A C.H. Smith (born in 1935) is a British novelist and playwright from Kew. He was educated at Hampton Grammar School and Cambridge (Corpus Christi College), where he read Modern Languages. Since 1960 his home has been in Bristol. From 1965-69 he was Senior Research Associate at Richard Hoggart’s Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham University, and he has held visiting posts at the Universities of Bristol, Bournemouth, and Texas (Austin). From 1964-73 he did literary work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and later some for the National Theatre. In 1971 Peter Brook invited him to Iran for three months to write a book about the theatre experiment that Brook and Ted Hughes were undertaking. He was a director of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in 1978, 1979, and 1999. He has two daughters, Imogen and Sophie, and a son, Oliver.
Bibliography edit
Novels edit
- The Crowd (1965) ASIN: B0006BWG2S
- Zero Summer (1971) ISBN 0-413-44630-1
- Treatment (1976) ISBN 0-297-77073-X
- Sebastian the Navigator (1985) ISBN 0-297-78722-5
- The Dangerous Memoir of Citizen Sade, (2000) ISBN 1-85135-033-0
Thrillers edit
- The Jericho Gun (1977) ISBN 0-297-77415-8
- Extra Cover (1981) ISBN 0-297-77924-9
Novelizations edit
- Edward and Mrs. Simpson (British tv series) (1978) ISBN 0-297-77516-2
- The Dark Crystal (movie) (1982) ISBN 0-03-062436-3
- Wagner (movie) (1983) ISBN 3-453-01837-0
- Lady Jane (movie) (1985) ISBN 0-03-006168-7
- Labyrinth (movie) (1986) ISBN 0-03-007322-7
Non-fiction edit
- Orghast at Persepolis,: An account of the experiment in theatre directed by Peter Brook and written by Ted Hughes (1972) ISBN 0-413-28830-7 and (1973) ISBN 0-670-52835-8
- Paper voices: The popular press and social change, 1935-1965 (with Elizabeth Immirzi and Trevor Blackwell) (1975) ISBN 0-7011-2062-2
- "Dickens of London" (biography, ghosted for Wolf Mankowitz)(1976) ISBN 0-297-77159-0
Stories and poems for BBC radio, Transatlantic Review, The Listener, et al.
Selected plays edit
- Albert’s Bridge Extended (co-written with Tom Stoppard), Edinburgh Festival (1978)
- Master of Letters”, The Playwrights Company at the New Vic, Bristol (1979)
- God’s Wonderful Railway”, Bristol Old Vic (1985)
- Pericles (reconstruction of Shakespeare’s), Theater Emory, Atlanta (1987); Show of Strength Theatre Company, Bristol (1990)
- Up The Feeder, Down The Mouth, Bristol Old Vic (1997, 2001)
- Albert’s Bridge - the Musical (composer David Lyon), Shaftesbury Community Theatre (1999)
- The Redcliffe Hermit, Head Heart + 2 Fingers, Bristol (2005)
- "Doctor Love" (Molière-based musical, composer David Lyon), Tobacco Factory, Bristol (2008)
And a dozen shorter plays.
TV and cinema edit
With wife, subject of John Boorman’s 6-part BBC docudrama The Newcomers (1964). Wrote and presented about 200 arts programmes and documentaries for HTV and BBC. Six plays televised. Three screenplays.
Editing and journalism edit
At Cambridge, edited the literary magazine delta, and was Arts Editor of Varsity, the student newspaper. Co-editor of Universities' Poetry (anthologies). 1960-63, with Tom Stoppard edited an Arts Page in the Western Daily Press. Has also reported cricket for The Times, reviewed theatre for The Guardian, and written features for The Observer, Sunday Times, Telegraph Magazine, New Society, The Listener, London Magazine, et al.