In the post I wrote about the event, I described meeting Braham Murray and Michael Elwyn there. They had, respectively, directed and appeared in a Manchester production of Loot that established its reputation after its first staging in London had been a failure.
I recently found this video of Michael Elwyn, which may well have been recorded that day – we were all given the badge he is wearing. In it he talks about meeting Orton and his experience of appearing in the play.
Braham Murray was such an important figure in Manchester's cultural life. The Royal Exchange Theatre under his direction was a vibrant, exciting place, presenting a really wide range of plays, all distinguished by being performed by brilliant casts in inventive settings. The current state of the theatre represents a sad decline from those golden years.
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