"This Is Impossible"

[Andrew]

A decided oddity, and the only work of Hamilton to be published by someone other than Constable. Samuel French Limited published it in 1942 as No. 251 of their French's Acting Editions, after the BBC broadcast the play on December 27, 1941. Billed as a play in one act, it is in fact scarcely more than a sketch, some eight pages long. It consists of a rehearsal scene in which a producer tries to coax an actress to pronounce her line, "Really, this is impossible!" in the way he requires, and only by provoking her gets the desired effect. The text is an expanded version of a scene from Book Two, Chapter Ten, "Mr Marsden Produces", of Hamilton's third novel, "Twopence Coloured". It is so slight a work that it is a wonder it ever reached print. Neither Nigel Jones nor Sean French, nor indeed Bruce Hamilton, mention it in their biographies.

[Nigeyb]

Andrew wrote: "Neither Nigel Jones nor Sean French, nor indeed Bruce Hamilton, mention it in their biographies. "

Wow. Great work Andrew.

How did you hear about it?

[Andrew]

It was mentioned in the December 1991 edition of the late "Book and Magazine Collector" magazine, and also in the 1993 fourth edition of Joseph Connolly's "Modern First Editions". It took me a long time to track down a copy!

[Nigeyb]

^ Winner of our Diligence Award 2016. Congratulations.

#amazing

[Andrew]

Winner of the Sad Old Obsessive Award, more like!

[Livinginthecastle]

Again, read this at the British Library yesterday and I found it a little uncomfortable as normally PH is quite sympathetic to unmarried women of a certain age and I wasn't sure if he was making fun of airheaded actresses or spinsters. Reminded me a bit of Noises Off. I think it would be a good acting showcase piece. Very much of its time.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks so much for posting your thoughts Livinginthecastle