Showing 11 results

Archival description
Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/43 · Item · 4 July [1950]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Writes from the German course at Middlebury College, Vermont. Has left the apartment he shared with his cousin Harold [Rosenberg], will probably be the building superintendent in Frances [Whyte]'s apartment house; thinks they will be married inside a year; describes the course at Middlebury College; has a lead on a teaching job at [Sarah Lawrence College] and at Columbia University; asks for news of Richard [Mayne?], Brian and Tony, and Dave Calhoun.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/41 · Item · 9 Mar. [1950]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

It has been a long time since he has written and since PS has written; reflects on the change in his affections and refers to their relationship before Frances [Whyte] arrived and speculates that it would have degenerated instead of being abruptly cut off; shares what he has learned in analysis about his relationships; is afraid that he has put too much into the relationship to let it evolve into a friendship now; has seen Dave [Calhoun] and when they speak of Cambridge finds they are speaking of the Shaffers; mentions thrilling progress on analysis, Frances, and career but does not go into detail.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/40 · Item · 16 July [1949]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Felt close to PS when he went to an all Brahms concert conducted by [Adrian] Boult and heard Isaac Stern; hears that Judy [?] has married, wished he had passed that on; has made a friend who was wondering whether to become a rabbi or a minister and was studying philosophy of religion and is now just studying philosophy; hasn't heard from Dave [Calhoun], didn't go to his wedding; is getting along very well with Frances [Whyte]; is distressed to hear that PS has given up analysis, thinks he needs to find another analyst he likes better; hasn't taken another piano lesson; rest of his time is spent studying French and German for the PhD.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/39 · Item · 29 May [1949]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Encloses a letter for Dave [Calhoun] in hopes it reaches him before he leaves Cambridge; describes his schedule with psychiatric analysis, dental work, courses in German and French to attain reading proficiency by the autumn, and piano lessons. He and Frances [Whyte] are getting on well; it has been a year since Frances arrived in England; wonders how things are going with Judy [?].

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/36 · Item · 9 Feb. [1949]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Describes his difficulty in focusing on work, finds analysis painful, has distanced himself from his family except for Frances [Whyte]; is going to hear Solomon [Cutner] in his American debut, [Artur] Schnabel has cancelled concerts due to illness, is going to three performances of the New York Philharmonic conducted by [Bruno] Walter including one featuring [Clifford] Curzon, and two ballets featuring [Alexandra] Danilova and [Alicia] Markova; the best thing he has seen is Marcel Pagnol's film 'Marius', which has the texture of a novel; asks for details of his psychiatrist; asks about friends there, news of Dave Calhoun and Tony, glad to hear Mr Wisdom is looking good.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/35 · Item · 11 Jan. [1949]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is very busy, but has wanted to yell at PS since getting his letter; doesn't agree that his [Mal's] situation is easier than Peter's and tells him to lay off; still thinks PS should undergo analysis; his relationship with Frances [Whyte] is good but they are doomed; give his best to Tony, Brian, Dave [Calhoun], and Seymour Betsky if he's still there.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/34 · Item · 13 Dec. [1948]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Went to see 'A Night at the Opera', doesn't like it as much as PS does; was thrilled to watch Toscanini broadcasting from a small studio; briefly mentions a joint recital by [Artur] Schnabel and [Joseph] Szigeti and also the Boston Symphony under Koussevitsky; has seen 'Edward, My Son' with a memorable performance by Peggy Ashcroft; admires the film 'Louisiana Story' with its score by Virgil Thomson; bridles at PS's statement that 'in America analysis is just like going to the toilet [struck out] I mean cloakroom'; suggests PS get himself to an analyst like Henry [Leonard?] Wilson and suggests he prove a correlation between the Bevin Boy Business and his poor psychiatric state despite actually being 'loused up' before in order to get it paid for; could hardly believe he was writing about religion but won't lecture him despite being baited; tried to break up with Frances [Whyte] last month to no avail and mentions the private language he had with PS (Cuban); his father [Walter Diamond] is paying for analysis after meeting the analyst; tells him not to worry about PS's effect on his analysis, rather it gives him something to say; wishes he would not apologise for everything; hopes Dave [Calhoun] is well.

Letter from Mal Diamond
SHAF/A/1/D/30 · Item · 6 Sept. [1948]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Has been very busy getting ready to leave the country, has been with Frances [Whyte] continually and hasn't been able to write; describes what he's been doing since PS left, describes a trip to Oxford, where they especially liked Magdalen's Deer Park; spent time with Dave Calhoun who reminded them of his father [Robert Lowry Calhoun], spent time talking of philosophy, thinks Brian [Shaffer] will enjoy his company; went to see 'Othello' at Stratford and describes the play, agrees with him about [John] Quayle's Iago, and discusses John Justin's Cassio, [Paul] Scofield's Roderigo, Diana [Wynyard]'s Desdemona, and [Ena] Burrill's Emilia; describes their visit to Warwick Castle, Canterbury, hitchhiking, visiting Tony, Brian, and Reka at Windyridge; is to sail on one of the converted troop ships leaving [Southampton] the next day; saw 'Naked City' and thought it well done; really liked 'Oliver Twist' which he has seen twice; is reading 'Pride and Prejudice', but thinks Aldous Huxley wrote a good screenplay; his feelings have not stayed the same in this past month, given he has been immersed in another love, 'Nature, society, everything was for this and against us'; his love for Frances in no way dims his feelings for Peter.

Letter from Mal [Diamond]
SHAF/A/1/D/27 · Item · 11-12 Aug. [1948]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is still in Southampton, hasn't heard from his contact in Paris; went to the Isle of Wight in stormy weather; maybe she [Celeste Holm?] is like that in real life, given her compassionate Ado Annie; would really like to see Olivier and Richardson do 'Othello' at the Old Vic if that comes to pass; has given up on [getting a job in] Germany; is glad to hear PS's tone of semi-resignation, thinks PS will get over him in the 'giddy round of hardly quiet fun' that awaits him in Cambridge; they've said what needs saying 'as to the sexual fears', and has faith in their ability to get past this; is thrilled at the sound of the latest 'undertaking' [unidentified]; describes meeting on a ferry Dave Calhoun, the son of his professor at Yale who is going to Cambridge, will be a Henry Fellow like Dud Towne was (who he describes), thinks Dave will make Brian [Shaffer] a good friend, as someone with common interests and 'sharp enough to stay with him'; saw the Olivier 'Pride and Prejudice', 'like a good symphony being butchered'. The letter continues the next day, arranges a time for PS to call; the news from the [Frances] Whyte-Diamond front is good: 'you'll be much relieved to see us getting on so beautifully', part of which is an active sex life.