Rehearsed Reading of Muriel Spark's Doctors of Philosophy To Be Presented at 2018 Book Festival

Today, we've announced an exciting event taking place at the Book Festival this August. In partnership with Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Doctors of Philosophy, Muriel Spark’s only work written specifically for the stage, will be presented in its entirety as a one-off rehearsed reading, edited by The Lyceum’s Artistic Director David Greig and directed by Marilyn Imrie.

 

Extracts from the play, which has not been performed on stage in the UK since 1962, were received with great enthusiasm when presented in collaboration between the Book Festival and the Lyceum in January as part of our Muriel Spark: Crème de la Crème event, marking the centenary of Spark's birth. Spark, who was born in Edinburgh and made her final visit to her home city in 2004 for an appearance at the Book Festival, was the author of 22 novels including the world renowned The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She was also a poet, playwright, essayist and literary critic whose work has influenced a generation of Scottish writers.

 

Book Festival Director, Nick Barley, said: “Doctors of Philosophy is an astonishing piece of theatre which demonstrates Muriel Spark at the peak of her powers and the audience response in January was extraordinary. We were extremely keen to bring the play in its entirety to the Book Festival and we are delighted that we have been able to continue our collaboration with The Lyceum to bring a full rehearsed reading of the play to Charlotte Square Gardens in August.”

 

Artistic Director of The Lyceum, David Greig, said: “We’re thrilled to present a full reading of Muriel Spark’s only play, Doctors of Philosophy, with the Book Festival. Spark’s play is a mixture of Pirandello, Wilde and Joe Orton for a largely female cast, and it’s all shot through with her own acid wit. Our taster presentation at the Usher Hall was a huge success, and this full length version promises to be an exciting revelation of a forgotten work.”

 

Director Marilyn Imrie previously worked with the Book Festival in 2016 when she directed the theatrical adaptation of Alice Munro’s The View From Castle Rock, produced in partnership with the award-winning theatre company Stellar Quines.

 

The rehearsed reading of Muriel Spark’s Doctors of Philosophy will take place on Sunday 19 August at 5.30pm in the The Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square Gardens. Tickets, priced at £15 (£12) will be on sale through the Box Office at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh on 0131 248 4848 or https://lyceum.org.uk/whats-on from Saturday 2 June 2018 and through the Book Festival Box Office on 0345 373 5888 or www.edbookfest.co.uk from Tuesday 26 June 2018.

 

The full programme for the 2018 Book Festival will be announced on Thursday 7 June 2018.