{"product_id":"and-this-is-my-friend-sandy","title":"And This Is My Friend Sandy","description":"This book situates the production of \u003ci\u003eThe Boy Friend \u003c\/i\u003eand the Players’ Theatre in the context of a post-war London and reads \u003ci\u003eThe Boy Friend\u003c\/i\u003e, and Wilson''s later work, as exercises in contemporary camp. It argues for Wilson as a significant and transitional figure both for musical theatre and for modes of homosexuality in the context of the pre-Wolfenden 1950s.Sandy Wilson''s \u003ci\u003eThe Boy Friend\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the most successful British musicals ever written. First produced at the Players'' Theatre Club in London in 1953 it transferred to the West End and Broadway, making a star out of Julie Andrews and gave Twiggy a leading role in Ken Russell''s 1971 film adaptation. Despite this success, little is known about Wilson, a gay writer working in Britain in the 1950s at a time when homosexuality was illegal.Drawing on original research assembled from the Wilson archives at the Harry Ransom Center, this is the first critical study of Wilson as a key figure of 1950s British theatre. Beginning with the often overlooked context of the Players'' Theatre Club through to Wilson''s relationship to industry figures such as Binkie Beaumont, Noël Coward and Ivor Novello, this study explores the work in the broader history of Soho gay culture. As well as a critical perspective on \u003ci\u003eThe Boy Friend\u003c\/i\u003e, later works such as \u003ci\u003eDivorce Me, Darling!\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Buccaneer\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eValmouth\u003c\/i\u003e are examined as well as uncompleted musical versions of \u003ci\u003ePygmalion\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGoodbye to Berlin \u003c\/i\u003eto give a comprehensive and original perspective on one of British theatre''s most celebrated yet overlooked talents.","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57313088897406,"sku":"NW9781350335059","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9781350335059.jpg?v=1778590920","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/en-usa\/products\/and-this-is-my-friend-sandy","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}