The Richard Burton Diaries (232 page)
Read The Richard Burton Diaries Online
Authors: Richard Burton,Chris Williams
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Biography
Monday 14th
Began rehearsals. Arrived at 11.30 to find, as usual, that ET couldn't get there ‘til noon. They had tried to phone me, they said, to stop my coming so early. Too late, tho! I was there. Director not very inspired. Perhaps he'll get more inventive. Kathryn Walker (Sybil) competent but not competition.
38
[...] ET still drinking. Wine only she says. Honest Jack Daniels not too distant. ET bad. Couldn't even read the lines properly. Doubtless she'll come up to scratch eventually. ET as exciting as a flounder temporarily. [...] This is going to be a long long seven months. ET beginning to bore which I would not have thought possible all those years ago. How terrible a thing time is.
Tuesday 15th
ET only 15 minutes late but then spent 15 minutes more doing her eyebrows. She stinks of garlic – who has garlic for breakfast? She is also on something or other because there are lines here and there which she can't say at all. Very worrying. It's appalling, but I'd not mind if she found she couldn't do it and we had to get someone else. She is also terribly low in energy. Tells me twice an hour how lonely she is. I pity that poor Buffman. Kate, Val, Alka, Lisa (Rowe-Beddoe) all here at one time.
39
K. unhappy I think. She and Lisa stayed for dinner. [...]
Wednesday 16th
[...] ET one hour late today. Two veganin stuck in her throat and in trying to shift them (with Fernet Branca) she vomited. Then her car wouldn't start so mine was sent for her. On the white wine today. Bought me a quite unnecessary Cartier scarf ‘Le Must.’ Rehearsals with her very hard work.
Stick it out Rich. Bought some books for bedtime. Dashiell Hammett, life of Kafka, and also Mark Twain and thrillers.
40
Michael Innes tonight but not for long. [...]
Thursday 17th
St Pat's parade sent us off early to get through Fifth Avenue.
41
Result being we were at working theatre (the Cort) at about 11.20.
42
Ready for midday. ET had phoned earlier in her ‘lolo little voice’ full of brave self-pity to say she was very very sick and had the trots and vomits and she was very sorry but couldn't come to work. Sally and I exchanged looks directed at heaven. Anyway I worked ‘til 4.30 straight. Without the book for the most part. [...]
Friday 18th
Non-stop rain. Ran through the whole play or rather stumbled through it. All day. ET beginning to learn her lines. Kathryn Walker seems to know hers. J. Cullum, surprisingly is very hesitant. There are three or four exchanges that I'm a bit hazy on too. [...] By the end of next week I'll be itching for a real audience God willing. They are the only directors I can truly depend on. Milton alright but states the obvious with irritating predictability. Looking forward to Boston now.
43
Hope Sally will like it.
Saturday 19th
Apparently according to Ron we might easily have won.
44
Stumbles through the whole thing. I was the only one not holding a book though for some reason I couldn't remember the second act too well largely I think because of the staging. Went to Laurent for dinner. One large Martini, shared a lovely 1968 Lafitte, two brandies and was only mildly pissed.
Sunday 20th
[...] Went to ET's for brunch. Eggs Benedict, chips, peas. All had Mimosas (Buck's Fizz) except me. Brook with us. Ran through second act with ET abysmal. She was quite crocked by this time and couldn't even read the lines let alone remember them. Sally spent her time in the next room with Chen Sam – also fried – and told Sally she is dying of leukemia. What a frightful liar she is. Among other fairy tales she told Sally of she'd nursed me through a bad bout of malaria in Botswana. I've never had malaria. ET gave me the terrors again. She is such a mess.
Monday 21st
ET no better. Sally saw her have a Fernet Branca at 12.30pm then she drank white wine quite openly – lines getting better but not much. I mean
her text not her outline. Because she's struggling for words it makes for a very long day. Again she is terribly lacking in energy. Everything is an effort – even to get up from a chair. Talked to Kate on blower. She comes to the theatre tomorrow at 12 noon. Liza called and Sally talked to her. Gave birthday present to Lisa Rowe-Beddoe. $200 and a card chosen by Sally. Photo-call tomorrow. Gawd help us. Still I have Sally and will see Kate and Bob Wilson.
Tuesday 22nd
Fury recollected in relative tranquilum. ET impossibly sloshed all day long. So much so she couldn't even read the lines. Same at dinner with the Sime Hornbys who are over on a flying visit.
45
They both sloshed and silly too – long and silly arguments over pronunciations of words. I won every one in the end – words in the play I mean. Had forgotten how ill-educated and stupid Sheran Cazalet is. Food good. La Lavendu yclept. But small and table not big enough for six. ET in hating and hatable mood – Buffman – an iron mouse. God were we glad to get home. Sally mentioned that Simon the Satyr did come on a bit strong.
Wednesday 23rd
Worked from 12 noon ‘til 7pm without ceasing. ET had an eternal costume fitting (2
1
/
2
hours) so worked without her. Less sloshed but didn't know a single word of second act which Brook and I went over with her endlessly on Sunday last. Have been forced to promise to go to a memorial service (as ‘one of the stars’) for Tennessee Williams.
46
Did two films of his – both goodish I believe.
47
I didn't even like the chap. As a matter of fact I hardly ever saw him sober though we were together for months. A self-pitying pain in the neck. Also he made pass at my Chris when Chris was eight.
48
Thursday 24th
Usual day struggling with ET who is slowly getting the part in some sort of shambling shape. [...] I am still the only one without a book. I am immensely surprised at the lack of preparation but still we have four weeks before Broadway.
49
Very sunny.
Friday 25th
No rehearsals – went for costume fitting. Usual tedium but Theoni Aldredge and tailor very sweet.
50
Did whole play at home and called ET in the a.m. to say that I wasn't going to Tennessee Williams’ memorial – apparently a lot of crying went on. Geraldine Fitzgerald sang ‘Danny Boy'!
51
Sounded awful –
I mean the idea of it all. Kate went and came here to the hotel to give us a blow by blow. Funny child.
Saturday 26th
Rehearsed from 11.30–7. ET a bit better in first act but still stuttery. So am I in bits. Long day and felt intensely nervous all day long. J. Breslin came for 10am coffee and to my surprise interviewed me.
52
Sunday 27th
ET tremendously better in first act – still rocky in second and reads third. For the first time in this piece I enjoyed rehearsals. Hope it continues. Home to the
Sunday Times
crostic. Did it quickly. Sally watching
Thorn-Birds
.
53
OK she says.
Monday 28th
Kate here for dinner and is staying the night. Little sweetheart is suffering from pangs of disprised love.
54
I could kill the man. He's a stage-manager or something.
55
Rehearsals from 12–7. [...] Sally looking very tired tonight, though she bravely kept a good front up. I keep worrying that she's lost too much weight. She says it has plateau'd out. Hope so. 11.30 start tomorrow. [...]
Tuesday 29th
[...] Technical people in front so all of us hyped up a bit. Everybody coming along well. Only worry is John Cullum who hasn't got hold of the essential ‘squareness’ of Victor. Katie and Sally to lunch together. ET's lethargy disappearing fast. She will be good I hope. So will I, I hope. Milton doesn't understand Coward. Suppose he's happier with American writers. [...]
Wednesday 30th
Rehearsals ad nauseam. At very awkward stage and director is mildly irritating with continual and (it seems to me) sometimes idiotic suggestions. I don't think he understands comedies of manners at all and especially Noel. Suggested that I should play it with ‘Welsh fire’ and ET as Elizabeth (American) Taylor. I almost fell off my chair. I can't wait for a paying audience to teach me, in a few performances or so, what they want. Saw beloved Katie in Irish play
Winners
. She brilliant. Funny and moving.
Thursday 31st
Most curious occurrence. Director went to lunch and came back exactly as if he were completely under the influence of booze (I thought). No smell on breath so I thought it must be ‘speed’ which is a habit he had once so he'd told me. ET and Brook thought he'd gone bonkers. We muttered under our breaths (ET and I) but said nothing. Thank God ET understands enough
Welsh to know when I'm telling her to control her temper. He stopped us every two lines or four sometimes
one word
. I nearly went mad. On top of all which ET lost a cap off her teeth. That means four teeth lost in the last five-six months in Sally's and my presence.
APRIL
Friday 1st
Started 11. Mr Katselas the director made the mistake of insulting Kathryn first and ET second whereupon I turned on the heat. I blistered and blasted him. Theoni (dress designer) told me that director was almost certainly high on Scientology.
56
So ignorant am I that I didn't know what it meant. I'm still not quite sure. Anyway, end result was – so far – we did it our way and not his. Result: we went through it like whipped cream. He was very quiet for the rest of the day though ET continued to be sullen.
Saturday 2nd
Two runs-through today and the difference in performances was sensational in comparison with a mere 1
1
/
2
days ago. The play and players began to invent. J. Cullum now spot on. Odd man out is me at the moment. I suspect I'm too dangerous to play Noel. My bloody voice is too rich or something. Well, I'll see what I can do.
April 1983 – August 1984
Richard Burton ceased keeping his 1983 diary in early April. This was the last diary he compiled. On 8 May
Private Lives
opened on Broadway, and ran (in Philadelphia, Washington and Los Angeles) until October. It was not a success. On 3 July Richard and Sally married at the Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas. In late November Richard appeared in a televised event paying tribute to Frank Sinatra. On New Year's Eve 1983 Richard and Sally were amongst the guests of President Duvalier at his palace on Haiti.
In May 1984 Burton played the role of O'Brien in the film
1984
, based on the novel by George Orwell. This involved filming in London and in Wiltshire. Shortly after this Richard worked alongside daughter Kate in the TV mini-series
Ellis Island
, also filmed in England. Thereafter Sally and Richard returned to Céligny. On 3 August they entertained John Hurt who had taken the lead role of Winston Smith in
1984
.
57
The following morning Hurt left Burton reading the poetry of William Blake. On the morning of 5 August Richard, though breathing, did not awake. He had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died at 1.15p.m. in hospital in Geneva.
In accordance with his wishes Richard Burton was buried on 9 August in Céligny's Protestant cemetery. Two days later a memorial service was held at Bethel Baptist Chapel in Pontrhydfyen. On 24, 28 and 30 August respectively further memorial services were held at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills, the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in New York and at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London.
When he died Richard Burton left an estate valued at approximately £3.5 million. This was largely divided amongst his widow Sally, and his daughters Kate, Jessica and Maria. Smaller sums went to surviving family members, to Liza Todd, Christopher Wilding, Bob Wilson, Ron Berkeley, Valerie Douglas and Philip Burton.
FEBRUARY
Monday 14th
Awoke as right as rainbows. Saw Pierre Koessler re: burglar alarms.
1
Very complicated. Quite clearly security firms are in collusion with insurance companies. Said I will think about. Have lived here for twenty-odd years with not a blade of grass stolen. Anyway nothing here to steal. TV set, two or three radios, a couple of typewriters, a cheap clock. Ah well. Phone Rene and Berenice Weibel. Dinner at La Réserve on Wednesday. Shall ask him about it. Sally very depressed all day.
2
Worried about Haiti, divorce, NY and attendant publicity she thinks.
3
Poor thing. I went back to work.
Tuesday 15th
S. still depressed and fed up. With being a slavey no doubt. Being with me is not as glamorous as people think. Did not get up until 2.35pm put me into tearing fury. Very cold all the time and permanently overcast. What fools we are we could have been in Gstaad all this time where (according to D. Brynner) the weather has been fine all the time.
4
Half looking forward to, half dreading the Dearths.
5
Will I be able to handle John's very heavy drinking? Managing my own is a full-time job. Fury so great I didn't do any work at all. Cooled down after dinner but not entirely.
Wednesday 16th
Sleepless until 5 or so. Got up at 12.30 or thereabouts. Verdun back in intensive care with yet one more heart attack. Will he repel the swine this time again? Pray that he does. He has been very overweight since he gave up fags. He is the linchpin of the family since Tom died.
6
His loss would be terrible. Took S out to dinner at La Réserve with Rene Weibel and Berenice and Janine Filistorf. Very pleasant. Rene has retired. Looks well. Talked to
Milton Katselas.
7
J. Cullum to play Victor – Bravo.
8
ET going to be late for rehearsals. Three or four days. What's new?
Thursday 17th
[...] Did three hours or so on
Lives
not far to go now. Telephoned J. Cullum to make sure they weren't fibbing to me. Phoned Aileen and Chris to get Mark Getty's telephone number.
9
Talked Graham. Verdun still in intensive care. Talked to Getty – latter sounded down in the mouth. Read awful book about G. Best (footballer) by M. Parkinson. I wonder if Parkinson knew he was writing about himself. Wine, women, TV star. Lost his talent as a promising writer as Best lost his genius. And for same reasons.
10