A7

Tom Stoppard – Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land

A7 a. UK Edition

1. First Edition

Inter-Action. Published 6th April 1976. Paperback. Title, [ii], 85 pages numbered 3-87, [i] the verso of which is the limitation page. Pages 209mm x 148mm. Front: 4 red and three white horizontal stripes and in blue ‘AN AMBIENCE/ALMOST FREE PLAYSCRIPT | The premiere production texts from | ‘The American Connection: Part 1’ season | DIRTY LINEN and NEW-FOUND-LAND | by | TOM STOPPARD | THE AMBIANCE LUNCH-HOUR THEATRE CLUB | THE ALMOST FREE THAETRE 9-19 RUPERT ST. W1’. ISBN 0-904571-09-2. Price on back cover 60p.

Note 1: Limited to 1000 copies with the limitation number handwritten in black ink on the final page.

Note 2: There are two versions (or states) of the back cover. One has a blue and white photo of the entrance to The Almost Free Theatre and text in blue. The other has no photo and the same text in blue. The copies with the photo are possibly an earlier printing as every copy sighted (numbers 6, 7 and 40) has a lower limitation number.

2. Second Edition

Inter-Action. Published 16th June 1976. Paperback. Title, [iii], 67 pages numbered 9-75, [ii]. Pages 209mm x 148mm. Front: white with a red and blue border and in black ‘an ambiance/almost free playscript’, in blue ‘TOM | STOPPARD’S’, in red ‘DIRTY LINEN | & NEW-FOUND-LAND’ and in black ‘The texts from the original | Inter-Action production at | The Ambiance Lunch-Hour | Theatre Club, The Almost | Free Theatre, London.’ And below that a black and white photo of the Houses of Parliament strung with a washing line to which are pegged two pairs of knickers. ISBN 0-904571-11-4. Price on back cover 80p, overseas price $2.00.

Note 1: the second edition was published to coincide with the transfer of the original production to the Arts Theatre, London where it reopened on Wednesday, 16th June 1976.

3. Faber Edition

Faber. Published 20th September 1976. Paperback. 1 blank, half-title, title, [iv], 59 pages numbered 15-73, [i], 2 blanks. Pages 197mm x 115mm. Front: a white band with in black ‘TOM STOPPARD’ and below a black and white photo of a partly clothed woman and two men at desks, with in white ‘Dirty | Linen | & New- | Found- | Land’. ISBN 0-571-11094-0. Price on back cover £1.50.

4. Proof

Faber and Faber. Paperback. 2 blanks, title, half-title, [iv], 59 pages numbered 15-73, 2 blanks. Pages 197mm x 119mm. Front: pale green with publication data text in black.

5. Theatre Script – New-Found-Land & Dogg’s Troupe Hamlet

Inter-Action. Published 1977. Eight pages 260mm x 260mm. The are based on transcriptions of the stage recordings and vary from the published scripts. This booklet came along with the LP of the cast recording.

6. Cast Recording – New-Found-Land & Dogg’s Troupe Hamlet

Inter-Action. INP1. Published 1977. Cast recording of the two plays issued on a 12” vinyl LP. Sold at performances of Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land for £1.50 (later £2).

See photos below.

A7 b. USA Edition

1a. First Edition Hardback

Grove Press. Published 1976. Hardback. White endpapers, 1 blank, half-title, title, [iii], 59 pages numbered 15-73, [i], 2 blanks. Pages 202mm x 129mm. Black cloth boards; down spine in silver: ‘Tom Stoppard  Dirty Linen  Grove Press’. ISBN 0-394-41179-X. Price on front flap $6.95.

Dustjacket. 473mm x 202mm. Front: pink with at the top in white ‘Dirty Linen | & New-Found-Land’ and in black ‘Two plays by | Tom Stoppard’; below a black and white photo of the Houses of Parliament strung with a washing line to which are pegged two pairs of knickers.

1b. First Edition Paperback

Grove Press. Published 1976. Paperback. 1 blank, half-title, title, [iv], 59 pages numbered 15-73, [iii]. Pages 203mm x 130mm. Front: pink with at the top in white ‘Dirty Linen | & New-Found-Land’ and in black ‘Two plays by | Tom Stoppard’; below a black and white photo of the Houses of Parliament strung with a washing line to which are pegged two pairs of knickers; in the top right corner the Grove logo and in black ‘E-684 | $2.95’. ISBN 0-394-17922-6. Price on front and back covers $2.95.

2. Book Club Edition

Grove Press. Published 1976. Hardback. White endpapers, half-title, [i], title, [v], 55 pages numbered 1-55. Pages 208mm x 137mm. Blue paper covered boards boards; down spine in black: ‘Tom Stoppard  Dirty Linen  Grove Press’. No ISBN.

Dustjacket. 512mm x 214mm. Front: pink with at the top in white ‘Dirty Linen | & New-Found-Land’ and in black ‘Two plays by | Tom Stoppard’; below a black and white photo of the Houses of Parliament strung with a washing line to which are pegged two pairs of knickers. On the front flap is states ‘Book Club Edition’.

Note 1: The February 1978 selection of The Fireside Theatre book club.

See photos below.

Theatrical Performances

UK Premiere: 6th April 1976 at Inter-Action’s Almost Free Theatre, London
USA Premiere: 11th January 1977 at the John Golden Theatre, New York