John Gielgud

One of the darkest and most romantic of Dickens' novels, A Tale of Two Cities was adapted for the stage by the dream team of Terence Rattigan and John Gielgud in 1935, but a planned West End production was never staged. It finally received its professional world premiere at the King's Head Theatre in September 2013. In a time when governments all over the world are facing down political unrest and fierce protests, this revolutionary story has never been more relevant. The adaptation, edited by King's Head artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher, marries three of the finest artists in their own fields that England has ever known: Dickens the master story-teller, Rattigan the great playwright and Gielgud the mercurial actor. Gielgud intended to play both Sydney Carton and a number of other roles, and this adaptation reflects that ambition by having thirty characters played by just eight actors.

""Early Stages"" is a memoir written by the legendary British actor, director, and producer John Gielgud. The book chronicles Gielgud's early life and career in the theatre, from his childhood in London to his first professional acting roles in the 1920s. Gielgud shares his experiences working with some of the most influential figures in the theatre world, including Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, and Noel Coward. He also provides insight into his own creative process and the challenges he faced as a young actor. ""Early Stages"" is a fascinating and intimate look at the life of one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, written by the man himself. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

From the London ESunday TelegraphE: EActing ShakespeareE is extraordinary. The tone of the voice is unmistakably Sir John's the atmosphere congenial. We're in the company of our greatest actor who holds in his hands the last links of a chain of tradition leading to Shakespeare himself ... this book is crucial for anyone who believes that Shakespeare on the stage should be Shakespeare at his greatest ... Gielgud is by turns wise witty and wicked but unfailingly modest.