The Unshaven Cheek is a 1963 stage play by Ray Lawler.[1]
| The Unshaven Cheek | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Ray Lawler |
| Directed by | Frith Banbury |
| Date premiered | 19 August 1963 |
| Place premiered | Edinburgh Festival |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | trade unionism, craftsmanship |
| Genre | drama |
History edit
Lawler worked on the play for a number of years, due to his struggle with its flashback structure and its autobiographical influence. The play opened the Edinburgh Festival in 1963.[2] The cast included Alfred Marks, June Jago, Reg Lye and Alister Williamson.
It was the first Lawler play to debut in Britain since Summer of the Seventeenth Coll and there was considerable interest in the play. Critical reception was not strong.[3] The Observer said it "would be a good play if it were not so anxious to be a great one."[4] Variety called it "a drab, wordy but well-acted three-acter."[5]
Lawler refused to allow the play to be performed after the initial production.[6]
Premise edit
Charlie Lewis looks back on his life as a craftsman. He was taken out to Australia when a young man to work as a cooper. He had a marriage and two children.
References edit
- ^ "Cast rallies around new Lawler play". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 August 1963. p. 100.
- ^ "New play by Lawler recalls old times". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 31, no. 15. Australia, Australia. 11 September 1963. p. 27. Retrieved 27 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Ray Lawler's New Play Disappoints UK Critics". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 August 1963. p. 3.
- ^ Tynan, Kenneth (25 August 1963). "Theatre". The Observer. p. 16.
- ^ "The Unshaven Cheek". Variety. September 1963.
- ^ "13 Summers After the Doll". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 1971. p. 7.
External links edit
- Review of production at New York Times