Staring at the Sun
American drama about a young man, Dave, struggling to become a painter despite his father Hiram’s insistence he join the family business. Dave is blackmailed into marriage by Ruth (who is pregnant, but in fact by Hiram), as well as being haunted by his dead fiancée, Jennie.
Reviewed by Derek Malcolm in The Guardian on 14th March 1968 (page 8), R B Marriott in The Stage on the 21st (page 9) and J C Trewin in The Illustrated London News on the 26th (page 27). According to Arthur Thirkell in the Daily Mirror (14th March, page 16): “The chances of ‘Staring at the Sun’ running for more than a week at the Vaudeville theatre must be as bright as a total eclipse. It is the saddest, most incredible piece of drivel to be staged in the West End for a long time.”
In fact, the play ran for 16 nights, its upcoming closure having been announced in the Evening Standard on 26th March. It was the final stage appearance for Robert Ayres, who died on 5th November.
Cast & Crew
Cast
| Collins | Leslie Rocker |
|---|---|
| Dave | Andrew Ray |
| Hiram | Robert Ayres |
| Jennie | June Barry |
| Ruth | Yolande Turner |
| Sally | Joan Miller |
| Tom | Melvyn Hayes |
Crew | |
| Director | Peter Cotes |
| Lighting | Mick Orr |
| Setting by | Bernard Culshaw |
| Stage Manager | Leslie Rocker
(credited as L A Rocker) |
| Production Manager | John Stannard |
- Added by Michael Hope, last modified by Jared William.
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