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Chris Morris' Mum gives birth to horse

Started by Ambient Sheep, January 08, 2012, 05:01:50 PM

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Ambient Sheep

(or "Chris Morris' Mum doesn't have a special gun but her grandfather might")

On page 11 of yesterday's Daily Telegraph there was a slightly curious piece about how Chris Morris' mum recommended Michael Morpurgo's "War Horse" to her son Tom as his next theatre production, from whence the new Spielberg film has sprung.  The online version is here, however below I transcribe the print version for posterity.

(The main differences from the online version are the headline, the standfirst, a rewritten opening three paragraphs with bonus royalty, removal of the gratuitous plug for her local bookshop, removal of her praise for subsidised theatre (little bit of politics there) and the removal of an extra line about Morpurgo's Dad right at the end.  Always interesting to see sub-editors at work.)

QuoteThe mother who gave birth to War Horse

Spielberg film would have remained an obscure children's story were it not for a retired doctor inspired by an episode of Desert Island Discs

By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor

It is arguably the entertainment success story of recent years: the stage hit that has now been made into a film by Steven Spielberg.

But few realise that the adaptations of War Horse, whose film premiere tomorrow night will be attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, owe their existence to Rosemary Morris, a retired doctor from Essex who happened to listen to an episode of Desert Island Discs in 2004.

The castaway on the Radio 4 programme that day was Michael Morpurgo, the author, and Dr Morris was so enthralled by his life story that she went out to buy his books.  One was War Horse, a modest-selling children's story that had been published 22 years previously, and was fading into obscurity.

Dr Morris's son, Tom, was the associate director of the National Theatre. And when he mentioned that he was looking for an animal story to turn into a stage production, Dr Morris knew just the thing. Speaking for the first time about her role in the War Horse journey, the modest Dr Morris, 76, said: "So much of it is down to chance — if I hadn't listened to Desert Island Discs, if Tom hadn't been looking for something with animals, if Michael Morpurgo hadn't written the book – that it's really not something I can take any credit for.

"Tom was the one with the vision. But he does like to say it was found by me."

Speaking from the family home near Manningtree, Essex, Dr Morris added: "I had never heard of Michael Morpurgo because I didn't have grandchildren at the time and my children were grown up. But his life story was quite amazing. I thought, 'Golly, this is so interesting,' and I thought I should get his books. So I went to my wonderful local bookshop and bought four or five."

She went on: "Tom came down for the weekend and I knew he had been looking for something for the Handspring Puppet Company to do. I don't remember actually saying, 'What about War Horse?' although that's what has gone down in history and Tom says I did. And that was the very beginning of a long process – workshops and rehearsals and a huge effort. I don't think anybody knew until the first night how well it would do." The show opened at the National in 2007, with Handspring's life-sized horse puppets, and was an instant hit.

Dr Morris also has a family link to Morpurgo's story: her grandfather requisitioned horses for the First World War effort, just like Joey in War Horse. Reflecting on the success of the play, Dr Morris said: "The really important thing about it is that so many people have been to the theatre who would never have been otherwise. It showed you don't have to have the perfect proscenium to make good theatre – you can just use your imagination."  Morpurgo, the former Children's Laureate, said: "I can't really claim any of the credit for the theatre adaptation of War Horse. It was Tom Morris's mother who originally discovered my book."

In his Desert Island Discs interview, Morpurgo recounted how he was a toddler when his father, the Canadian actor Tony van Bridge, left the family home. Morpurgo did not see him again until, aged 19, he saw Magwitch in a BBC serialisation of Great Expectations.

The author said: "Up from behind this gravestone reared this terrible figure and my mother grasped me by the arm and said, 'Oh my God, that's your father'."

Horses.

While finding the online version of that, I also found this Tom Morris interview from March 2010 about his new job running the Bristol Old Vic.

danyulx

Surely there was room somewhere in the article for the sentence: "Also mother of reclusive and controversial TV satirist Chris Morris, who once caused national outrage with his 2001 Brasseye paedophile special."

Ignatius_S

Thanks for the transcript.

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on January 08, 2012, 05:01:50 PM...While finding the online version of that, I also found this Tom Morris interview from March 2010 about his new job running the Bristol Old Vic.

It would have been fairer for the paper to say that Morris runs it with Emma Stenning, as they are the joint Chief Executives, as well as being Artistic Director and Executive Director, respectively.

Glebe

That horse will have its work cut out when it grows up, its elder brothers are a lot to live up to.

Dark Sky

I had no idea it was Tom Morris who created the original stage production of War Horse.  Fascinating article, Sheepy, thank you.

NaCl

i'll from now on (safely) assume that this board's topic of discussion has spread to concern the entirety of the Morris clan, and behave accordingly.

danyulx

I once heard or read that there's another brother, who directs episodes of 'Emmerdale' for a living and is married to either Mel or Sue.

The black sheep of the family.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: danyulx on January 15, 2012, 09:01:42 PM
I once heard or read that there's another brother....married to either Mel or Sue....

Sounds like a well-informed source!

danyulx

Pretty sure it was from the 'Disgusting Bliss' book..

I think this is him: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2233924/

Hardly a CV to match his brother's Chris's, by any stretch. But it's a start.

danyulx

Any juicy gossip out there regarding any nephews?

neveragain

There was a rather interesting documentary about the War Horse stage show on Sky Arts (or something) a few days ago, and it was wonderful to see how similar Tom is to Chris in his vocal timbre and deep black evil eyes. Obviously he's been directing for the National for some time but the only other anecdote I've ever heard was that he produced a sort of 'live' Blue Jam show in Battersea Power Station with the audience blindfolded and lying on the floor. Chris was upset when they laughed at a sketch about child abuse. Memories may have been damaged in transit.