THE STORY BEHIND A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG Her presence is crucial to the style of the play, and fortunately, after discussion, this point was conceded. I do hope you will be able to see our production, mainly because of the excellence of the playing. Certainly Joe Melia and Zena Walker could hardly be improved upon.”
Director Michael Blakemore to Brain Rix at Garrick Theatre - 11th May - Sent notices. “Most successful opening on Tuesday night. The author himself has a spastic child and he has taken risks with this subject that only someone writing from the inside would dare to. We had a battle with our board to do the play at all because they were frightened it would give offence, but the staunchest advocates of the play have been those who know the subject at first hand. Incidentally, there is some talk about a special charity performance before the run ends on May 27th, but this has yet to be organised.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Director Michael Blakemore to Greville Poke at Royal Court Theatre - 1st March “It would be very nice if there was just the possibility of our company running it at the Court at the end of our season, because it would mean we could use this as further bait in casting it. Our regular company will have disbanded by then and as the play has only five characters we hope to cast it more or less ideally from London. Offers to send script. “It’s an extraordinary play in that it takes wild risks in the way it deals with a somewhat dodgy subject, but because it’s so obviously grounded in first hand experience I think it gets away with it magnificently. There are none of those concessions in the way of a sentimental gravity that tend to mar other plays about a ‘problem.’” Reply to handwritten note from Poke 27th Feb “His wife stayed with Colin Chandler, heard about Joe Egg and talked about doing it at Royal Court after and wanted to get him a script to read. Mentioned idea to Gaskill who has read play. Wife wrote to him and Gaskill coming to Brecht- may speak about play then.”
Director Michael Blakemore to Kenneth Tynan (literary manager) at National Theatre 11th May “I think you should know about a new play… What makes this play so remarkable is that he has brought to bear a talent, which in its natural state inclines towards sharply observed comedy with farcical overtones, on a subject for which, on the face of it, it is wholly inappropriate. That this unlikely marriage