Will Waspe
Michael Blakemore is apparently not the only one of the National Theatre's directors to greet the arrival of Peter Hall at the helm with pressing_ engagements elsewhere. While Blakemore goes ' commercial' to direct a revival of Coward's Design for Living, as I reported a week or two ago, John Dexter is taking time out to handle a double bill starring Donald Sinden and Joan Greenwood — and written not only about that old-fasioned emotion, love, but written by the man identified above all living others with the fleshpots of the old-style West End, Terence Rattigan.
Incidentally, I hear that both Blakemore and Dexter turned down the opportunity to direct TheBacchae disaster, Ken Tynan's last' National ' baby.
It's that man again
It can be no surprise to anyone that the ubiquitous Lord Goodman, with his remarkable ability' for seeming to be on both sides of any important fence, has joined the board of Sadler's Wells Opera. He is already, of course, on the board of the rival Royal Opera. This may well presage a new era of collaboration between our two opera companies, for it is no great secret that the Wells's Lord Harewood sees more closely eyy to eye with Sir Claus Moser than he has ever done with Lord
Drogheda, 4
Let us trust, however, that collaboration does not become outright association — unless, of course, the ' right ' outfit became top dog. Waspe, alas, lacks the optimism to put his faith in such an outcome, and instead reflects glumly that Lord Goodman's last publicised venture upon artistic territory was in chairing the discussions on the proposed — and chilling to contemplate — amalgamation of the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.,
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