Will Waspe's Whispers
The National Theatre is finding it tougher than the Royal Shakespeare to fill two houses simultaneously. While the RSC draws near-capacity for its Aldwych repertory, the National is not really doing well enough at the New to justify hanging on to this secondary stage. Though it was originally planned to stay there until the National Theatre building is ready, don't be surprised to see them put up the shutters early next year. The company is at present overloaded with personnel and there is talk of cuts in numbers and salaries.
A crunch comes at the New when O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night goes into the bill (previews from December 14; official opening night December 21). Olivier himself has the lead in this one, it being recognised that only His Lordship in person can save the National at the New, and he has taken it on even though he will have to alternate the role with his appearances as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice at the Old Vic.
But a one-man rescue operation may be beyond even Olivier, when such tedious productions as Danton's Death and Tyger are there to drag down the average.
Amalrik again
Tibor Szamuely and D. A. N. Jones, who had a lively correspondence in The Spectator earlier this year about the existence of Andrei Amalrik, a rebel Soviet writer sent to prison for his ' anti-state ' activities, will be interested in my news that two short plays by Amalrik are to have their first performance at Doreen Cannon's new Theatre 84 Club in Margaret Street which opens on December 7. The authenticity of the plays, recently smugled out of Russia, is attested by the Hertzen Foundation.
Bernard Levin, I'm told, is interested too, though whether Amalrik will still provide column-fodder when it is revealed that these plays of his are entirely non-political must be regarded as a moot matter. The works apparently come within the 'Theatre of the Absurd' category, and according to Mrs Cannon they are "pornographic by Soviet standards, though certainly not by ours." As producer's assistant on Andy Warhol's Pork recently, she would be an authority on that.
Unsporting
The LWT claim (taken seriously by some television columnists) that the BBC's decision to curtail Grandstand on Saturday afternoons (it now wraps up at 3.50) is a victory for the superior coverage in ITV's World of Sport is the joke of the week.
ITV's Saturday sports coverage has always ended before four o'clock when allin wrestling takes over — and that is no more a sport than is the cowboy film which the BBC is now screening in opposition.
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