DL/A-Z//SOU B S - [Correspondence with Melvyn Bragg of the South Bank Show]

DL/A-Z//SOU B S

File

[Correspondence with Melvyn Bragg of the South Bank Show]

1987-1988

16 Letters (typescript and MS)
3 Postcards

South Bank Show, the
Lessing, Doris May, 1919-2013
Clowes, Jonathan
Tomalin, Claire
Aldiss, Brian

19 items, some highlighted. Correspondence between The South Bank Show and Doris Lessing, regarding an interview for The South Bank Show and subsequent disagreements about the recording. Includes postcards from Claire Tomalin and Brain Aldiss (items 007, 008, 009), who interviewed Lessing.

DL/A-Z//SOU B S/004 [from H.A. Chadwick to Doris Lessing, 20/01/1988]

Letter, 2 leaves, typed.
Writes to attempt to "resolve the differences" between them that emerged yesterday on the phone. Discusses Lessing's reservations about "excessive preparation" and details the four areas of discussion that they hope to achieve in the interview. Writes that she is "dismayed" at Lessing's "low opinion of the British TV documentary approach".

DL/A-Z//SOU B S/011 [from Doris Lessing to Jonathan Clowes, 02/03/1988]

Letter, 1 leaf, typed.
Writes that she did the interview the day before, and was unhappy with it. Discusses the fact that she insisted on there being "no framework imposed on it", but that both Claire Tomalin and Brian Aldiss had been given a list of questions to ask her. Writes that the programme is "going to be as flat and as obvious as most of these literary programmes". Sends copies to H.A. Chadwick and Melvyn Bragg, as they had sworn "this wouldn't happen".

DL/A-Z//SOU B S/012 [from Melvyn Bragg to Doris Lessing, 03/03/1988]

Letter, 1 leaf, typed.
Writes that he kept the "pact" with Lessing. Disagrees with Lessing's thought that it was going to be flat and obvious.


DL/A-Z//SOU B S/016 [from Doris Lessing to Melvyn Bragg, 28/03/1988]

Letter, 2 leaves, typed.
Writes that he "did not "keep your pact"" with her, and that both Tomalin and Aldiss had told Lessing that they had been told what to ask and say beforehand. Discusses her good experiences with being interviewed in "Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Spain".