Synopses & Reviews
Charles Morgan was the dramatic critic of
The Times for most of the years between 1922 and 1939.
The reviews for this small selection are taken from thousands written for The Times and from his weekly articles for the New York Times on the London theatre. Morgan was widely regarded as the most influential critic of his day. His fellow critic, James Agate, wrote "When Morgan is on form he has us all beat." Though most were written overnight for the following days paper, they were given space allowed to no modern critic.
Beautifully written, they bring to life many of the great actors and actresses and the dramatists, old and new, as the theatre moved from the frivolous Twenties into the shadow of another war and towards the modern theatre of today. As they mirror the development of English theatrical taste in the inter-war years, they are as much a delight to read, both witty and erudite, as they are an important historical record.
Review
"His reviews exude a fineness and often a brilliance of mind... He could chronicle the careers of Noël Coward, Somerset Maugham and J.B Priestley, see the promise of Terence Rattigan, admire T. S. Eliot and exult in Anton Chekhovs 'soul.'" - Benedict Nightingale, The Times
Synopsis
Witty and erudite commentary from Britain's greatest all-time theatre critic, edited by his son, Roger.
Synopsis
Charles Morgan was the dramatic critic for The Times from 1922 to 1939, and was widely regarded as the most influential critic of his day. His beautifully written reviews are brought together in this important historical record.