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Ruth Draper and Her Company of Characters

BBC Radio 4
on BBC Radio 4 FM

David Benson introduces extracts from Ruth Draper's monologues, with reflections on her talent from Maureen Lipman and Joyce Grenfell.

Years before Joyce Grenfell, or Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, Ruth Draper pioneered the dramatic monologue

Ruth Draper and Her Company of Characters 11.30am R4

Between 1954 and 1956 (the year of her death) the actress Ruth Draper made a series of recordings for RCA. Using these recordings and excerpts from the BBC archives, fellow thespian, master of many voices and huge admirer David Benson paints a fascinating portrait of the woman described by John Gielgud as "the greatest individual performer that America has ever given us." Draper made her debut in 1920, touring the world with her comic monologues. Her favourite subjects for skewering were pretentious New York socialites but she also did a fine trade in British schoolgirls and European divas.

Contributors

Introduces:
David Benson
Unknown:
Ruth Draper
Unknown:
Maureen Lipman
Unknown:
Joyce Grenfell.
Producer:
Jonathan James-Moore
Source: Radio Times

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