A Patriot for Me

OSBORNE, John A Patriot for Me London: Faber and Faber, 1966 8vo, publisher's red cloth, lettered in gilt to spine; together in black and white dustwrapper (unclipped, 13s 6d net to front flap), the cover image showing a photograph by 'Dominic'; pp. [viii], 9-128; a very good copy, lightly compressed to spine tips with the odd dink to the outer edges; faint toning to the text block; marks from tape residue affecting the front paste-down and endpapers; as well as half title; the wrapper also very good, light rubbing, creasing and shelfwear, mostly affecting the head of spine; a bright example. First edition of Osborne's 1965 play based on the true story of the life of Alfred Redl. This copy formerly in the possession of Harry Vaughan Philips, with his book plate to the front paste-down. With this example come two letters, the first once affixed to the front free endpaper with tape (now detached), signed by John Osborne to Captain Philips and dated the 11th August 1965. "I'm so glad you enjoyed the play", he writes, "It will be published by Faber and Faber - but not until January I'm afraid. They always seem to take a long time." The second letter, a TLS loosely laid in, is also addressed to Philips, this time signed in blue ink from Maximilian Schell, who played the role of Redl in the 30th June - 14th August performances in 1965 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. "Your thoughts are right" he notes, "it is a difficult part, but I feel that the performance is being appreciated, I am happy that I had the opportunity to do it". A controversial play which follows the experiences of Alfred Redl, an officer of the Imperial and Royal Army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who was blackmailed into becoming a spy for Tsarist Russia because of his homosexuality. The debut performances in 1965 proved "too sexually transgressive" for the Lord Chamberlain's office, forcing the theatre to change from a public theatre to a private member's club. Rarely performed even today due to the large cast required, the play features an infamous drag ball as its climactic scene. An interesting association copy.…