On Wednesday 14 July 2021, towards the end of the morning, the Critics’ Circle helped to get the wheels of live social intercourse moving again when fifty members arrived for luncheon at the National Liberal Club. The guest of honour was novelist and playwright Michael Frayn who received from President Suzi Feay the 2020 Rosebowl Award for the contribution he has made to Art through his long career. On accepting the crystal prize, he said, ‘writing is not always the torment it is made out to be. There are many occasions when it is a great joy. The characters do the work and it’s like flying. But there are bad days when what you want to say will not be written and this award is for those occasions. Thank you.’
The Rosebowl 2020 Claire Tomalin and Michael Frayn President Suzi Feay presents the award The Two of Us (1970): Michael Billington recalls the first first night Is this the Lloyd George Room? He knew my father This way, Ma’am. Blanche Marvin and Hon Gen Sec. Masked, unmasked Spies (2002) The Tin Men (1965): Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Hon Gen Sec The Film table
(Cline, Gray, Cargin, Driscoll)Irving Wardle & Michael Billington Alphabetical Order (1977): Billington, Cargin, Popescu Exchange (1990) Replete (Wardle, Levy, Kenyon) Three Sisters (1983). Okay two (Lizzie Loveridge & Clare Finn) The Russian Interpreter (1966) Donkey’s Years (1977) Poet Sue Hubbard (Visual Art) Miranda Seymour (Books) Well, hello! Geoff Smith (Music) Neil Smith (Film) Garry O’Connor (Theatre) Heleen Mendl-Schrama (Music) Former President Simon Tait (Visual Art) Paul Levy (Music/Theatre/ Visual Art/Books) Ex-Secretary Bill Russell (Theatre) Paul Vale (Theatre) Rich Cline (Film Chair) Libby Purves (Theatre) Carol Allen (Film) Marianne Gray (Film) Nadine Meisner (Dance) Ex-president Mark Shenton (Theatre) Stuart Sweeney (Dance) Clare Colvin (Music) Lucy Shuttleworth (Books) Penelope Marcus (guest) Irving Wardle (Theatre) Phil Penfold (Theatre/Film) Libby Purves (Theatre) Ronnie Haydon (guest) Listen to This (1990) Clouds (1977) Audience (1991) Speech! Sweet Dreams (1973) Noises off (1982) Dickens’ Life To Art! The Dickens Goblet
