"a work on the art and craft of comedy as important in its own way as works by Stanislavski and Chekhov" - Oxford Theatre Companion In 1939, a young, inexperienced actor wrote to a famous actress of his acquaintance, asking for advice on playing comedy. She responded enthusiastically, and they corresponded variously over the next year. The Craft of Comedy, a record of these exchanges, soon emerged as one of the few classic texts in the field of comedy acting. This major new edition takes a brilliant book and makes it better. Editor Robert Barton has devised extensive supplementary material, including: An introduction to the correspondents, the culture of the time, and the evolution of their book; Summaries, definitions, and exercises and practice scenes for readers wishing to explore Athene Seyler's invaluable advice; Photographs, additional essays by Seyler, and a guide to easily accessed video clips of her performing. Seyler's lucid guidance, and Barton's scrupulous editorship, ensure this legendary work's rightful status is restored: as one of the great practical guides to the craft of comedy, and an essential resource for actors and students of acting.

"a work on the art and craft of comedy as important in its own way as works by Stanislavski and Chekhov" - Oxford Theatre Companion In 1939, a young, inexperienced actor wrote to a famous actress of his acquaintance, asking for advice on playing comedy. She responded enthusiastically, and they corresponded variously over the next year. The Craft of Comedy, a record of these exchanges, soon emerged as one of the few classic texts in the field of comedy acting. This major new edition takes a brilliant book and makes it better. Editor Robert Barton has devised extensive supplementary material, including: An introduction to the correspondents, the culture of the time, and the evolution of their book; Summaries, definitions, and exercises and practice scenes for readers wishing to explore Athene Seyler's invaluable advice; Photographs, additional essays by Seyler, and a guide to easily accessed video clips of her performing. Seyler's lucid guidance, and Barton's scrupulous editorship, ensure this legendary work's rightful status is restored: as one of the great practical guides to the craft of comedy, and an essential resource for actors and students of acting.

Three classic films adapted from novels by Charles Dickens. In 'A Tale of Two Cities' (1958), Sydney Carton (Dirk Bogarde) is a frivolous London barrister, hopelessly in love with Lucie (Dorothy Tutin), even after she marries Charles Darnay (Paul Guers), who is descended from an unpleasant French aristocrat. Darnay is lured back to France as the Revolution gets into swing where he is arrested and awaits execution. Sydney, seeing Lucie's despair, goes to France, frees Charles and takes his place in the queue for the guillotine. In 'Oliver Twist' (1948), Oliver (John Howard Davis) is a young orphan boy who is expelled from the workhouse run by Mr Bumble (Francis L. Sullivan). After becoming an apprentice to an undertaker Oliver decides to run away to London, only to meet the Artful Dodger (Anthony Newley) and fall amongst his gang of thieves, led by the scheming Fagin (Alec Guinness). Finally, in 'Great Expectations' (1946), orphan Pip (Anthony Wager) befriends an escaped convict before being elevated to higher circles as the companion of mad Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt) and her niece, Estella (Jean Simmons), with whom the boy quickly falls in love. When the adult Pip (John Mills) discovers a mysterious benefactor has paved the way for him to become a gentleman, he assumes Miss Havisham is responsible.

School For Scoundrels sees in Terry-Thomas in his quintessential role of cad and bounder, using his lecherous ways to steal the heart of April away from her hapless suitor Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael). Sick of being one of life’s losers, Palfrey enrols at the college of ‘Lifemanship’ under the tutor ledge of the incomparable Alastair Sim and proceeds to learn the arts of one-upmanship and gamesmanship in an effort to outdo his caddish rivals and turn his life around.

Private's Progress teams Terry-Thomas once more with Ian Carmichael, this time in an army set comedy. Carmichael plays Stanley Windrush, a bookish and introverted flunkie from Officer candidate school, who is thrown into the deep end of rough and ready army life and must contend with rough-hewn fellow private Cox (Richard Attenborough), an eccentric crackpot Major Hitchcock (Thomas) and a nonplussed commanding officer played by Dennis Price.

Make Mine Mink is based on Peter Coke's West End comedy Breath of Spring and concerns the blundering excursions into crime of a bunch of pinheaded amateurs, who specialize in lifting valuable furs and apparently devoting the loot to charity. Terry-Thomas plays one of a group of lodgers who all team up as the thieves as a convenient escape from the meaningless routine of their daily lives. Along with their aging landlady Dame Appleby (Athene Seyler), the misfits conspire to carry out a series of daring raids, keeping the only ex-con member of the household in the dark – the beautiful housekeeper played by Billie Whitelaw.

Bungling thieves are the order of the day once again in Too Many Crooks that also stars fellow Comic Icon Sid James. When their planned robbery of the safe lecherous millionaire Billy Gordon (Terry-Thomas) actually results in the kidnap of his wife, Gordon couldn’t be happier to be rid of her. Refusing to pay the ransom sets the stage for Mrs Gordon’s sweet revenge…

The Naked Truth is the third in the trilogy of films here scripted by Michael Pertwee. Co-starring Peter Sellers in one of his early roles, the film centres around the exploits of four celebrities, including Terry-Thomas as politician Lord Mayley, who band together to assassinate from blackmailing low-life reporter Dennis (Dennis Price).

Brothers In Law sees Terry-Thomas star alongside Richard Attenborough and Ian Carmichael in this comedy about an hapless newly qualified barrister and his first disastrous appearances in court as he encounters a succession of cantankerous judges.