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On the writer of 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' - Muriel Spark

21/3/2018

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The play we are currently reading 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' was scripted by Jay Presson Allen based on the novel by Muriel Spark.  The Victorian Drama League Catalogue writes:  

"Jean Brodie, teacher at the Marcia Blaine Academy, incurs the disapproval of her colleagues by her unconventional teaching methods, her favouritism among her pupils, and also by her admiration for Mussolini and Italy. Scandals increase, chiefly involving the art teacher and the music teacher. One member of her group of favourites is killed while running off to fight for Franco. Her chief protegee, Sandy, denounces her as a murderer."

"Dame Muriel Spark (1918-2006) was a Scottish poet, essayist; superb short story writer turned brilliant novelist. During World War II, she worked for the Foreign Office in a secret department that produced black disinformation and propaganda, which she described as "detailed truth with believable lies."

Of partial Jewish descent with a Jewish father and Protestant mother, in 1954, Muriel converted to Roman Catholicism after editing the letters of Cardinal John Henry Newman. She felt that her new faith contributed to her gaining the confidence to become a novelist. She was supported in her decision by Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh.

The Times in 2008 counted her as one of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945." She became well known for polished, comic prose with dark tonalities that that touched upon serious subjects and explored human foibles.

Probably the author's best known and sixth novel is The Prime of Miss Jane Brodie (1961). In it, Jane Brodie, an overly enthusiastic spinster teacher, so enthuses over political-and-military commitment that some of her students become involved and die for their beliefs. The teacher Jane Brodie was modeled on Christina Kay, a teacher at Marcia Blaine School, which, in turn, was modeled on Spark's own James Gillespie's High School for Girls. The novel became a hit, long-running Broadway play starring Vanessa Redgrave and the 1969 film for which Maggie Smith won the Oscar for Best Actress.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was nominated as one of Time Magazine's "100 Best English Language Novels From 1923 To 2005." Cyril Connolly 260. The Modern Library's 200 Best Novels in English since 1950.

Muriel Spark's novels The Public Image (1968) and Loitering with Intent (1981) were both short-listed for The Booker Prize. Spark wrote more than 20 novels, several cellections of poetry, criticism, short stories, biographies, and even a few children's books."

The information on Muriel Spark above was sourced from ​description regarding a copy of 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' "published in Philadelphia and New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1962. First American Edition.It was possibly from the dust jacket of the book or introduction. 
https://www.biblio.com/the-prime-of-miss-jean-brodie-by-spark-muriel/work/57624 (accessed 21/3/2018)
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    Play Reading 


    If you enjoy drama and theatre, this is the class for you.  If you have had previous experience in a theatre environment or always wanted to, this is the class for you. 

    ​During monthly sessions, the group will read chosen plays and share news of theatre experiences in a relaxed classroom setting. You don’t have to learn lines!

    Depending on interest we may also car pool at times to see local theatre performances.

    ​We access scripts from the Victorian Drama League.  A small contribution by class members is requested to cover the costs of hiring the scripts and the postage.

    Meeting Times

    1st Wednesday
    9.30 to 12 noon
    U3A Meeting Room 1, Fawckner Drive

    Convening team members 

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    Convenor - Joy Shirley 
    ​0417 065 351

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    Shirley Swallow
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    Pat Treleaven

    Thank you, Jenny

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    In late 2022 Jenny McKenna stepped down from her convening roles in the Play Reading group after almost five years. 

    In February 2018 Jenny took over the co-convening  'admin support role'  involving liaising with the Victorian Drama League to access our chosen plays.  This involved ordering and returning plays, and collecting weekly contributions towards costs. 

    Then, as Keith Rogers scaled down his role as convenor and 'creative director', Jenny stepped up to write newsletter reports, gradually taking on the role. Jenny continued in the role of convenor for over two years with the support of a small team in helping to choose the plays. 
    ​
    Thank you so much for your passion for play reading and the energies you put into ensuring the ongoing presence of Play Reading in the U3A Program, Jenny. 

    Resources

    U3A Benalla Play Reading - list of plays 2016 to Sept 2022
    Course Information/
    Deniliquin play  recommendations by author/
    Deniliquin play 
    recommendations by date read
    /

    Plays

    All
    '84 Charing Cross Road'
    'After The Ball'
    'A Ghost On Tiptoe'
    'A Lady Mislaid'
    'Alive And Kicking'
    'Alphabetical Order'
    'A Murder Has Been Arranged
    'An Ideal Husband'
    'An Inspector Calls'
    A Poetry Reading
    'A Pound Of Flesh'
    'Breath Of Spring'
    'Brighton Beach Memoirs'
    'Bright Side'
    'But Why Bump Off Barnaby?'
    'Calendar Girls'
    'Chaim's Love Song'
    Christmas Cheer
    'Continental Customs'
    'Crown Matrimonial'
    'Daylight Savings'
    'Dear Venus'
    'Death By Chocolate'
    'Deception'
    'Dinkum Assorted'
    "Enchanted April"
    'Falling From Grace'
    'Family Party'
    'Five Freaks A'Fiddling'
    'Full Steam Ahead'
    'Here Under Heaven'
    'Hotel Sorrento'
    'Inheritance'
    John Ellis
    'Life After George'
    'Money And Friends'
    'Morning Sacrifice'
    'Move Over Mrs Markham'
    'Parramatta Girls'
    Playwright: Muriel Spark
    Playwright: Tim Firth
    'Room To Move'
    'Rumors'
    'She Stoops To Conquer'
    'Strangers On A Train'
    'Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll'
    'Table By The Window'
    'Table Number 7'
    Terence Rattigan
    'The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time"
    “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production Of Macbeth”
    "The Golden League Of Cleaning Women'
    'The Importance Of Being Earnest'
    'The Lady In The Van'
    'The Odd Couple'
    'The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie'
    'The Prisoner Of Second Avenue'
    'The Putting Down Of Ned Kelly'
    'The Spider Ring'
    "The Winslow Boy"
    'Twelve Angry Men'
    'Winter Glory'
    'Witness For The Prosecution'
    'Wives Have Their Uses'

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