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G. M. Nissen, C.B.E. (Chairman)
C. Biss (Managing)
A.] Nissen
The Book Guild Limited
J.I Nissen
D. Ross
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Mr. Maurice Rowdon,
28 November 1995
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Please quote our ref: T16
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RE: NON FICTION BOOK
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lyrE
Helen Montagu
Richard
Iretined
Ayer
HM Tennent Ltd
Nottingham Playhouse
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Theatre Royal
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Tel: Bristol 26863


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Dick,
I enclose the Black play we talked to you about
when we sew you, and a couple of letters about it
from Peter Hall and Lord Birkett at the National
theatre. They simply cannot afford this size of
production, just as they were unable to afford the
Black Pestival we were working on for then (you remem-
ber we discussed it with you). But I think we can
get this play on at the National just the same if we
come up with a solid invetsment programme. Can you
cast around for investors? My partner Nicholas
Kimber, who is a money-broker, will come in with his
investors as soon as he sees encouraging movement
from elsewhere. Like all rich men he hates to be
alone in the field.
You will see from Lord Birkett's letter that
the play has strong film possibilities, so recoup-
ment would have an extra guerantee.
I know this
play can work. The Mott the Fuople pop group have
composed an electronic score for the play which apart
from the fact that it will save noney (on drummers
etc) is extraordinarg in itself.
The British Council has been interested in
CHRISTOPHE for some time now as the Britash entry
for the Lagos Festival (if it ever comes off) and
certainly for an African tour, which they would
finance once it is started up here.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AT ONCE---AND
IF YOU KNOW ANY RICH FOLK GET THEM ALL INVOLVED!
I'll be working on my partner this end.
Yours ever,
Maurice Rowdon


Watford Civic Theatre Trust Limited Councillor E. C. Amey (Chairman) Councillor N. H. Tyrwhitt (Deputy Chairman)
I ITORID
REG. No. 834830
(In England)
THEATRE.
REGISTERED OFFICE:-
Clarendon Road Watford WDI IJZ
Town Hall,
Telephones Administration 35455 Box Office 25671 -
Watford,
WD1 3EX
Artistic Director Stephen Hollis General Manager Rebekah Levy
r CoA A
13th November 1975
Maurice Rowden
Porstslade Productions Limited
5, Tamworth Street
London
Dear Maurice,
Thank you for your letter and I was very interested to read
comments from Peter Hall and Michael Birkett which only confirm
my own opinion about 'Christophe' that it is a very exciting
and imaginative piece of work. As far as the situation here is
concerned I'm now planned right through until June of next year
and have not really got round to thinking beyond that date as yet,
so unless you come up with a pretty big name for one of the parts
I do not think I will be able to entertain mounting a production
here as I could not be too optimistic about box office results.
However I am pretty involved with the British Council at the
moment as I am probably going to do two shows for them here which
will then tour in South East Asia so I will certainly bring up the
whole question of Christophe at the next oppotume moment and see
if they have any constructive suggestions to make.
Best Wishes,
le Iin
Stephen Hollis
Artistic Director


Directors Oscar Lewenstein
Oscar A Beuselinck
Leonard F Ridgley
DXXXXXXX
KOXXMOEXMUKt
Oscar Lewenstein Productions Ltd
bexdextft
11, Western Esplanade, Hove, Sussex. BN4 1WE.
Telephone: Brighton (0273) 418705.
IXNNEXXXXXXXX
5th December, 1975.
M. Rowdon, Esq.,
Portslade Productions Ltd.,
5 Tamworth Street;
Iondon, SW6 1LB.
Dear Mr. Rowdon,
CHRISTOPHE
Thank you so much for your letter of the 2nd instant
regarding the above. This subject interests me, but
unfortunately I am going abroad tomorrow and will be
away for six weeks and shall not have time to read it
before my return. I hope this will be okay. Incidentally
plans for the Round House are very uncertain at the moment
so please don't hold up any other approaches whilst waiting
for me to read the script.
I will get in touch with you again in about eight weeks
time.
Yours sincerely,


FLAT 30
55 PARK LANE
LONDON W. 1
M. Rowdon, Esq.,
Portslade Productions Ltd.,
5 Tamworth St.,
London, SW6 ILB
23rd December, 1975.
Dear Mr. Rowdon,
re: CHRISTOPHE
Thank you for your letter of 24th November and the script
regarding the above.
I only found your letter on my return to London from Australia,
where I had been for some weeks, setting up the production of
"Billy" which is due to open in Sydney later next year.
Unfortunately, I am very heavily involved with the Australian
production of "Billy" and the Austrian production, which opens
in Vienna in February and after that I have another play due to
go into rehearsal in the West End, so I'm afraid that I really
don't have the time to take on anything else at present.
Thank you for your interest in writing to me and I wish you
every success with the venture.
Cordially,
SDbsaur
Peter Witt
Encl:


Watford Civic Theatre Trust Limited Cor: :t lor E. C. Arirv (Chairman nci illor N. H. Tyrwhitt (Deputy Chairman)
REG. No. 871930
(In England)
RFC GISTERED OFFICE:
Clarendon Road Watford WDI IJZ
Towni Watford. Hall,
Telephones Administralion 35455 Box Office 25671
WD1 3EX
Artistic Director Stephen Hollis General Manager Rebekah Levy
13th November 1975
Maurice Rowden
Porstslade Productions Limited
5, Tamworth Street
London
Dear Maurice,
Thank you for your letter and I was very interested to read
comments from Peter Hall and Michael Birkett which only conf irm
my own opinion about 'Christophe' that it is a very exciting
and imaginative piece of work. As far as the situation here is
concerned I'm now planned right through until June of next year
and have not really got round to thinking beyond that date as yet,
so unless you come up with a pretty big name for one of the parts
I do not think I will be able to entertain mounting a production
here as I could not be too optimistic about box office results.
However I am pretty involved with the British Council at the
moment as I am probably going to do two shows for them here which
will then tour in South East Asia so I will certainly bring up the
whole question of Christophe at the next oppotune moment and see
if they have any constructive suggestions to make.
Best Wishes,
Man
Stephen Hollis
Artistic Director


ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Trevor Nunn Artistic Director and Chief Executive
is PEA C Direction Peggy Ashcroft Peter Brook Trevor Nunn
RSC
Consultant Director Peter Hall
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6BB
Incorporated under Royal Charter Patron Her Majesty the Queen
President The Earl of Harewood Chairman Kenneth R Cork
Telephone: Stratfiord-upon-Avon (0789) 3693
Deputy Chairman Sir George Farmer Vice-Chairman Dennis LI Flower
Box Office Telephone: Stratford-upon-Avon (0789) 2271
Aldwych Theatre
London WC2B 4DF
Telephone: (01) 379 6721
Box Office Telephone: (01) 836 6404
17 December 1975
Please reply to Aldwych address
Maurice Rowdon
Portslade Productions Ltd
5 Tamworth Street
London SW6 1LB
Dear Mr Rowdon
Trevor Nunn passed on your play "Christophe" to me to read. We've
conferred about it today, and he has asked me to return it to you
with our regrets that it seems impossible for the RSC.
We can both see that it's a play with immense theatrical possibilities,
But it's hard to see how they could be realised with a cast of less
than twenty-five or thirty, all but six of them black. In our pres ent
financial situation, it would be prohibitively expensive to mount,
and in any year it would be an unprecedented departure for us to put
on a play which used so few of our regular RSC players. Theoretically,
I know, while we are playing straight-run repertory at the Aldwych we
can cast any play ad hoc. But in practice this makes us all the more
concerned to maintain an obvious identity from production to production,
by using actors associated with the RSC in the past. In the nature
of Shakespearian casting, very few of thes e have been black.
Could I make one criticism of the script as it stands? I was put off
at the beginning of the play by the prologue scene with the tourists
and Tonton Macoute policeman. I can see that it conveys some necessary
information, but in most other ways it seemed to me unnecessary and
unhelpful: instead of suggesting that the story the play then tells
is reality rather than tourist legend, I think it has the reverse
effect. I'd have thought myself that the information the scene conveys
could be put over equally effectively by one of the English characters,
Tom Gulliver or Dr stewart, perhaps, and that the use of one of them as
a narrator-mediator between the story and an English audience might be
helpful: might, for instance, discourage them from juding Christophe's
rule by the standards of 1975 rather than the early 1800s.
Yours sincerely
Xonaldl
Ronald Bryden
Butlen
Play Adviser


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Cheirman
SirN Max Rayne
Addressl
The Archway
Director
Peter Hall
Registered Ciice 10a Aquinas Street
The NationalTheatre
Dopuly Director
Michae! Birkett
London SE1 8AE
General Administretor Peter Stevens
Telephone
Cables/Telegrams Thenat London SE1
London Registeredi in No 749504
Maurice Rowdon Esq
Portslade Productions Ltd
5 Tamworth Street
LONDON SW6 1LB
1st September 1975
Dear Mr Rowdon
I have now had a chance to examine your text of CHRISTOPHE,
which I found fascinating.
I think the play rings of truth and that the characters are
drawn with clarity and compassion. The story line is strong
and important, and the part of 'Christophe' would provide a
black actor with an opportunity for a great tour-de-force
performance. The background is colourful, exciting and
extravagant.
However, having said that, I don't think that at the moment
it is one for us. In our current state of flux we do not
have the flexibility which would be required to enable us to
incorporate this particular piece into our repertoire.
However it was very good of you to let me see your script,
and I am returning it herewith for safe keeping. I wish you
every success with it.
Best wishes
Yours sincerely
leler Hall
PETER HALL


Watford Civic Theatre Trust Limited Councillor E. C. Amry (Chainr I :r illor 'l H. Tyrwnitt (D-puty Cha airman)
REG. No. 831930
(In England)
RIE
REGISTERED OFFICE:
Clarendon Road Watford WDI IJZ
Town Watford. Hall,
Telephones Administration 35455 Box Office 25671
WD1 3EX
Artistic Director Stephen Hollis General Manager Rebekah Levy
13th November 1975
Maurice Rowden
Porstslade Productions Limited
5, Tamworth Street
London
Dear Maurice,
Thank you for your letter and I was very interested to read
comments from Peter Hall and Michael Birkett which only conf irm
my own opinion about 'Christophe' that it is a very exciting
and imaginative piece of work. As far as the situation here is
concerned I'm now planned right through until June of next year
and have not really got round to thinking beyond that date as yet,
so unless you come up with a pretty big name for one of the parts
I do not think I will be able to entertain mounting a production
here as I could not be too optimistic about box office results.
However I am pretty involved with the British Council at the
moment as I am probably going to do two shows for them here which
will then tour in South East Asia so I will certainly bring up the
whole question of Christophe at the next oppotune moment and see
if they have any constructive suggestions to make.
Best Wishes,
Min
Stephen Hollis
Artistic Director


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CHRISTOPHE
Dear Nicholas,
I enclose some letters about CHRISTOPHE
which you might like to see---from the National
(Peter Hall and Lord Birkett), the RSC and the
Palace Watford. We shall get there in the end,
but the size of the production is the problem.
I have written an unusual one-man show for
Ronnoe Williams to keep him occupied until
CHSISTOPHE comes off, and to get him a work
permit. We would iikw to talk to you about
this and I shall call you to make a date.
Hope all is well with you.
Yours ever,
Maurice Rowdon


lelomelci Depetanr
Relatois Comminsion
Gmmus
STreel
15/16 Bedford
hondou
CHRISTOPHE
Dear Sirs,
I wonder if you would consider making a special
grant for the production of a largely black play of
mine dealing with the 'emperor of Haiti', Christophe.
I am preparing this production with the Dark and Light
Theatre (Frank Cousins), which is London's only black
group. The cast is very large by present standards:
together with the 'voodoo dancers' and drummers, it
will amount to twenty or thirty. The expenses will
be very great, even if we launch it in the most modest
manner. Our ain is to bring black theatre in England
to the notice of theatre-going people in London by
taking it to a recognised venue like the Mermaid
Theatre or Greenwich Theatre. At present the Dark and
Light Theatre, hardly able to hold itself together at
its headquarters in Brixton, is touring small halls
at the request of the Arts Cguncil: I was present
at one of their performances at west Norbury last week
and heard people express surprise at the high profess-
ional level. There should of course be no surprise,
and the Dark and Light Theatre should take its place
side by side with the other inner fringe theatres of
London. The group at present sebeives no direct
subsidy from the Arts Council, only a guarantee of
&2500 on each production, and only two productions a
year are provided for. Frank Cousins and I think
that CHRISTOPHE, with its sprinkling of white charact-
ers, and its presentation of black history in a cont-
emporary Haitian context, would be an excellent medium
for the first step in the right direction. At
present, there is no black audience to speak of in
London, precisely because black groups do not command
central attention as they do for instance in New York.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


Department of Employment
Employment Exchange
Fulham Employmont Office
Wyfold Road
London
SW6 6SH
RE: RONALD L. WILLIAMS
Dear Sirs,
With reference to your onquiry about the above
actor I enclose a forn AR 35A duly filled in. I
would be grateful if you would send us another of
these forms as the duplicate copy was spoiled.
As we pointed out earlier, we are not yet in a
position to fill out form OW1 as we are legally speak-
ing not entitled to taade until we actually go into
production. We would also emphasise again that Mr
Williams is self-supporting.
We are in process of making him a director of
this firn and our lawyers inforn us that this could
help his residence situation.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


Chairman
Sirl Max Rayne
Address/
The Archway
Director
Peter Hall
Registered Office 10a Aquinas Street
Thel NationalTheatre
Depuly Director
Michael Birkett
London SE1 8AE
Ground
Administralor
Upper
General
Peter Stevens
Telephone
LONDON SE1 9PX
Cables/Telegrams Thenat London SE1
London Registeredi in No7 749504
Maurice Rowdon Esq
28th October 1975
Portslade Productions Ltd
5 Tamworth Street
LONDON SW6 1LB
Dear Mr Rowdon
Thank you very much for sending me th e play "Christophe", and
also the previous correspondence with Peter Hall. I read
"Christophe" with particular interest since, when I was a film
producer, I had always intended to propose a film on this
subject, and indeed had done a certain amount of background
research. Like Peter Hall, I found the play extremely
powerful in many respects, and it has, as he said, a marvellous
part for a black actor, Unfortunately, I don't believe that
our new circumstances can really change our reaction to the
play. Although we are now in the happy position of being able
to move into the new theatre, our subsidy position is, if anything,
slightly worse. We have not, in fact, enough money to run both
the new main theatres on a repertory basis, and this restricts our
work rather more than we had anticipated.
Furthermore I do believe that "Christophe" depends on a pretty
elaborate set and a pretty large cast to make it effective, and
this I'm afraid is going to be quite beyond us for' some time.
There is also the problem that our repertory work necessarily
involves planning plays in pairs, or even four at a time, and
"christophe" is obviously very much a one-off production.
This may seem obvious to you - if so, you must forgive me - but
it does appear to me that "Christophe 11 would make a marvellous
television spectacular, or indeed a marvellous film. Is it not
possible merely to transform it into a film script, like which it
already reads, and submit it to one of the American companies whom
I'm sure would be interested.


Thank you for sending it to me and I'm sorry that our
response remains unchanged.
Yours sincerely
Lord Birkett


Dear Lord Birretts
PPi
to you on the edrice of Mise Jane
E mn a a et
Biheieni Coahodaynedb, cakdicrhenis
year began to take an interest in the pblve Black
play as a passible British entry for the Lagos Fest-
ival.
Today we discussed Mr Hall's recent reaction
to the soript (I enclose a copy of his letter), in
the light of the Arts Council's decision to be more
generous to the National Theatre. We felt that
perhaps this would allow for greater flexibility in
the choice of scripts and that it was worthwhile
approaching you once more on this subject.
there a chance of the play fitting more easily now
into your production programme?
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Lord Birkett,
I am writing to you on the advice of Miss
Jane Edgeworth at the British Council, who earloer


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr Eyre,
I sent you a copy of the above play on
9 May, of this year and would be interested to
know if you have had a chance of seeing it.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr Robertson,
I sent you a copy of the above play at
Miss Jane Edgeworth 's suggestion on 18 May
of this year and would be interested to know
if you have had a chance of considering it.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr McDougall,
I sent you a copy. of the above Black play
at Miss Jane Edgeworth's suggestion on 9 May
this year and wonder if you have had a chance
of considering it.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr McDougall,
I sent you a copy of the above Black play
at Miss Jane Edgeworth'ssuggestion and would


Portslade
Productions
Ltd.
5 Tamworth Street London SW6 1LB Tel: 01.385 4003
Directors: Maurice Rowdon and Nicholas Kimber
CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr McDougall,
I sent you a copy of the above Black play
at Miss Jane Edgeworth'ssuggestion and would
Company Reg No. 51236 Reg Office 24 Castle Street Edinburgh 2
Registered as Theatrical Employers


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr Havergal,
I sent you a
of the above Black play
at the British CpuCOgy. suggestian on 9 May of
this year and wonder if you have had a chance of
considering it.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


Portslade
Productions Ltd.
5 Tamworth Street London SW6 1LB Tel: 01.385 4003
Directors: Maurice Rowdon and Nicholas Kimber
CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr Hall,
I am sending you the enclosed Black play at
the suggestion of Jane Edgeworth at the British
Council.
I have been discussing it with her in conn-
ection with an African tour and also the British
entry for the coming Lagos festival, if it ever
comes. She asks that if you like it could you
please contact her?
After long searching I have found an American
Black actor suitable for the title role.
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon
Company Reg No. 51236 Reg Office 24 Castle Street Edinburgh 2
Registered as Theatrical Employers


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Toby,
I never gave up on the above Black play and
I want to keep you informed about any important
devehopments. I recently sent it to the National
Theatre and enclose Peter Hall's letter. This
was on the advice of Miss Jane Edgeworth at the
British Council, who favours the play as the British
entry for the Lagos Festival. She also today
advised me to go back to the National Theatre,
through Lord Birkett, because of the Arts Council's
decision last week to give them more moneyo
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon


CHRISTOPHE
Dear Mr Eyre,
I have been discussing the enclosed Black play
with Jane Edgeworth at the British Council in connect-
ion with the coming Lagos Pestival, and as she enjoyed
the script 80 nuch herself she suggested you might
very well be interested in seeing a copye
She asks that if you do like it could you please
get in touch with her?
Yours sincerely,
Maurice Rowdon