Product Description

First published in 1941, and written when the author was a teenager herself, this book follows the success of seven talented and resourceful children who renovate a disused chapel and form The Blue Door Theatre Company. The Swish of the Curtain has enjoyed enduring popularity over the years with readers of all ages, and it remains a timeless inspiration to any young reader with a passion for the performing arts.
Longwater Books are delighted to be able to reissue this previously hard-to-find classic in its entirety in a new paperback edition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98050 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
A children's novel about a group of children who form their own theatre group.

Customer Reviews

A jolly good show!
Written when Pamela Brown was just 14-years-old, this novel will make you nostalgic for a childhood you did not have. Although calling to mind a world most associated with Enid Blyton, Brown's happy band of seven aspiring performers have a bit more go about them than the grande dame's amateur sleuths and adventurers.

This novel is by no means perfect. Brown's dialogue is sometimes pretty clunky and her naïveté shows through in her characterisation of the adults and the way in which the children react to them. However, this is pretty interesting in itself and makes a change to have a true child's eye view. Anyway, her dialogue is no worse than JK Rowling's which can be breathtakingly bad for someone who is happy to accept the (unfounded) plaudits that she is the saviour of children's literature.

We're actually lucky to have The Swish of the Curtain at all. Just after Brown had sent it to her publishers their London offices were bombed in the Blitz. Although the manuscript was saved they had no idea who the author was until she contacted them to find out if they intended to publish it. She went on to write four further novels about the Blue Doors and the second, Maddy Alone has just been re-issued.

All in all, The Swish of the Curtain is a perfect antidote to the feral youths who plague the nation's streets.

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown
In 1972, at the age of 12, I was given this book to read as part of my English curriculum, I loved it. I attend a creative writing class, our recent subject being, Your favourite or most memorable book, The Swish of the Curtain came to mind, I couldn't remember the author after all it was 35 years ago, so on returning home i came on to amazon and to my delight found it still available, I ordered it and have just finished reading it, and found it even more exciting than before, I especially liked reading the bit about the author, I was so surprised that she was so young when she wrote it. I would like to obtain the rest of the books in the series. My copy of the Swish of the Curtain I am now going to pass on to my great niece an avid reader, who I'm sure will love it. Truelly a book that has stood the test of time. A highly recommended read for all ages.

A welcome encore
I've just re-read this childhood favourite and forty years on I loved every page. It was unbelievable to learn that the author, Pamela Brown, was only 14 when when she wrote this classic. This latest edition comes with recommendations from two of our theatrical dames - Maggie Smith and Eileen Atkins. I hope the publishers will re-release the four sequels although this first book is by far the best.