Ambivalences

Chiara Montenero, born Rome 1956, achieved her bachelor’s degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’ with a thesis on Arnold Wesker, entitled Arnold Wesker, la trilogia e il centro 42 (Arnold Wesker, The Trilogy and Centre 42). As a journalist she has written for newspapers including Cahiers d’Art, Il Giornale, La Stampa, Mercedes Magazine and Investire,and currently contributes to the Art, Culture and Entertainment section of the daily newspaper Il Tempo. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Angeli inascensore (Marsilio Editori, 1996) and Fragilità indistruttibili (Klimerik, 2009). Her screenplay adaptation of her short story, Noiseless Hotel, appeared on the Sky Culture channel in July 2010. Arnold Wesker F.R.S.L was knighted in 2006 for ‘services to drama’. He has written over forty-three plays, two opera libretti, various mechanical adaptations; four volumes of short stories, a children’s book, and a novel; two volumes of essays, an autobiography, a diary,and a book on journalism; and recently his first volume of poetry. His plays have been produced in cities from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo, from Paris to Moscow, from Montreal to Zurich, and The Kitchen – his most performed play has been performed yearly somewhere or other around the world for the last fifty years, and recently was revived by The National Theatre in 2011. Arnold Wesker was the recently featured in the Guardian ahead of revivals of his plays Chicken Soup With Barley (The Royal Court) and The Kitchen (The National Theatre): Guardian interview | Arnold Wesker

• Arnold Wesker F.R.S.L., born London 1932, has written nearly 50 plays, the most well-known being 'The Wesker Trilogy', The Kitchen, Chips With Everything, Love Letters on Blue Paper and Shylock, most of them performed worldwide from Buenos Aires to Tokyo, from Stockholm to Seoul, from Paris to New York, from Lisbon to Prague. His output has covered all the genres - poetry, short story, essay, and an autobiography, As Much as I Dare. In the last seven years he has written five new plays and other works, including his first novel, Honey, and in 2008 a first volume of poetry All Things Tire of Themselves. Recipient of honorary degrees and prizes, Wesker's vast archives have been purchased by Texas University. He was knighted in the 2006 New Year's Honours list for services to drama. Chiara Montenero, born Rome 1956, achieved her bachelor's degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature at the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' with a thesis on Arnold Wesker, entitled Arnold Wesker, la trilogia e il centro 42 (Arnold Wesker, Th e Trilogy and Centre 42). As a journalist she has written for newspapers including Cahiers d'Art, Il Giornale, La Stampa, Mercedes Magazine and Investire, and currently contributes to the Art, Culture and Entertainment section of the daily newspaper Il Tempo. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Angeli in ascensore (Marsilio Editori, 1996) and Fragilita indistruttibili (Klimerik, 2009). Her screenplay adaptation of her short story, Noiseless Hotel, appeared on the Sky Culture channel in July 2010.

“Ambivalences is fascinating… there is plenty here for students of late 20th century drama and/or those who want to write plays.” – The Stage"An unusual portrait….. By the end, you really feel as if you have sat in on discussions with Arnold Wesker about his career and that is no mean feat…. This short book is highly entertaining and should send readers back to the plays, novel and other work of Arnold Wesker with renewed enthusiasm." – British Theatre Guide