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thisbluespiritSorry for being a bit AWOL; I've been struggling and only keeping up intermittently; it happens.
In the meantime, two bits of James Maxwell gleaned from the British Newspaper Archive, one just tonight, the other about 6 months ago, but I only posted it to tumblr.
Pic of James Maxwell in most-likely-burninated installment of a BBC play anthology, First Night, in what sounds like a very 60s JM sort of role. I love him. I pine for all the 60s JM I can't have. Burnination and withholding of 1960s TV hardly anybody else wants to watch are both CRIMES.
Also, a really great little interview with Avril Elgar, his wife, and a particularly excellent character actor (who you are unlikely to have heard of, but if you are a Brit, you will probably have seen her face somewhere). She's talking about the first time he directed her in The Corn Is Green for the Royal Exchange, Manchester:
(Manchester Evening News 5 Mar 1981): AVRIL ELGAR first met her husband James Maxwell at drama school around 30 years ago. But the Royal Exchange's production of The Corn Is Green marks a new departure in their long relationship: "It's the very first time he's directed me in a play," Avril says.
"In fact, I've not worked with him very often - it's been 18 years since we last acted together."
Avril stars as the English spinster Miss Moffat who arrives in a remote Welsh mining village to establish a school and discovers a child prodigy in the form of Morgan Evans, a miner's son.
How is she enjoying working for her husband? "I knew it would be fine, and it is," she replies. "It's absolutely an actor and director relationship. And in fact I enjoy being directed by him. Though it's something of a reversal - at home I'm the director."
Royal Exchange audiences will remember Avril in particular for her marvellous performance in The Family Reunion, with Edward Fox.
But her career has spanned most things, from her debut in Macbeth (performing one-night stands in workingmen's clubs in the North) to TV comedy roles in George and Mildred and in Rosie. She was catapulted to the West End and Broadway early in her career (1958) when Osborne's Epitaph for George Dillon transferred from the Royal Court.
"But my career has never really led on to anything, it's not been logical," Avril ponders. "On the other hand, it has meant lots of variety - it's been a series of one-off jobs.
"With some of the roles I've had, however, I've wished I was dead. But on the whole I just try to enjoy everything.
"Miss Moffat is however, a wonderful part, I'm enjoying it tremendously."
Avril and James (one of the Royal Exchange's artistic directors as well as a familiar acting "face") have two sons, one studying Mandarin Chinese and the other teaching English at Wells Cathedral School. They live in a cottage in Golders Green surrounded by a traditional English country garden which they designed.
In her spare time Avril is a notorious crossword addict - demolishing both the Times and the Guardian puzzles every day. "I love Scrabble too," she admits, "but I just can't get people to play with me."
What's on the horizon after The Corn Is Green? "Nothing at the moment," she smiles. "I'm quite idle really and I like being out of work every now and again. I will be happy sitting in the garden, for a little while at least..."
♥
In the meantime, two bits of James Maxwell gleaned from the British Newspaper Archive, one just tonight, the other about 6 months ago, but I only posted it to tumblr.
Pic of James Maxwell in most-likely-burninated installment of a BBC play anthology, First Night, in what sounds like a very 60s JM sort of role. I love him. I pine for all the 60s JM I can't have. Burnination and withholding of 1960s TV hardly anybody else wants to watch are both CRIMES.
Also, a really great little interview with Avril Elgar, his wife, and a particularly excellent character actor (who you are unlikely to have heard of, but if you are a Brit, you will probably have seen her face somewhere). She's talking about the first time he directed her in The Corn Is Green for the Royal Exchange, Manchester:
(Manchester Evening News 5 Mar 1981): AVRIL ELGAR first met her husband James Maxwell at drama school around 30 years ago. But the Royal Exchange's production of The Corn Is Green marks a new departure in their long relationship: "It's the very first time he's directed me in a play," Avril says.
"In fact, I've not worked with him very often - it's been 18 years since we last acted together."
Avril stars as the English spinster Miss Moffat who arrives in a remote Welsh mining village to establish a school and discovers a child prodigy in the form of Morgan Evans, a miner's son.
How is she enjoying working for her husband? "I knew it would be fine, and it is," she replies. "It's absolutely an actor and director relationship. And in fact I enjoy being directed by him. Though it's something of a reversal - at home I'm the director."
Royal Exchange audiences will remember Avril in particular for her marvellous performance in The Family Reunion, with Edward Fox.
But her career has spanned most things, from her debut in Macbeth (performing one-night stands in workingmen's clubs in the North) to TV comedy roles in George and Mildred and in Rosie. She was catapulted to the West End and Broadway early in her career (1958) when Osborne's Epitaph for George Dillon transferred from the Royal Court.
"But my career has never really led on to anything, it's not been logical," Avril ponders. "On the other hand, it has meant lots of variety - it's been a series of one-off jobs.
"With some of the roles I've had, however, I've wished I was dead. But on the whole I just try to enjoy everything.
"Miss Moffat is however, a wonderful part, I'm enjoying it tremendously."
Avril and James (one of the Royal Exchange's artistic directors as well as a familiar acting "face") have two sons, one studying Mandarin Chinese and the other teaching English at Wells Cathedral School. They live in a cottage in Golders Green surrounded by a traditional English country garden which they designed.
In her spare time Avril is a notorious crossword addict - demolishing both the Times and the Guardian puzzles every day. "I love Scrabble too," she admits, "but I just can't get people to play with me."
What's on the horizon after The Corn Is Green? "Nothing at the moment," she smiles. "I'm quite idle really and I like being out of work every now and again. I will be happy sitting in the garden, for a little while at least..."
♥
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Date: 2024-06-09 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 09:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-09 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 09:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-09 10:57 pm (UTC)"Though it's something of a reversal - at home I'm the director." ha! what a great little interview, she seems like such a clever and quick-witted woman.
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Date: 2024-06-10 09:16 am (UTC)And, yes, she does! ♥
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Date: 2024-06-10 02:09 pm (UTC)One day a portal will open in the sky and all the "lost" TV and films will fall out into laps! The lack of access to old TV is a crime if it is extant:/
I've wished I was dead Blimey, but more good than bad I hope!!!
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Date: 2024-06-10 07:11 pm (UTC)One day a portal will open in the sky and all the "lost" TV and films will fall out into laps! The lack of access to old TV is a crime if it is extant:/
It will, the aliens will bring it all back to us, and tell us to be more careful next time.
Blimey, but more good than bad I hope!!!
I think so, but, I mean, she may have had to be in a Ben Steed script or something!
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Date: 2024-06-11 01:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-14 10:43 am (UTC)Yeah, How Many Angels is lost (according to Kaleidoscope). Burnination sucks, but the withholding is specially egregious to me.
Very interesting interview, not just in how artists balance personal and professional relationships but also in how many artists slip through the cracks, even if their debut was met positively.
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Date: 2024-06-14 05:09 pm (UTC)It is, although the cost of restoration and release vs the no of people willing to pay for it do not seem to be equal things - but it is frustrating!
Also: my man is the lead in two of those missing First Night installments!
Very interesting interview, not just in how artists balance personal and professional relationships but also in how many artists slip through the cracks, even if their debut was met positively.
Thanks! I mean, she had a very long career as a character actor, into the previous decade until she retired, and quite an impressive theatrical career as well, but being a female character actor is hard going indeed.
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Date: 2024-06-15 10:49 am (UTC)Godammit. Why is television like this?
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Date: 2024-06-15 07:16 pm (UTC)It's a neverending pain!