"A glorious compendium of John’s scintillating irreverences and fabulous faux pas... He was one of the greatest of all theatrical personalities, and these utterly characteristic throwaway
squibs bring him vividly back to life." Simon Callow
"What a lovely idea, and such fun to dip into.... a wonderful theatrical stocking filler for Christmas." Dame Eileen Atkins
"Truly delightful Gielgud stories. Laugh out loud and glorious!" Derek Jacobi
This delicious feast of "Gielgoodies," compiled by Gielgud’s biographer, reveals a less well-known side to this celebrated man of the theatre: his lightning wit, his love of scandal and
gossip, his wicked delight in putting down his fellow-artists, his relish of bawdy humour. Full of startling new material, drawn from many unpublished letters and Jonathan Croall’s extensive
interviews, the book also celebrates the man who dropped a thousand bricks. Gielgud’s excruciating gaffes were legendary, and here are both the famous and the unknown, collected in all their
glory. Whether committed backstage, in the wings or in rehearsals, on film sets or in television studios, they bring this merry and much-loved man vividly to life.
Shortlisted by The Sunday Times among the best humor books of 2012.
One of The Stage’s Books of 2012
"Gielgud was indiscreet even by the exacting standards of the acting profession I could hear Sir John’s voice as I read which lent extra poignancy to some of his observations." -Sunday
Times
"A glorious celebration of the idiosyncratic but wholly endearing warmth of a unique figure." -The Stage
"This is a slim, patrician and elegant little volume filled with the most amusing series of gaffes and inappropriate comments... this book is very funny and can lead to some embarrassment
when read in public places... most amusing." -British Theatre Guide
"Shows Gielgud’s absolutely genuine innocence, sweetness and honesty... highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a giggle, particularly when laced with a good swig of theatre history." -
Harriet Devine,Blue Pages
