Ramblings of an Actress

London: Hutchinson, 1987. A Fine unmarked copy with Fine dustjacket which is not price clipped.ix + 241 pages. 53 illustrations. The book is very different to the usual book of theatrical memoirs and draws on a special part of her working life. In 1983 Sheila Hancock was invited to become an Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, so becoming only the second woman ever to be appointed at this level. She was also asked to lead the RSC's regional tour through Britain and Northern Ireland. From choosing the three plays and her company to selecting suitable venues and performing in and overseeing the productions, the result was a highly demanding and frequently humorous trip. On her return from the tour she was invited by Ian McKellen and Edward Petherbridge to join their National Theatre group as the director of Sheridan's The Critic, as part of a double-bill with Tom Stoppard's The Real Inspector Hound at the same time as playing in The Duchess of Malfi and as Madame Ranevskaya in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. The book is an unusual and provocative personal insight into the world of present-day theatre, as well as one woman's odyssey as she travels the country. 2. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.