The Scottish writer, playwright and actor Nicholas Stuart Gray was born on this day, October 23rd, in 1922.
The In Memoriam article contains some information about his life and works; there is still a little more to be said about him, and the 100th anniversary of his birth is an appropriate time to do it.
Many people who like fairy tales, fantasy, witches, magic and mystery will agree with Neil Gaiman's opinion of Nicholas Stuart Gray:
“...a couple of years ago, during lockdown, when I was on my own for many months, my comfort reads tended to be books I’d loved as a child. The most interesting of the books I rediscovered were by Nicholas Stuart Gray, who is now unfairly forgotten, but who was, at his best, one of the most brilliant children’s authors of the 20th century.“
It certainly is a pity that Nicholas Stuart Gray's works are not better known; perhaps this endorsement will attract some new readers.
Nicholas Stuart Gray said something very interesting about his writing:
“...Cassandra had written the author a fan letter, and she still treasures his modest, graceful reply, in which he said, amongst other things: ‘As all my books and plays are only written for myself and not for any imagined audiences, readers, age-groups, publishers, etc, it is always a delightful surprise to get proof that anyone BUT myself ever reads or sees them...’"
https://firebirdfeathers.com/2015/02/10/on-writers-nicholas-stuart-gray-and-the-stone-cage/
It is the same with this blog! I produce the articles mainly for my own benefit, but I am delighted when I see that they are being read by many people.
The articles about Nicholas Stuart Gray's witches are among the most popular posts on here. I don't know how many are read by people who were already familiar with his works; I would love to think that I have introduced his books to a few people.
Nicholas Stuart Gray's stories always seemed to me to be in the same class as those of Eleanor Farjeon. I learned recently that there was a personal connection: he collaborated on productions and went on cycling holidays with his stage designer friend Joan Jefferson Farjeon, who was Eleanor Farjeon's niece.
Beverley Nichols is another writer I am reminded of when reading Nicholas Stuart Gray's stories, and so is Anthony Armstrong, who created some amusing fairy tales.
Jonathan Stroud, creator of the Lockwood & Co. series, may have been influenced and inspired by Nicholas Stuart Gray when writing his Bartimaeus series. Bartimaeus is a likeable demon with a sense of humour who is the narrator of much of the story. I immediately thought of Bartimaeus when I first read The Reluctant Familiar, which is narrated by an amusing demon who speaks in a similar style. This story appears in Mainly in Moonlight, about which an article is waiting in the queue.
Nicholas Stuart Gray came out with some strangely ironic statements, directly or via his stories.
These quotations are from Grimbold's Other World:
“In the world of magic you are on your own...”
“Magic means something different to every-one, and is so precious when it truly happens that no one wants it doubted or questioned. It is always safer to keep it to oneself.”
Yet he conducted thousands of people into his magic worlds so was hardly alone in them; he shared his worlds with many people so he certainly didn't keep his magic to himself!
He gave an unexpected response to a question from Justin Wintle, who interviewed him for The Pied Pipers in 1973:
“Q When did you begin to become interested enough in children to want to create a theatre specifically for them?
A I'm not the slightest bit interested in children. I don't like them— or at least a lot of them.”
Yet he enhanced the lives of many children despite this dislike and lack of interest!
Nicholas Stuart Gray, who is mainly associated with magic and fairy tales, said that he wrote his plays for the 8-14 age group, so it came as a surprise to learn that he wrote a murder mystery for adults called Killer's Cookbook (1976).
Nicholas Stuart Gray, great writer, good cook and great cat lover:
