Correspondence between Siobhán McKenna and François Billetdoux relating to her possible playing the role of Ursula Maria in "Hotel Torpe", as well as correspondence with translators and members of the BBC.
Includes letter from [Peter Meyer], Trafalgar, London, to Siobhán McKenna, saying he never had the chance to thank her for her performance. He tells her Billetdoux had said the other translation was official, but that his could be looked at too. Ends by saying he and his wife would love to have
her over the next time she is in London (21 Dec 1966).
Also letter from François Billetdoux, Paris, to “Chère mère de Jeanne d’Arc”, begins by saying that she is someone, like himself, who hears a certain music. He says that he will get Mark Rudkin to write to her, and that he considers him a better translator of his work than Peter Meyer. He ends by commenting that he would have no preference over Dublin or London for the production. In a postscript he apologises for his delay in replying, as he is writing something for the next Avignon Festival. Also copy of same [in French] (10 Mar 1967).
Also letter from Siobhán McKenna, Highfield Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6, to Mark [Rudkin] saying that she has been told by “himself” to write to Mark. She apologises for not writing sooner as her father had died in Galway over the Christmas. She comments that she prefers Peter Meyer’s translation of "Chez Torpe" and hopes that he won’t be insulted. She saw it in London the previous night and felt that it was very much an English play. At the same times she understands François Billetdoux’s wish that Mark would be his translator, but that if that is the case she cannot do the play at the moment. Eric Glass was telling her that he likes his translation of "Le Epoux de Bredbury" very much. She comments that she will be in Dublin permanently for a while doing the "Loves of Cass McGuire". “It flopped recently in New York with Ruth Gordon – and no wonder – it needs to grow on native soil first”. She is hoping to do the original script rather than the Broadway version [Mar 1967].
Also letter from Mark Rudkin, Paris, to Siobhán McKenna, saying that François Billetdoux had shown him her thoughtful letter in relation to his "Trope" translation. He feels that Meyer’s translation “isn’t quite as good as it should be”. He comments that in working with the cast in Guildford it has made the play more playable. He says that he hopes she gets to play Ursula-Maria as he had thought of her for the role before (31 Mar 1967).
