1961 Royal Court theatre programme for Luther, first night, starring Albert Finney; poster, Royal National Theatre, 2001 production, cast included Maxine Peake and Rufus Sewell, directed by Peter Gill; 75 x 49.5cm; 78 x 52cm (framed); together with The New York Times Drama Critics' Circle Award for Luther, 1963-1964 (framed); an Osbert Lancaster black and white cartoon with the caption WHO DOES THIS DR O'BRIEN THINK HE IS? JOHN OSBORNE?! (dated 6.12.61) and a copy of Luther the play
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Directed by Tony Richardson, Luther premiered at the Royal Court Theatre on 26th June 1961. It was the first play Osborne had written for the stage since his disasterous musical The Life of Paul Slickey of two years earlier (see lots 10-12), and could not have been more different. It explored the motivations and doubts of the seminal figure of the sixteenth century Reformation, the German friar, priest and theologian Martin Luther. '"I am a worm and no man, a byword and a laughing stock. Crush out the worminess in me, stamp on me" the self-lacerating monk confesses prostrate before the Cross. "I am alone. I am alone, and against myself"'. Well received by the critics, it transferred to the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, and then to New York, winning a Tony Award for best new play on Broadway in 1964. Heilpern describes Luther as 'a history play about feverish doubt, faith and religious experience', yet comments that there's almost no evidence of religious faith in Osborne's background, and that 'he thought like a sinner, yet he could write like a believer'. Instead, he argues, 'Osborne's first impulse to write the play was ignited by something unknown to all but himself. He connected to Luther's anguished soul - to his chronic guilt, physical ruin and self abasement, to his crucifying doubt and yearning for release' (Heilpern, p. 278).