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- I Am A Camera by John van DRUTEN
I Am A Camera by John van DRUTEN
van DRUTEN, John. I Am A Camera. New York: Random House, 1952
First edition. A play in three acts based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin, an evocative episodic semi-autobiographical account of his life as an English expat in 1930s Berlin, featuring a cast of Bohemian characters, including the unforgettable night club chanteuse, Sally Bowles.
I am A Camera premiered at the Empire Theatre, New York, in 1951. The play became a Broadway hit winning numerous Tony Awards, one of them going to Julie Harris, who was described by Isherwood in her role as Sally Bowles as a bohemian Joan of Arc, battling to defend her way of life from the bourgeoisie.
In 1955 Julie Harris became the first onscreen Sally Bowles in the film version of I Am A Camera. In 1966 Kander and Ebb wrote the musical Cabaret based on both van Druten’s play and Isherwood’s novel. In 1972 the play Cabaret was adapted into the celebrated musical film directed by Bob Fosse, and starring Liza Minnelli.
182 pp, b/w photographic plates of the original production starring Julie Harris. 8vo, original cloth, inlaid photographic production still to front panel. A near fine copy in near fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy.