John Lahr

What makes the diaries of Kenneth Tynan so fascinating is that he was a feared critic in his day but behind the scenes he was an insecure man. Outwardly, he didn't suffer fools. Privately, even his diary entries could be scathing. The irony is that he would drop friendships when criticized...as if he couldn't handle negativity aimed towards him. Underneath Tynan's tough and snobby persona, truth be told, was a man who worried about appearances and cared what social circles accepted him. show more Example: he once did not want to attend a wedding because he did not have the proper attire, nor was he willing to rent the garb required. His diaries revealed an introspection and a strong desire to be loved by all. He loved to name-drop as if the glitterati of the day were his closest friends. In addition to being a running commentary on the who's who of the day, Tynan tackled politics and even the philosophical concept of id, questioning what makes a soul. His theory about Akhnaten is fascinating.
Overall, I found Tynan to be a sad individual. When Tynan's wife reminds him of the declaration that his doctor warned against smoking - if he didn't quit, he would be dead in five years (and he was), it broke my heart. Three years before his passing, as early as March 6th 1977, Tynan started writing about his funeral; what songs to play, etc. Diagnosed with emphysema, he was not in denial. He knew his time was limited. Like reading The Diary of Anne Frank I dreaded the coming end. Is it sacrilege to compare the two? Each journal entry nudged Anne and Kenneth closer to their demises. show less

I bought this book when it came out in, but never read it. Reading recently Lahr’s piece on Buster Keaton in the LRB and also Cat on a Hot Tin Roof reminded me of this really excellent biography. Lahr balances really well that emotional life - the pilgrimage of the title - with very evocative and acute depictions of the creation and stagings of the plays. I also like the way we jump straight into the book, at rehearsals for The Glass Menagerie.

This book attests to Lahr’s knowledge and show more experience as theatre critic and of course, his gift for style and narrative. I doubt if a better biography of Williams is possible. I wish someone would bring out Lahr’s biography of Joe Orton in the UK in eBook form. show less

The author is a former writer for the New Yorker; here he shares some of his profiles and reviews. The commentary on the playwrights, directors, and shows is well written and lively, even if I do sometimes disagree with his assessment. His biographical sketches are interesting, and help to add some understanding to some of the work of these artists. There is one major complaint - he places the date the piece was written at the end of the piece, and it can become difficult when he references show more things like "this year" or "next year" without that frame of reference; I found myself constantly flipping forward to figure out what the time frame was.

Another interesting feature is that it adds a new perspective on the lack of diversity in theatre. The book is dominated by white males. There was one female director, one female writer, and one writer of color. The total lack of diverse voices in such an important publication goes a long way to explaining the lack of visibility of writers who are not white or male in the greater theatre scene. I could think of a slew of other possible subjects he could have written about, many of them at least as prominent as writers who were covered. This feature was very disappointing. I hope if the author does any further anthologies, he seeks to correct that omission. show less

Normally I don't read biographies, especially show business biographies. That isn't to say I never read them, just not in the usual pattern of things. However, Bert Lahr has always held a special place in my heart, so I bought this one on a whim one day while browsing through a used book store. I'm so very glad I did.

Notes on a Cowardly Lion may be the best show biz biography I've ever read. John Lahr knew his father's strengths and weaknesses intimately, and portrays them honestly, without show more blinking, without flinching. A wonderful, moving, funny and sad story. With pictures and script excerpts from Bert Lahr's 60+ year career. show less