THE HOVENDEN THEATRE CLUB, a memoir by Valery Hovenden (its founder) has been edited and published by Anthony Croghan. It gives an intriguing and often amusing account of the remarkable enterprise, part of the pre-fringe "fringe" (or the "other theatre" in Norman Marshall's phrase) of the late 1940s. Because the Hovenden concentrated on little-known dramatic texts from the repertoire in such collections as Bell's, it had (and has) a particular interest for theatre historians, but its range included modem plays and Shakespeare. Hovenden's original idea was to perform appropriate period plays in National Trust houses, but despite an initial success with The Good Natur'd Man at Fenton House in Hampstead, the Trust failed to take up the proposal for further productions in other venues. The club's first premises were a cellar under an art gallery, and it remained true to the spirit of improvisation and enterprise that launched it on its way. The book, which is 71 pages long, can be obtained from the publishers at 8 Beechcroft Road, London SW17 7BY. Price £7.00 - or US $12. ISBN 0 9527563 0 7.

If you can't live, write; if you can't write, be a publisher; if you can't be a publisher, be a literary agent; and if you can't be a literary agent, God help you.' Colin Haycraft. It's just another day at the office for a high-flying literary agent Alexander. Phone calls to be returned, deals to be finalised, celebrity clients to be taken out to lunch... and just one quick meeting to get through with an author whose latest book the agent thinks is, frankly, not up to scratch. Martin Wagner's gripping and often bitingly funny two-hander about a writer's struggle for good representation perfectly reveals the subtle shifts in power in the relationship between artist and agent. As every minute passes and the tables continue to turn, the only thing we can be sure of is that there can only be one winner.

A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater

a series of short sketches for the stage

The book describes the first thirty years of an actor's career and its effect on home life and his mother. The final chapter, "Dear Mrs Worthington..." offers advice to other potential stage mothers.

Theatre as pedagogy in religous stidies

stories from the London International Festival of Theatre, available from Central Books (click on cover)

Details of the career of an actress and playwright, with the Women's Institute in Sussex during and after World War II, with Bognor Regis Repertory Company, and in Wimbledon, including film and television appearances and with Townswomen's Guilds. Includes examples of her writing, synopses of her plays, and 14 photographs

It's a complete playwriting course in a book, organized in easy to follow lessons and filled with practical writing exercises. It is ideal for drama classes, for teachers wanting a teaching resource for their playwriting lessons, for students who don't have drama courses in which to learn playwriting--for anyone of any age who wants detailed, practical playwriting instruction that will get you writing!