Dearest Squirrel - The John Osborne Letters

Episode

First
Broadcast

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20180416

John Osborne meets Pamela Lane in 1951 and within three months the couple are married. So begins an extraordinary love affair that lasts over 30 years.

A completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights, the letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain.

As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting thirty years until Osborne's death. By the mid- 1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together.

'You are for me what you always were,' Pamela told him, 'I am in love with you still.'

It is, he declared, 'my fortune to have loved someone for a lifetime.

Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring.

Author, Peter Whitebrook, was born in London and has written and broadcast extensively on the theatre and literature. His co-adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath won a Fringe First Award. His biography of John Osborne was nominated for both the Sheridan Morley Prize for biography and the Theatre Book Prize.

Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root.

Abridged in five parts by Polly Coles.

Producer: Clive Brill

A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018.

Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.

20180417

John Osborne denies that Look Back in Anger is at least in part autobiographical, despite significant resemblances to his early relationship with Pamela Lane.

Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights.

The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain.

As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid-1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together.

Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring.

Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root.

Abridged by Polly Coles.

Producer: Clive Brill

A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018.

John Osborne denies that Look Back in Anger is at least in part autobiographical.

Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.

20180418

After separating from John Osborne, Pamela Lane experiences financial difficulties, brought on partly by a sudden lack of acting parts.

But Osborne comes to the rescue.

Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights.

The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain.

As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid- 1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together.

Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring.

Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root.

Abridged by Polly Coles.

Producer: Clive Brill

A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018.

After separating from John Osborne, Pamela Lane experiences financial difficulties.

Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.

20180419

Several wives in, John Osborne attempts a communication blackout with Pamela Lane, beset as they both are with personal and financial difficulties.

Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights.

The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain.

Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring.

Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root.

Abridged by Polly Coles.

Producer: Clive Brill

A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018.

Several wives in, John Osborne attempts a communication blackout with Pamela Lane.

Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.

20180420

Despite many periods of separation, John Osborne and Pamela Lane managed to remain in love.

However, Pamela's increasing requests for money took their toll on the relationship.

Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights.

The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain.

Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring.

Concluded by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root.

Abridged by Polly Coles.

Producer: Clive Brill

A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018.

Despite many periods of separation, John Osborne and Pamela Lane remained in love.

Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20180416	John Osborne meets Pamela Lane in 1951 and within three months the couple are married. So begins an extraordinary love affair that lasts over 30 years. A completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights, the letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain. As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting thirty years until Osborne's death. By the mid- 1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together. 'You are for me what you always were,' Pamela told him, 'I am in love with you still.' It is, he declared, 'my fortune to have loved someone for a lifetime. Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring. Author, Peter Whitebrook, was born in London and has written and broadcast extensively on the theatre and literature. His co-adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath won a Fringe First Award. His biography of John Osborne was nominated for both the Sheridan Morley Prize for biography and the Theatre Book Prize. Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root. Abridged in five parts by Polly Coles. Producer: Clive Brill A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018. Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.
02	20180417	John Osborne denies that Look Back in Anger is at least in part autobiographical, despite significant resemblances to his early relationship with Pamela Lane. Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights. The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain. As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid-1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together. Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring. Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root. Abridged by Polly Coles. Producer: Clive Brill A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018. John Osborne denies that Look Back in Anger is at least in part autobiographical. Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.
03	20180418	After separating from John Osborne, Pamela Lane experiences financial difficulties, brought on partly by a sudden lack of acting parts. But Osborne comes to the rescue. Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights. The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain. As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid- 1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together. Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring. Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root. Abridged by Polly Coles. Producer: Clive Brill A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018. After separating from John Osborne, Pamela Lane experiences financial difficulties. Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.
04	20180419	Several wives in, John Osborne attempts a communication blackout with Pamela Lane, beset as they both are with personal and financial difficulties. Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights. The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain. As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid-1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together. Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring. Read by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root. Abridged by Polly Coles. Producer: Clive Brill A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018. Several wives in, John Osborne attempts a communication blackout with Pamela Lane. Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.
05	20180420	Despite many periods of separation, John Osborne and Pamela Lane managed to remain in love. However, Pamela's increasing requests for money took their toll on the relationship. Peter Whitebrook's completely fresh insight into the mind of one of the UK's greatest playwrights. The letters between John Osborne and his first wife, actress Pamela Lane, are also a love letter to a now defunct system of repertory theatre and life in post-war Britain. As these letters reveal, soon after their divorce, Osborne and Lane began a mutually supportive, loyal, frequently stormy and sometimes sexually intimate alliance lasting 30 years until Osborne's death. By the mid-1980s, they had become closer and more trusting than they had been since their earliest years together. Acerbic, witty, candid and heartbreaking, the letters reveal a unique relationship - troubled, tender and enduring. Concluded by Simon Shepherd and Amanda Root. Abridged by Polly Coles. Producer: Clive Brill A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2018. Despite many periods of separation, John Osborne and Pamela Lane remained in love. Peter Whitebrook ofers a fresh insight into the mind of playwright John Osborne.