JOHN GIELGUD’S PROGRESS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22805, 2 September 1939, Page 18

JOHN GIELGUD’S PROGRESS

—— Early Stages. By John Gielgud. Macmillan. 322 pp. (12/6 net.)

John Gielgud is now 36; hq has played very many parts, has produced many plays, has acted- in films, and has written one book, “Early Stages,” a professional autobiography. His famous successes were in “Richard of Bordeaux,” “Musical Chairs,” and his New York “Hamlet.” He was born to act, had the Terrys and Neilson Terrys and Terry-Lewises for kinsmen and kinswomen, received help at home, and the best professional assistance and training. His self-knowledge is full and he - recognises his vanity, his. impetuosity, and his consideration of most problems in their relation to himself; but his passionate devotion to -the theatre, .. unselfish and true, made his weaknesses there part of his strength. In some ways

this is a pathetic story: so much grinding effort for the failure of a week, so much thought and emotion expended for the strain of a few hours, so much rivalry, unfriendliness, and wilful eccentricity. Only the actor will know that the result is worth the pain and drudgery. John Gielgud feels generally that he has lived richly, though he admits that while continual destruction and repetition make the actor's work fascinating, yet it must always be ephemeral and sometimes monotonous. I have frequently envied painters, writers, critics. I have thought how happy they must be to do their work in private, at home, unkempt and unobserved,'able to destroy or renew or improve their creations at will. “Early Stages” is a roll-call of most of the billed actors and actresses of the last 20 years, of many of the, critics and playwrights, of some <pf the patrons and producers. It is interesting theatrical history, more interesting as the history of one man whose career 'shows that, even when supported by unusual opportunity and assistance and unusual talents of mind and body, a man does not achieve success on the stage without very hard work, physical and mental distress, frequent misgivings, and the bitterness of rivals supplanted or striving to supplant him.