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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Scope and Contents

Restrictions

Separated Material

Administrative Information

Description of Series

Series I. Works and Related Material, 1960-1995

Series II. Career Related

Series III. Correspondence, 1966-2001

Series IV. Personal

Series V. Works of Others

University of Texas, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

Arnold Wesker:

A Preliminary Inventory of an Addition to His Papers in the Manuscript Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center


Creator: Wesker, Arnold, 1932-
Title: Addition to the Arnold Wesker Papers
Dates: 1958-2001
Abstract: This addition to the papers of British playwright Arnold Wesker complements and expands the accessions already received at the Ransom Center. Although they do not contain new works, the papers do provide some important drafts of existing plays, as well as additional material in virtually every subject category.
Extent: 28 boxes, 1 oversize box (13.52 linear feet)
Language: English
Repository: The University of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

Scope and Contents

This addition to the papers of British playwright Arnold Wesker complements and expands the accessions already received at the Ransom Center. Although they do not contain new works, the papers do provide some important drafts of existing plays, as well as additional material in virtually every subject category. So too, the date span includes a fifty year period from the onset of Wesker's professional career to the near present.

Following the arrangement of the previous preliminary inventory, this material is organized in five series: Series I. Works and Related Material, 1960-1995; Series II. Career Related; Series III. Correspondence, 1966-2001; Series IV. Personal; and Series V. Works of Others.

Series I. Works and Related Material contains manuscript and associated material for produced and unproduced works, primarily stage plays. Of particular interest is the original handwritten manuscript and first corrected draft for Chips with Everything, as well as additional drafts of Shylock. Some material for film and television is also included; however, no titles beyond 1995 are present.

The Career Related series consists of Subseries A. Events, Subseries B. Organizations, and Subseries C. Early Writings and Journalism. The events in Subseries A include addresses, lectures, readings, speeches, radio presentations, tributes, conferences, and festivals from 1958-1997. Organizations are represented in Subseries B, especially correspondence and related material for Centre 42 and Roundhouse from 1960-1968. Subseries C provides additional writings and journalism in the form of articles, essays, contributions to other works, letters to the editor, poetry, reviews, and short stories from 1958-1998.

The correspondence in Series III dates from 1966-2001 and includes general correspondence, as well as letters from individuals such as Brenda Bruce, Francesca Pollard, Connie Ricono, and Walt-Christopher Stickney.

Series IV. Personal contains articles about Wesker, biographical information, daily calendars, family and financial papers, and interviews, as well as theses, dissertations, and research projects on Wesker's plays.

The works of others in Series V consist of plays sent to Wesker for his comment, as well as other works of well-known writers such as Doris Lessing. Also present are various writings of Wesker's brother-in-law, Ralph Saltiel.

The collection is in good physical condition with the exception of several items which have incurred mold damage.

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Restrictions

Access:

Open for research

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Separated Material

Books and sound recordings received with this accession have been transferred to appropriate departments with in the Ransom Center.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition:

Purchase, 2000 (Reg. no. 14620.3)

Processed by:

Liz Murray, 2004

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Folder List

 

Series I. Works and Related Material, 1960-1995

Box Folder
1 Annie Wobbler, play, published versions
1 Teatro festival Parma, 1986
2 Words International, Jan.-Feb. 1988
As Much As I Dare, autobiography (Century paperback, 1995)
3-6 Corrected page proofs
7 Notes on childhood
8 Beorhtel's Hill, autograph book of those associated with play, 1989
Box Folder
2 1 Bluey, play, published version in Words August 1985
2-3 Caritas, opera, orchestral and vocal scores, 1991
Chips with Everything, play
4 Original handwritten manuscript, Sept.-Dec. 1960
5 First corrected typescript draft, Dec. 1960
6 Associated material
7 Four Portraits--of Mothers, play, published version in Stand Magazine, Winter 1987-88
The Four Seasons, play
8 Corrected typescript for Cape edition, 1965
9 "For Figaro," handwritten draft for Gaieté Montparnasse, Paris performance, 1968
The Friends, play
10 Published version in Plays and Players, Oct. 1970
11 Revised version of Manfred's speech
12 Reviews, 1970
13 "Homage to Catalan," notes for a film, Nov. 1980
14 Love Letters on Blue Paper, play, first typescript draft, Sept. 1975
15 The Old Ones, play, published version in Plays and Players, Oct. 1972
Box Folder
3 1 Roots, play, production photographs for Czech premiere in Olomouc, Feb. 1961
Shylock ("The Merchant"), play
2 Fourth draft, Oct. 1975
3 Fifth draft, May 1976
4 Three scenes from "The Merchant" in The Jewish Quarterly, Spring/Summer 1976
5 Associated production material
6 Musical score for actor, speaker, and woodwind quintet, 1998
7 Six Sundays in January, play, stage adaptation by Eugene O'Sullivan, 1st draft, Aug. 1975
8 Stand Up! Stand Up!, scene 7 from proposed musical, 1960
9 Thieves in the Night, television play, notes and correspondence
10 The Wedding Feast, early version of play in Plays and Players, April 1977
11 The Wesker Trilogy, plays, production notes, 1978
12 Yardsale, play, printed version in Plays International, April 1987

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Series II. Career Related

Subseries A. Events
Box Folder
4 Addresses, lectures, readings, speeches, radio presentations, and tributes
1 1958-60
2 1961-67
3 1974-83
4 1986, Declaration 2, lecture
5 1988-92
6 1997, commencement speech, Denison University
Box Folder
5 Conferences and festivals
1 Writing '78, First Lancaster Festival of Literature, April-May 1978
2 Caracas 7th International Theatre Festival, 1987-88
3 The Atlantic Seminar/Arthur Miller Centre for American Studies, 1989
Subseries B. Organizations
4-5 British/Israel Arts Foundation, 1988
Centre 42 and Roundhouse, correspondence
6-7 1960-62
Box Folder
6 1-2 1967-68
3 Early supporters, 1961
4 Israel/UNESCO/ITT, 1974-75
Subseries C. Early Writings and Journalism
Articles and essays
5 1959-61
6 1962-72
7 1972-77
Box Folder
7 1 1980-83
2 1985-92
3* 1994-98 [*oversize material removed to box 29]
4 "Catching up with Wesker," brochure
5 Contributions to other works, 1963-95
6 Letters to the editor, 1958-89
7 Lists of plays sent to others
Box Folder
8 1 Miscellaneous writings, 1958-96
Poetry
2 1960-78
3 1980-92
4 Reviews of others' works, 1960-93
Short stories
5 1958-73
6 1975-76

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Series III. Correspondence, 1966-2001

Box Folder
9 1 Bruce, Brenda, 1994-95
Cards
2 Birthday, 1997
4-6 Christmas, 1988
Box Folder
10 1 Cards, Christmas, cont'd
2 Codrescu, Andrei, 1997
3 Fun Art Bus project, 1972
General correspondence
4 A, 1982-89
5-6 B, 1982-89
7 D, 1972-89
8 G, 1985-89
Box Folder
11 1-2 H, 1972-87
3 J, 1968, 1972-89 (bulk)
4 K, 1967, 1978-87 (bulk)
5 M, 1971-84
6 P, 1985-89
7 S, 1968
Box Folder
12 1 U-V, 1972-89
2 Media Enterprises, U.K. agent, 1988-89
3 New Outlook, Middle East monthly, 1988-89
4 Nicholson, Steve, re 1962 production of The Wesker Trilogy, 2001
5 Orwell Memorial Fund Award, 1983-88
6 "Passwords" project, 1986
7 Pollard, Francesca, 1990
8 Requests for help, 1975, 1988-89 (bulk)
Box Folder
13 1 Ricono, Connie, 1966-88
2-3* Stickney, Walt-Christopher, 1978-86 [*oversize material removed to box 29]

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Series IV. Personal

Box Folder
13 Articles about AW
4 1958-61
5 1962-63
6 1964-65
Box Folder
14 1 1965-66
2 1966-69
3 1970-73
4 1974-78
5 1978-83
Box Folder
15 1 1984-89
2 1992-97
3 Bicker, Hilda (Dusty Wesker's mother); guide to audio tapes, 1982
4 Biographical information
5 Clippings, general, art and artists, 1988-96
6 Daily calendar, 1988-89
Family papers
7-8 Aunt Annie Wesker, 1984-90
9 Family tree (partial)
Financial papers
10 Access Mastercard, 1983-84
* Account ledgers, June 1985-Dec. 1987 [*removed to box 29]
11 American Express, 1981-89
Box Folder
16 Bank statements
1 1983-92, various accounts
2 1985-88
3-4 1989-94
Cancelled checks
5-6 1983
7 1984
Box Folder
17 1-3 1985
4-7 1986
Box Folder
18 1 1987
Check stubs
2 1973-77, 1983
3-4 1984-85
Box Folder
19 1-2 1986-87
3 1992
4 Fees received record, 1979-85
5-6 Petty cash receipts, 1991-92
Receipts, household expenses
7-8 1983
Box Folder
20 1 1983, cont'd
2 1984
3-4 1985
5-8 1986
9 1987
Receipts, payment
Box Folder
21 1-2 1991-92
3-4 1992-93
Box Folder
22 1 1992-93, cont'd
Receipts, foreign travel
2 1982-83
3-6 1984-87
7 1991-92
8 Royalties account ledger, 1971-79
Box Folder
23 Royalty receipts
1 1983-84
2-4 1985-86
5-8 1991-93
Box Folder
24 Interviews
1 1960-71
2* 1971-73 [*oversize material removed to box 29]
3 1976-97
4-5 Meeting with the PLO, 1989
6 Memo sheets, 1992-98
7 Police report regarding ferocious dogs, Dec. 1972
Box Folder
25 Theses, dissertations, and research projects
1 DaRin, Patricia, "The figure of the translator in the theatre The Journalists...," thesis, 1988
2 Diaz Smith, América, "Arnold Wesker. Teatro de mensaje a través de una voz femenina," 1996
3 Portale, Rosario, "The Old Ones," 1987
4 Ruggiero, Laura, "The Merchant by Arnold Wesker and The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare," dissertation, 1986
5 Vesty, Robert, "An examination of Arnold Wesker's Their Very Own and Golden City and The Friends set in the context of his involvement in the Centre 42 movement," research project

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Series V. Works of Others

Box Folder
26 1 Ain, Noa, "The Outcast," opera
2 Appignanesi, Richard, "Yukio Mishima's Report to the Emperor," novel
3 Arbuzov, Aleksei, "Old World," play
4 Brown, Angela, "Poems"
5 Cintra, Manuel, "The Little Devil Who Came Out of Hell," play
6-8 Cuneo, Anne, "Victoria's Reach," novel
9 Davidson, Jillian, "Personal Bereavement and Collective Mourning," dissertation
10 Goldman, Frederick, "Incident in Iberia," play
11 Halévy, Sunny, "Zeitgeist," film treatment
12 Hoban, Russell, "Kleinzeit," film script
Box Folder
27 1 Johnson, Keith, "Love Amongst the Animals," play
2 Lessing, Doris, "To Play with a Tiger," play
3-4 Moorcroft, Paul, "The Anchoress," novel
5 Mornin, Daniel, "All Our Fault," novel
6 Pagano, Rik, "Goose Amid the Revolt," play
7 Parker, Sylvia, "The Magic Money Box," story for children
8-9 Rowland, Roland, material regarding the Lonrho affair
Box Folder
28 1 Saderman, Alex, "Victoria," film synopsis
2-3 Saltiel, Ralph, various works
4 Stewart, Donald Ogden, "The Kidders," play
5 Tabori, George, "Mein Kampf," play
6 Triana, Jose, "The Criminals," play
7 Unnamed author, "The Family Tree," galley proofs
Wolf, Ostein Wingaard
8 "The King is in His Heaven," novel
9 "Poems"
10 "The Portuguese Man-of-War," novel extracts
Box
29 Oversize

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