Forty Years On. Bennett (Alan) Modern First Edition

FIRST EDITION, pp. 78, crown 8vo, original red cloth, backstrip lettered in gilt, dustjacket slightly nicked and rubbed, the front flap with a slip correcting the attribution of the photograph, very good. Inscribed by the author on the half-title: 'To Carl, a far cry from East Flatbush, from Alan, April 1969'. His first play. The recipient was the American composer, Carl Davis; in the Cast for the First Performance of this play, listed on p. 9, he is credited both with arranging and directing its music, but also played the role of the Organist within the play - he also worked on Bennett's next play, 'Habeas Corpus'. These marked a breakthrough in their respective fields for both playwright and composer, and their collaboration ended only because, as Bennett reflected jokingly following Davis's death, 'he was always busy' - with work for stage, film and television.