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Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/44 · Item · 16 Oct. 1966
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is pleased he is so happy and fulfilled and life with Paul is good; is glad he has created a partner for "Black Comedy", Sheila Hancock will be good as the fortune teller ["White Liars"]; discusses plays he's seen: "Joey, Joey" ("proving clowns are depraved and disagreeable"), "The Odd Couple" (Victor [Spinetti] was good, but doesn't like Neil Simon, who doesn't like women), "Lady Windermere" ("good entertainment), "Winter's Tale" ("almost impossible to sit through", Laurence Harvey and Diana Churchill are particularly bad; describes a dinner party at which John [Gielgud?] was "pouring out indiscretions like ectoplasm & very sweet".

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/46 · Item · [25 Feb. 1969]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Wonders if 'Black Comedy' is destined to be the 'Hay Fever' of the 1970s, performed by every amateur company because comedy is "so much easier"; is busy but no [Hong Kong] flu yet; went to "Mame" with Jerry Lawrence and Jerry Herman, and hid his real opinion, avoiding people he knew in case they felt the same; has seen "Boys in the Band" ('cheap'), 'Delicate Balance' (splendid); and Tony [Richardson]'s 'Hamlet', Marianne [Faithfull] called him backstage during the interval because she had hurt her leg, the play intelligent with a young audience.

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/48 · Item · 30 June 1975
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Had a holiday in France with a group of guests, has returned to London, "which feels to me like the Titanic"; went to "[The Gay Lord] Quex", appalling except for Judi Dench; wonders about advertising the house in France; Peter's father is very low, "another relative died, but they soldier on".

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/49 · Item · [29 Sept. 1975]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is feeling brighter now, after a low period; saw Peter's father, who was funny and sweet; saw "Phaedra" and found it surprisingly good, or at least Diana Rigg is; loved "Nashville" as well; went to see John Gielgud do a reading and visited Wotton House, "a fantasy of impracticality".

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/50 · Item · 12 Nov. 1975
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Wonders where he picked up amoebiasis; describes his holiday in France and a few days in Paris with Patrick M. and David Hockney; saw 'Fallen Angels' with Eileen Atkins and Judy Parfitt that was beautifully done and strangely, unfunny; describes Peter's parents as going on their 'bewildered way'; 'The King Must Die' sounds promising, wonders what happened to the Wilkie Collins.

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/51 · Item · [31 Aug. 1976]
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is glad to hear film is going ahead and that he likes Toronto; Peter's father has decided against an operation; went to 'Equus' again with a young friend and had Alec McCowen, Alan Bates and [Leroy? S.] to supper later.

Letter from Patrick Woodcock
SHAF/A/1/W/55 · Item · 17 Apr. 1982
Part of Papers of Sir Peter Shaffer

Is delighted by his news, but hopes his play will not be mangled by the film morons; shares news of his health, is in hospital across from the houses of Parliament, cannot travel for at least six months.