An autograph letter signed by Harold Pinter relating to the German-language premiere of his play 'Ashes to Ashes' at the Theater Basel in March 1997. The director, Peter Palitzsch, had seen fit to interpolate an unauthorised passage into the text, and had been forced to withdraw it by the Pinter's publishers after the premiere. ('What a rum do. Arrogant buggers' writes Pinter)

PINTER, Harold

About this Item

An A4 sheet with Pinter's London letterhead, [2] pages. Folded horizontally and vertically for posting; scattered light foxing; in excellent condition. The letter reads in full: 'April 20. 97. Dear Tim & Penny. I've been in Dublin for three weeks so I've only just seen Penny's report of events in Basel. I'm glad you both thought the actors were good. I much appreciated the trouble you've taken, Penny, in translating the apologia!! What a rum do. Arrogant buggers - that's my assesment. Anyway, thanks! All the best. Yours, Harold'. The addressees are biographer and novelist Tim Heald (1944-2016) and his future wife, the expatriate Australian journalist Penny Byrne (c.1951-2024), who had attended a performance later in the run. The letter is offered together with a group of related ephemera: (1) Two copies of the 'apologia' referred to by Pinter, namely a flyer (quarto, 1 page, verso blank) distributed by the theatre entitled 'Wichtige Mitteiling zu «Asche zu Asche»' [Important Message about 'Ashes to Ashes']. The directorial team protests the interference in their artistic vision 'im Namen des Autors, ohne dass dieser die Premiere gesehen hat' [in the author's name, without him having seen the premiere], and supply the text of the suppressed speech (a narration of a farmer encountering The Holy Family on the flight into Egypt, entitled 'Der Wunderbare Getreidewuchs' [The Amazing Grain-growth]. (2) Penny Byrne's manuscript draft translation of the flyer (quarto, 3 leaves, written rectos only). (3) The original programme for the production (duodecimo, 52 pages). (4) Byrne and Heald's tickets for the play. (5) Byrne's translation of an unidentified review of the production, generally sympathetic to the director (quarto, 2 leaves, written rectos only). (6) The first edition of 'Ashes to Ashes' (London, Faber and Faber, 1996; card covers, octavo, [viii], 85 pages). [9 items]. Seller Inventory # 140501

Bibliographic Details

Title: An autograph letter signed by Harold Pinter ...

Condition: Very Good

Signed: Signed by Author(s)