It was good to see him at the Portobello, has now read the notices for his play and congratulates him, looks forward to seeing it upon return from holiday.
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".
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.
Wet and cold, news is awful; describes a French holiday; went to see Lindsay Kemp's 'Flowers' - found it sexy and adventurous.
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".
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".
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.
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.
Enjoyed a trip to Morocco; saw "Privates on Parade" in London, a "terrible mess". Peter's father will have the operation done by the original surgeon.
Is planning a trip to New York and Montreal in September, hopes to stay with Peter for a week.
Uzès - Has seen Ray Leppard's "Dido" (Janet Baker) and "Alaina" (Berganza) at Aix-en-Provence.
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.
Λουτράκι - Describes Loutraki