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Enid Bagnold

ENID BAGNOLD  (1889 - 1981)

 Nationality:    English
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    Dominick Jones, 6 Hurlbut Street, Cambridge, Ma 02138-1604, USA
1-617 497 5868; website; email

enid algerine Bagnold, Lady Jones, CBe (27 October 1889  31 March 1981), known by her maiden name as enid Bagnold. enid Bagnold was born in Rochester, Kent, england; the daughter of an officer in the Royal engineers. as a child she lived in Jamaica but was educated in Switzerland and england. Just before the First World War she was attending art School but gave it up to volunteeras a nurse.She wrote a very critical pamphlet about her experiences and was sacked - she then volunteered as a driver and served in France. after the War she worked as a journalist and had an affair with Frank Harris but married Sir Roderick Jones. after her marriage she started writing seriously. "the Chalk Garden" is probably her most famous play - inspired by her own garden at North end House Rottingdean. Her novel "National Velvet" has been filmed at least twice. She died at Rottingdean, Kent in 1981.

Research:    Enid Bagnold papers, 1912 - 1971. Call number GEN MSS 78: http://drs.library.yale.edu:8083/HLTransformer/HLTransServlet?stylename=yul.ead2002.xhtml.xsl&pid=beinecke:bagnold&query=webb&clear-stylesheet-cache=yes&hlon=yes&filter=&hitPageStart=26

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below is a list of Enid Bagnold's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Call Me Jacky         Chalk Garden, The         Chinese Prime Minister, The         Gertie         Last Joke, The         Lottie Dundass         Matter Of Gravity, A         National Velvet         Poor Judas

Call Me Jacky

Synopsis:
Grande Dame Mrs Basil has an estate agent - Charlie (with bright dyed yellow hair) making a offer for her house and grounds so that his company can demolish it and build smaller houses on the property. She dismisses him as her grandson, Niggie is arriving. Niggie is concerned that his grandmother's new housekeeper/cook is not only an alcoholic but an ex-inmate of an institution. Niggie has invited some guests for the weekend in the hopes that they will be stimulationg company for Mrs Basil. there is Shatov a communist much given to speaking at rallies but has a stutter when upset or excited. She is accompanied by Elizabeth a mixed race young woman from TriNIDAd who has only recently arrived in england - but her view of the Country has been gotten from novels of the Brontes and Jane austen. the other guests are Herbert an older man with his teenage boyfriend Tom. Tom is a "reformed" drug addictand is in to self harm. the housekeeper/cook, Du Bois (Jacky) reconises Shatov but Shatov denies this even though Du Bois addresses her by her first name - which was not known to the others. Niggie is entranced with Elizabeth. Du Bois realises that Tom is still taking drugs and finds a hypodermicneedle in his pocket she takes him into the kitchen to sort him out. Later she returns with a knife and says that she has murdered Tom and gets Herbert to telephone the asylum and get them to take her back. Having done this Tom walks in - having only cut himself - but he has overheard Herbert talking about their relationship and realises that things are over between them he gets money from Herbert and leaves. Niggie and Elizabeth plan to marry and Du Bois is taken away. eight years later Mrs Basil has been unable to keep up the house and it is now in a bad state. Herbert is staying with her together with his new boyfriend, Charlie - the estate agent. Tom is dead having cut his own throat. Niggie and Elizabeth are back from the West Indies where they live for the first time since leaving eight years ago. they now have two children. Mrs Basil has also invited Sholtov down for the weekend and Du Bois has returned also. Elizabeth has always loved the house so Mrs Basil gives it to her and books herself and Du Bois into the executive wing of the asylum. Herbert leaves with Charlie - Mrs Basil doesn't think Charlie is good enough for Herbert. Du Bois tries again to get Mrs Basil to call her Jacky - Mrs Basil says she will be buggered if she would.

Notes:
aka A Matter of Gravity

1st Produced:
Playhouse, Oxford    1967

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in "Plays of the Year 38" elek Books, London, 1968   -

Music:
-

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Genre:
Comedy. - - Gay, theme/character, full length

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Chalk Garden, The

Chalk Garden, The
Try as she might Mrs St Maugham is unable to grow flowers in her beloved garden because of the chalk and her lack of skill with plants. Her daughter has re-married and Mrs St Maugham has adopted her grand daughter Laurel. Laurel is somewhat wild and unruly and has had a number of paid companions. Miss Madrigal is the latest. She has arrived with no references and keeps quite about her past. She not only is able to help Laurel but has a knack with gardens. One day Mrs St Maugham invites a prominent Judge to lunch. He recognises Miss Madrigal as someone he once sentenced to death.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York    26 Oct 1955

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Random House, New York, 1956   -

Music:
-

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Genre:
3 act play

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  7            Other:  doubling possible

Further Reference:
Wearing - the London Stage 56.63; Theatre Record Vol VI (1986) Page 0547; Theatre Record Vol IX (1989) Page 0427; Theatre Record Vol XII (1992) Page 0385; Theatre Record Vol XXVIII (2008) Page 0679

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Chinese Prime Minister, The

Synopsis:
Faithful servant watches over old retired actress as she confronts new crises after family conflict

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Royale Theatre, New York    02 Jan 1964

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1964   -

Music:
-

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Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Gertie

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
aka Little Idiot

1st Produced:
Plymouth Theatre, New York    30 Jan 1952

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Last Joke, The

Synopsis:
Romanian prince tries to recover his mothers art collection from millionaire whose daughter is in love with prince's brother.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Phoenix Theatre, London    1960

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Little, Boston, Massachusetts, 1970   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Lottie Dundass

Synopsis:
Mrs Dundas' husband was the son of a great actor. He thought that he was a great actor too and strangled the manager of the repertory company he was in because she failed to recognise his greatness. Many years later, Mrs Dundas is living near Brighton with four of her seven children. One, Lottie has ambitions to be a great actress - but has a weak heart and so is unable to perform. a company of actors come to Brighton and the leading actress is taken ill and her understudy is away and cannot get back. Lottie sees her opportunity. She already has learnt the part and is set to go on when the understudy turns up. Lottie strangles her and goes on stage. Lottie's friend discovers the body and informs Mrs Dundas. they confront Lottie in her dressing room during the interval. Mrs Dundas hopes that Lottie's babbling will be proof that she is mad. then Lottie starts to have a heart attack. Mrs Dundas refuses to give her her medicine.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Vaudeville Theatre, London    1943

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
(French's acting edition No. 415). SF, 1944   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  7            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Matter Of Gravity, A

Synopsis:
It is very disconcerting when one's cook keeps levitating

Notes:
aka Call Me Jacky

1st Produced:
Broadhurst Theatre, NY    23 Mar 1976

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Heinemann 1978   978-0434043040

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
comedy

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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National Velvet

Synopsis:
Velvet Brown is a little girl with a big dream. Day and night she talks of horses; the sleek beautiful animals who have the courage and stamina to win in england's famous Grand National. Someday she too will enter this most grueling and difficult of races. Velvet's family has little patience with her dreams of glory; except for her mother, who swam the english Channel when she was younger, and knows that one must stretch one's abilities to capture the wildest hopes; and Mi Taylor, whose love of horses matches Velvet's own. Mi recognizes in Velvet the same spirit which had given her mother the will to succeed. there is a lottery about to be held, the prize being "the Piebald," and undisciplined and seemingly useless horse. Mi buys Velvet a ticket and she wins! after that the story is one of making a dream come true, as they train the horse and enter it in the Grand National. and they almost win, but what really matters is what they learn, about life, and people, and the things that really matter when momentary

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    1946

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatist Play Service, NY,    -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Poor Judas

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
arts, London    18 Jul 1951

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in Two Plays: Lottie Dundass and poor Judas, William Heinemann (1951)   B0028Ua1MW

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
3 act play

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
Wearing - the London Stage 51.163

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