Brief Candles

Has anyone come across Laurence Binyon's play Brief Candles, described
as "Richard III's life as a verse-drama" which dates from the early
twentieth century ? It would be interesting to know whether he takes a
Ricardian or a Tudor viewpoint.

Richard G

i don't know how binyon wrote the play, i.e. pro or anti richard, but the play has an interesting "bio/history".

it is published in bookform. i've found it ranging from 30 to 350 dollars cdn on bookfinder.com. the upper end book is signed by both the author and illustrator.

wikipedia has an interesting bio on laurence. his daughter illustrated the book, published in 1938. the play was first performed in 1931. with luck you might find an online newspaper archive with a review of the play.

here's bit of info to go on.
Description: First edition. Small format hardback with 6 engravings including frontispiece by Helen Binyon. Fine in purple cloth VG+ dustjacket with 3/6 Net on inner flap (no clipping, no inscriptions). Play based on Richard III, written for a contemporary, H.B. Irving, "who had a desire to play all the parts for which his father (Sir Henry Irving) had been famous". The play was first performed at John Masefield's theatre at Boar's Hill in 1931. Bookseller Inventory # FE529
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=581147798

rgcorris <RSG_Corris@...> wrote:
Has anyone come across Laurence Binyon's play Brief Candles, described
as "Richard III's life as a verse-drama" which dates from the early
twentieth century ? It would be interesting to know whether he takes a
Ricardian or a Tudor viewpoint.

Richard G