A scarce title

Stoppard, Tom ~ The Real Thing : With An Additional Typed Notecard From The Author With Content Relating To The Play : With ‘The Real Thing’ Broadside -The Famous Cricket Bat Speech : Numbered Limited Edition Of Only 500 Copies, Signed By Sir Tom Stoppard

Faber and Faber, London : 1982

The First UK printing published by Faber and Faber, London in 1982. 8vo., original card wraps designed by Pentagram, priced '£2.50' net to the lower cover. The BOOK is in near Fine condition, with just some light marginal toning to the text block and a hint of rubbing to the extremities of the covers and spine folds. There was no hardback edition issued. This copy together with a typed notecard loosely laid in from Stoppard, on his own personal headed stationery. In this notecard, Stoppard writes that ' The missing scene to which Max is revealed to be the travelling Steam Organist will be rehearsed in the DRESS CIRCLE BAR on Monday July 18th from 10.30pm onwards under the direction of the author who will provide refreshments. Bring a mate'. Max being one of the central characters in 'The Real Thing'. A lovely copy of one of Stoppard's most popular plays, described in the Telegraph at the time as being one of his "most popular, enduring and autobiographical" works. Like Stoppard himself, the plot focuses on a middle-aged playwright who questions the political policies of the far left, and both end up having affairs - in Stoppard's case with the actress Felicity Kendal, who played Annie in the original staging. Stoppard's customary wordplay, love, and drama abound. A very scarce title with such attributes. (Warner A12 a). Although this copy bears no markings, it has come from the estate of the Theatre set designer Carl Toms , whom Stoppard worked with on many productions of his plays. Both the book and notecard are protected in removable Mylar archival sleeves. Together with 'The Real Thing' : A Broadside From The 1982 Play 'The Real Thing' : The Famous Cricket Bat Speech : Numbered Limited Edition Of Only 500 Copies, Each Signed By Sir Tom Stoppard. The broadside is 'Reprinted By Kind Permission of Faber and Faber Ltd', UK, 1982. A Broadside from the play 'The Real Thing' - The Famous Cricket Bat Speech. Signed By Sir Tom Stoppard in red ink as issued. The broadside is 'Reprinted By Kind Permission of Faber and Faber Ltd' who published the play in 1982. This A4 size broadside was issued to celebrate the famous Cricket Bat speech which is spoken by the character Henry, at the climax of the play 'The Real Thing'. It appears on page 53 of the accompanying volume. The speech became so famous that it was quoted in the New York Times obituary when Sir Tom Stoppard sadly passed away in November 2025. The broadside famously sold out on the day of issue. Reported to have originated from Stoppard's journal for 1970, in which he wrote 'Good prose is sprung like a cricket bat'. This is number '456' out of a limited edition of only 500 issued. The broadside is in pristine condition and is protected in a Secol transparent archival folder. A wonderful scarce ephemeral item in its own right.