The impact of Brendan Behan and his play The Hostage in New York.
Irish writer Brendan Behan and New York restaurateur Jim Downey discuss the success of 'The Hostage' during its run on Broadway in New York.
It was at Downey Steak House in New York that a party was held to celebrate the first night of Brendan Behan's play 'The Hostage' on Broadway. Guests in attendance at the event included FH Boland and Lauren Bacall. The restaurant is a favourite in New York theatre circles.
Owner Jim Downey was on a visit to Dublin and was at a Variety Club of Ireland event where Brendan Behan was the guest speaker. The two men were joined by reporter PP O'Reilly for a chat.
Brendan Behan began by telling them, in both Irish and English, why there were not too many members of the Behan family in the United States.
They don't have the money to go there. They wouldn't work if they got there. Thirdly, she said they wouldn't be let in.
Brendan Behan was in New York recently for the opening of his play 'The Hostage'. Jim Downey recalls the writer's visit the influence he had both theatrically and politically.
The social lion of New York.
Jim Downey also explains that after a show has run for a certain period in New York, a performance is given to help unemployed actors known as The Actor's Benefit.
The greatest performance without doubt that I ever saw, the greatest acceptance by an audience, was Brendan Behan's 'Hostage'.
Normally at a benefit night there are about five or six curtain calls. On the occasion of The Hostage benefit, the show continued for an additional 45 minutes and became the talk of the theatre world.
It was the best curtain call I've seen in New York in 30 years.
Brendan Behan recalls that on the night the show was brought to a close by the best Irish step dancer he had ever seen, Vincent O'Connor who was born in the United States of Kerry parents.
As a supporter of the newly elected President of the United States of America John F Kennedy, it is envisaged that Brendan Behan will be in America for his inauguration on 20 January before returning to Ireland for the summer to complete a book for his American publishers.
'City Newsreel' broadcast on 2 January 1961. The reporter is PP O'Reilly.
The accompanying photograph shows a scene from the RTÉ Television production of Brendan Behan's play 'An Giall' ('The Hostage') during filming in Studio 1 in early 1968. The photograph shows Michael Campion as Leslie, Áine Ní Mhuirí as Colette and Bernadette McKenna as Treasa. The photographer was Roy Bedell.
From the RTÉ Archives Acetate Disc Collection which has been digitised with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Archiving Scheme.
