THE REAR COLUMN | |  | The Rear Column tells the story of five soldiers stranded in the jungle of the Congo Free State in 1887. They are awaiting the return of the explorer, Henry Morgan Stanley, who has gone to relieve Emin Pasha, General Gordon’s last surviving lieutenant in the Sudan. As food and medicines run out, and the porters become restless, the endurance and sanity of the whole group, and their relationships with one another, are sorely tested. | | |
PRODUCTION HISTORY The Rear Column was presented by Michael Codron on 22nd February 1978 at the Globe Theatre, London.
The cast was as follows: BONNY – Donald Gee JAMESON – Jeremy Irons WARD – Simon Ward TROUP – Clive Francis BARTTELOT – Barry Foster STANLEY – Michael Forrest JOHN HENRY – Riba Akabusi NATIVE WOMAN – Dorrett Thompson Director: Harold Pinter
Designer: Eileen Diss
Lighting: Nick Chelto Costumes: Elizabeth Walker The Rear Column was filmed for television in 1980, also directed by Harold Pinter | | | 
| 'Gray's natural urbanity and Pinter's punctilious pace and exactness of feeling both emphasiized the fragile and yet tenacious nature of what civilization persisted, and made the real horrors, always a little in retrospect, more shocking." A. S. Byatt, The Times Literary Supplement, 25 April 1980. | | | | MORE REVIEWS | | | | 1978 Times Review of The Rear Column | | | | Simon Gray on The Rear Column |
| | Hewison's cartoon of The Rear Column in Punch | |
PUBLISHING INFORMATION The Rear Column is now available as a Faber Contemporary Classic in Simon Gray: Plays 3. To order a copy on special offer at 25% discount please contact Faber using code GRAYPLAYS. Or check out the plays section of our bookshop. | The Rear Column is also published in the following editions: | The Definitive Simon Gray Volume II (Faber and Faber 1993 ISBN 0-571-16453-6) | | | Plays 1 (Methuen 1986 ISBN 978-0413404206) | | | | The Rear Column, Molly and Man in a Side Car (Eyre Methuen 1978) | | | The Rear Column (Samuel French US) |
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LICENSING INFORMATION For UK and Worldwide professional rights please contact Judy Daish Associates at rozzy@judydaish.com. For amateur rights please contact licensing@judydaish.com. For amateur rights in the USA and Canada, apply to Samuel French Inc at www.samuelfrench.com. |
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| NEWS & EVENTS |
Simon Callow's new website!
A new website devoted to the wonderful actor, writer and director has now been launched. |
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Congratulations to Tom Wells: Most Promising Playwright at the Critics' Circle Awards
First recipient of the Simon Gray Award wins for The Kitchen Sink at the Bush Theatre last year. |
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The Common Pursuit in New York
The Rounbdabout Theatre Company is producing Simon Gray's celebrated comedy at the Laura Pels Theatre from 4 May to 29 July 2012. |
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An interview with Tom Wells, whose play The Kitchen Sink is the first play to be supported by the Simon Gray Award at the Bush Theatre, London
Tom's play, The Kitchen Sink, runs at the Bush Theatre from 16th November to 17th December. |
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Quartermaine's Terms at the Stables Theatre and Arts Centre in Hastings
A new production will be running from 18 to 26 November 2011. |
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Congratulations to Christopher Morahan on his CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Morahan has collaborated frequently with Simon Gray during his career, on both stage and screen. |
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Exclusive interview with Christopher Morahan, by Colin MacCabe
The film, television and theatre director talks about his career and collaborations with Simon Gray |
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Many congratulations to Harriet Walter on being made a Dame in the New Year Honours list.
Harriet has appeared in Simon Gray's works on stage, screen and the radio, and has also played his mother in a documentary. |
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FABER NEW EDITIONS - SPECIAL OFFER
Get 25% off The Early Diaries (RRP 14.99) and each individual volume of Simon Gray: PLAYS 1-5 (RRP 16.99) including free P&P. |
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Critical Quarterly: Simon Gray special edition
An issue of the literary magazine dedicated to Simon Gray's work, edited by Colin MacCabe, came out in April 2010. |
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VIDEO AND PODCAST OF RUNNING LATE EVENING
Watch or listen to Peter Bowles, Udayan Prasad and James Fleet in discussion with Harry Burton at Le Cine Anglais screening |
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THE SMOKING DIARIES AUDIO BOOKS SPECIAL OFFER
Buy the audio books of all three volumes of The Smoking Diaries and Coda, all read by the author, for GBP40 or get 20% off each individual CD volume. |
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VIDEO: Colin Firth talks about A Month in the Country
The actor discusses the film with Ken Trodd, Pat O'Connor and Harry Burton |
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An Interview with Daniel Gerroll
Read an exclusive interview with Daniel Gerroll, the star of The Holy Terror and Chariots of Fire, in our blog now. |
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Ian Jack's blog on Simon Gray and Prizes
Our first guest blogger, Ian Jack, writes exclusively for us on Simon Gray and literary prizes. |
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Margy Kinmonth honored at Women in Film & Television Awards 2009
Producer/Director Margy Kinmonth, who directed the Imagine documentary about Simon Gray, was honored at the ceremony on 4th December. |
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