I, JOHN BROWN

L to R: Gawn Grainger, Josie Kidd, James Cairncross, Betty Bowden, Thomasine Heiner, Ian McKellen

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I, JOHN BROWN

Written by John Hall

Directed by Robert Chetwyn

Ian McKellen in the role of Andrew Acre

Arts Theatre, Ipswich, Suffolk

16 July 1963 - 27 July 1963

Words from Ian McKellen

A world premiere, always an excitement, although much of this mysterious, wordy play baffled the actors as much as the audiences. I was a neurotic schoolteacher. It starred James Cairncross (who had recently survived a 4-and-a-half year run in “SALAD DAYS”). Jimmy was a fund of theatre stories about the famous, the glamorous and the dead and reminded me that Ipswich was not perhaps the ultimate for ambitious actors. I wondered what it felt like, at 40 or so, to be back in rep; and walking home to our digs one night I said: “When did you stop hoping you might ever be a star, Jimmy?” Sweetly ignoring my impertinence, he replied: “More recently than you might think, Ian."