13 Extra-ordinary Actors from The SOHO THEATRE in the 70's.

[xyzllii]

All I said was 'cool...very cool'...or something like that ? If a comment is marked as spam...you can still read it..and un-mark it as such...I have done that before now...blips....BTW Do you have any inside snout on Hotel Soho ?

[manjadolan]

Is it true that you were also the director of the film Bongo Wolf's Revenge around 1966?

[Caspar33]

@manjadolan Not me, no.

[manjadolan]

Thank you for the upload, Casper33. I'm interested in everything regarding P.J. Proby and have always regretted that nothing is to be found on the Internet on his performance of Spider Rabbit. On top of this I grew up with the writers from The Beat Generation. Are there any stories you could share about the play and the performance? Any photographs left of P.J. Proby and Amanda Lear?

[Caspar33]

A charming, gentle guy. Came to the theatre in Islington on the back of his P.A's motorcycle. It was the time of Catch My Soul at The Roundhouse - which I never saw. (1) Down to work pressure I guess. I did have some black & white photos from Nobby Clarke but sadly they're long gone. It was the opening production in the venue and it did the trick - a great deal of attention and reactions of all kinds: shocked, mystified and wildly enthusiastic. P.J had some line problems but A.L. was fine.

[Caspar33]

@manjadolan I could look up the dates of newspaper reviews and pre-publicity from local papers and National Press. I don't know if you would have any success approaching them directly from so far back. (The ones that used Nobby's photos I mean). He rented a flat in the King's Road, Chelsea by the way so it was maybe 20 min/half hour ride - and on first performance he had done a rather over-the-top make-up BEFORE he set off for The King's Head. In the King's Road in '71, practically normal!!

[manjadolan]

@Caspar33 Thank you, that's very interesting. I have just asked PJ what he remembers and he mainly remembers doing the performance in the afternoons and Catch My Soul at nights. He says he played a Rabbit that turned int a Deadly Spider, but his soul was rescued by an Angel (Amanda) and in the end he turned into a tame Rabbit again. :)

[Caspar33]

@manjadolan When you doagain please say 'Hi' from me! Was a lunchtime season of plays always starting at 1.15 to suit local workers. Yes, that pretty well sums up the plot. More of a cross between the two - at one point he takes off the top of the skull of a Soldier hidden under the table with an electric carving-knife and spoons out the brains still grinning and chatting to the audience. I think McClure's writing at the time and P.J.'s singing were ALL feeling and body - elemental!

[MrPamppers]

This was quite a dose at one time to me. Thank you!

[Caspar33]

@MrPamppers Thanks for taking the medicine! Shakespeare must be specially hard when English is not your main language.

[MrPamppers]

@Caspar33 Yes it is a bit difficult to understand but i can still enjoy the video!

[HerAeolianHarp]

Here's a p.s. related to Ida's comment: I met McClure out here when I was 19. (I was living in San Francisco then, too.) He seemed a very serene person. It must have been great to work with him. If you are interested, I have a short interview with him in a clip at my channel called "Kerouac and SF". He speaks briefly about the San Francisco poetry scene in the 1950s. He's still going strong; I still enjoy reading his poetry and seeing him around out here.

[Poemsapennyeach]

Very interesting indeed Fred....what a lively time that was...thanks so much for compiling this...I found it fascinating...so many familiar faces...!

[Caspar33]

@Poemsapennyeach Great. If I can find the clips might do a sequel one day!

[xyzllii]

Very Cool indeed !

[Caspar33]

@xyzllii This one flagged as spam but thanks again.

[keanghiero]

Thanks, Fred.

I don't remember "Lifeboat" now, but I am sure I like Hitchcock.

All the best

Kean

[keanghiero]

It’s a great “Hall of Fame” – Fred.

At the tail of the sixties?

I hated theatre; I was a fan of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

All the best

Kean

[Caspar33]

@keanghiero Thanks. Yup, me too. The conventional audiences and the tendancy always to give punters the glitz and the escapism, and the second rate - hardlly ever enjoy going to the theatre UNLESS it happens to take my breath away. Sometimes it can do and you need to be close to the actors - guess that's why I prefer film these days. Ever see Hitchcock's 'Lifeboat', script by Steinbeck - brilliant. As for L and H, fantastic.

[Idlinfarm]

I've been transported out of my unremarkable afternoon by this sample of enthralling episodes. Ah, you worked with Michael McClure----S.F. beat poet in the Ginsberg circle. What a lovely time you had with all this. I enjoyed it very much and I'd like to see more sometime. Thank you, Fred.

[Caspar33]

@Idlinfarm Hi! Thank you too. I was rather taken by McClure's GARGOYLE CARTOONS. I did three of them in three different venues. Spider Rabbit , The Pansey and Meatball. The critics at the time hadNO IDEA what was going on but audiences seemed to like well enough.

[HerAeolianHarp]

Fascinating, not only for theater, but also for London! Consider me in the fascinated camp, too. Some incredible talent on display here. :) Have a nice weekend. - Erika p.s. Glad you finally got the video uploaded. I can see below that it was a bit of an undertaking. Cheers.

[Caspar33]

@HerAeolianHarp Thanks so much for kind remarks Erika! We got there in the end -with a few little gitches. And hope a few people will find it interesting. Many wonderful actors had to be omitted as I coudn't locate a suitable clip for them - but then I guess it would have taken even longer!! Warm regards

[Caspar33]

Apologies to all, looks like the title for Clive Merrison slipped off the system. That's the third ('Roman') clip. A super actor! I wont put it right and reload as it has taken about 13 hours to upload the whole thing.

[Caspar33]

12 hours so far uploading this - now at the 'Processing' stage and it is not even starting. What a shambles!! Thanks Youtube!