Letters to George

A unique insight into the working methods of one of today’s most influential directors.

When Max Stafford-Clark, then artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre, took the unusual step of choosing to stage a classic - George Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer - he decided to keep a rehearsal diary.

Each night he returned home to write a letter to Farquhar, reporting on the day's work and commenting on the challenges of putting the play on the stage. The result, Letters to George, is an entertaining account of the rehearsal methods of one of the most influential directors at work in the British theatre.

‘A director’s handbook of techniques’ The Times

'Written from inside the theatre, this is a wise book from which outsiders will learn' Michael Billington, Guardian

‘A fascinating book ... An absolutely comprehensive case study, divulging every aspect of a well-researched, rigorously rehearsed production’ Listener