John Bell

It is a celebration of a remarkable theatrical journey, rather than a confession, by the actor and director who has played a unique role in shaping our theatre. Joyce Morgan, Sydney Morning Herald

a warm and engaging memoir. It is the work of someone with a passion for theatre Leonard Radic, Age

Bell recounts some wonderful stories the recollections of an engaged, committed eyewitness to the opening and closing of countless stage doors, back doors and trapdoors. Graeme Blundell, Weekend Australian

No individual has done more for Australian theatre than John Bell. No-one has played so many of the great roles on our stages. Gerard Windsor, Australian Financial Review



In this stunning memoir, John Bell shares, for the first time, some of the highs and lows of his four decades in theatre. Weaving personal stories with memories, Bell takes a captivating snapshot of the inside world of theatre. He writes fondly of his humble upbringing and his first schoolboy encounter with Shakespeare. He tells of his student days at Sydney University and at the Old Tote Theatre where he met Anna Volska, an actor with the same driving passion for theatre as himself. There are tales of his time in England at the Royal Shakespeare Company, of Kenneth Branagh and Sir John Gielgud, as a teacher at NIDA, of the Old Tote, the irreverent Nimrod Theatre and the extraordinary Bell Shakespeare Company.

Fascinating, funny and passionate, John Bell: The time of my life shines with Bell s belief of theatre as a living tradition, his approach of mutual respect and mentorship, and his desire to pass on the torch in a spirit of affection and dedication to a priceless heritage. With thirty-two pages of stunning photos, this memoir is an ideal gift for anyone who has an interest in the theatre.