Two more lovely photos of Ingrid Bergman and Kenneth Williams at the press reception for their common stage play, a production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” at London's Cavendish Hotel, 5th January 1971.
On the 31st [July 1971] the theatre was packed and the audience tremendously enthusiastic.
Ingrid put her arms round me in the wings before I went on, and said, "So at last, my dear, we come to the final performance. Just think, I stood here and wished you luck half a year ago.' I had little time to reply because I had to make my entrance but I felt a surge of melancholy as she spoke.
I wasn't the only one who was affected by last-night feelings. Several actors became sentimental and invested certain lines with special significance. When I came to my speech, 'Dear me, we comes in with vanity, and we departs in darkness, don't we, guv'nor?" I suddenly realised that when the lights went out tonight on this production it would vanish forever. It had all turned out so differently from what I had imagined.
This poor old creaking play and this rickety production, greeted with hostility and indifference by the press, had been kept afloat by a lady who had broken all box-office records for a limited London season, delighted loyal audiences nightly and never missed a performance. ♡
excerpt from Kenneth Williams' autobiography "Just Williams", © 1985
