father clifford mortimer.
A voyage round my father by adam marsjones penguin books australia. Yet it is my fathers first feature film, saturday night and sunday morning which he regarded as primitive in later life that is most often screened to students and at the. John mortimer in john mortimers most famous and highly autobiographical play, a young man looks back on an unconventional childhood and youth overshadowed by his irascible and eccentric father. His own writings, from the play a voyage round my father to the memoirs clinging to the wreckage and. A voyage round my father explores the tempestuous relationship between father and son as the younger mortimer portrayed by alan bates tries to come to terms with the bitter memories of his father, whilst still seeking his love and respect. Jun 12, 2008 a voyage round john mortimer by valerie grove illustrated. A reflective narrator links past and present and is a unifying force. And this book is adam marsjones means of working through his complex relationship with his father, years after his death. Recently, while scanning some items of my own childhood artwork, i realized that one of the books of drawings included a few sketches drawn by my father.
A voyage round my father oberon modern plays by mortimer, john. From the subtitle of a voyage round my father borrowed from john mortimer and the backcover blurb, its framed as the first, but there is a surprising amount of the other two as well. Sep 11, 2015 when the novelist and critic adam marsjones set off on a voyage round his father, he chose not to take the most direct route. Growing up in the shadow of the brilliant barrister, who adored his garden and hated. Tv adaptation of john mortimers autobiographical play in honour of his barrister father, who continued to practise even after going blind as a result of a gardening. Scenes for the movie version of the pumpkin eater and the television adaptation of voyage round my father were shot at or near turville heath cottage. A voyage round john mortimer by valerie grove books. Slightly selfindulgent it may be, but there is no denying the fact that their relationship is both fascinating and poignant. Not to be missed, for a witty, perceptive film and for the chance of seeing a truly great actor at his peak. Jan 04, 2017 a voyage round my fathers artwork with apologies to john mortimer. Enjoy a rich lineup of tv shows and movies included with your prime membership.
A voyage round my father times higher education the. Mortimer, best known for his rumpole of the bailey stories, has fashioned an unexpurgated. Nov 04, 2010 as the second world war begins, the mildmannered protagonist tries to become a writer, but is compelled to become a barrister like his father a towering character depicted with affection and exasperation. Looking back on his early life, a son recalls the incident that permanently blinded his father. Sir alec guinness plays the blind father in john mortimers autobiographical play a voyage round my father at the haymarket theatre, 3rd august 1971. A voyage round john mortimer is revealing of many aspects of mortimers legal and literary career, from his first novels and his devotion to his blind barrister father through to his triumph in the oz trial, his stance of freedom of speech, and his creation, in horace rumpole, of the most popular barrister ever to emerge from the old bailey.
It is necessarily also a book about the writer himself and the implausible, longdelayed moment, some years before, when he told his sexually conservative father about his own orientation. Tv adaptation of john mortimers autobiographical play in honour of his barrister father, who continued to practise even after going blind. It then became a television play with ian richardson playing mortimer, tim good the young mortimer, and mark dignam his blind barrister father. His scene with jane asher when hes looking her over as his prospective daughterinlaw is the highlight of the film for me. Watch a voyage round my father now on your favorite device. The john mortimer that emerges from valerie groves canny biography is. Which is the greater invention, rumpole or his creator. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item. In john mortimers most famous and highly autobiographical play, a young man looks back on an unconventional childhood and youth overshadowed by his. The filming of the english countryside and the gently nostalgic atmosphere add to the delights of a voyage round my father. A voyage round my father is an autobiographical memory play comprised of chronological episodes spanning two decades.
A voyage round my fathers artwork david hodgson personal blog. The book also contains the first few pages written by mortimer for a new story titled rumpole and the brave new world that he was working on at the time of his death and thus was incomplete. Hugely popular since it was first performed, a voyage round my fatheris a sublimely comic drama of warmth, nostalgia and wisdom. Voyage round my father by alvin rakoff alvin rakoff. He grew up with his blind divorce barrister father and mother in the chilterns within commuting distance of london. A journey round my skull by distinguished hungarian writer frigyes karinthy is an extraordinary nonfiction account of the authors diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from a brain tumor in 1936.
Nov 22, 2012 a voyage round my father to mark the 10th anniversary of the filmmaker karel reiszs death, his son, times higher education staff writer matthew reisz, examines academics appraisals of his fathers work, and reflects on how it feels to view your parent through scholars eyes. A voyage round john mortimer by valerie grove illustrated. Mar 10, 2011 before creating his beloved courtroom drama rumpole of the bailey, john mortimer wrote of the difficult but enduring love between father and son. His own writings, from the play a voyage round my father to the memoirs clinging to the wreckage and murderers and other friends, have given his many fan.
1200 625 1345 164 1589 693 411 681 821 4 1218 1049 1453 1386 1394 1172 642 1344 1652 776 1544 250 1559 1178 624 8 1489 1121 478 145 1489 705