The Early Diaries

'There are few things more enjoyable than reading the diaries of Simon Gray.' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday Simon Gray's witty, painful, and acutely observed Early Diaries chronicle the highs and lows of bringing two of his plays to the stage. An Unnatural Pursuit records the London production of The Common Pursuit, from the nail-biting process of finding a producer through rehearsals to the first-night post-mortem. An enthralling insight into the world of Simon Gray, his working relationship with Harold Pinter-who directed many of his plays-and into the fascinating business of putting on a play. "A remarkable account of a remarkable experience." Harold Pinter How's That for Telling 'em, Fat Lady? describes Gray's experiences staging The Common Pursuit and Dog Days in Los Angeles and New York. 'Not only the funniest book ever written about the American theatre, but a biliously accurate memoir of the inescapable beastliness of modern life. It splutters with instantly comic characters... and richest of all these is the self-portrait of the author, whose bellicose melancholy and fortitude is so ripe and raw. For those who dread grease-paint anecdotalism, don't be put off. It's a terrific comic adventure, terrifically told with exquisite ill-temper.' John Osborne, Spectator