The official biography of a true theatre maverick, written by the man who knew her best.
As a teenager, Peter Rankin skipped games to watch rehearsals of Joan Littlewood’s Edinburgh Festival production of Henry IV. On leaving school, he assisted her both at Stratford East and in Paris. Her last production was his first play, So You Want to be in Pictures, a satire on film-making. For 21 years, he worked alongside the writer/director Ken Hill, one of Joan’s “children” and together, they came up with a series of action/adventure shows, the best known being The Original Phantom of the Opera and The Invisible Man. During that time, Joan came to live in Peter’s flat where they worked on two books together, Milady Vine, the biography of the winemaker, Philippe de Rothschild, and Joan’s Book, her autobiography. Peter has also worked on the autobiographies of Victor Spinetti and the film director, Lewis Gilbert.
The most galvanising director in mid-20th-century Britain.
*Peter Brook*
One of two undoubted geniuses of the post-war British theatre, the
other being Peter Brook.
*Sir Peter Hall*
Joan Littlewood brought theatre to the people of east London and
revolutionised the international theatre landscape with her bold
and powerful productions. She was an inspiration to many and it’s
important that we recognise the significance of her work.
*Kerry Michael, Artistic Director, Theatre Royal Stratford East*
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