The Girls of Slender Means coming to the Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre in 2024

Drama adapted by Gabriel Quigley, from the novel by Muriel Spark Directed by Roxana Silbert ‘As they realised themselves in varying degrees, few people alive at the time were more delightful, more ingenious, more movingly lovely, and, as it might happen, more savage, than the girls of slender means.’ Set in the summer of 1945, in a hostel for the ‘Pecuniary Convenience and Social Protection of Ladies of Slender Means below the age of Thirty Years, who are obliged to reside apart from their Families in order to follow an Occupation in London.’, The Girls of Slender Means follows the adventures of the women who live there. They do their best to act as if the war never happened. They practice elocution, and jostle one another over suitors and a fabulous Schiaparelli gown, which they each use whenever the occasion demands. But behind the girls' giddy literary and amorous explorations hides an exquisite fragility and sinister peril, as they strive to survive 'when all the nice people were poor'. The Girls of Slender Means is a story of glamour in austerity, women at work, women at play, and women’s wit. Dates: 13 April to 4 May; ticket details on Lyceum website. The Muriel Spark Society is planning a group visit for members only.

The Girls of Slender Means coming to the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in 2024

Dates: 13 April to 4 May 2024; ticket details on Lyceum website. Drama adapted by Gabriel Quigley, from the novel by Muriel Spark Directed by Roxana Silbert ‘As they realised themselves in varying degrees, few people alive at the time were more delightful, more ingenious, more movingly lovely, and, as it might happen, more savage, than the girls of slender means.’ Set in the summer of 1945, in a hostel for the ‘Pecuniary Convenience and Social Protection of Ladies of Slender Means below the age of Thirty Years, who are obliged to reside apart from their Families in order to follow an Occupation in London.’, The Girls of Slender Means follows the adventures of the women who live there. They do their best to act as if the war never happened. They practice elocution, and jostle one another over suitors and a fabulous Schiaparelli gown, which they each use whenever the occasion demands. But behind the girls' giddy literary and amorous explorations hides an exquisite fragility and sinister peril, as they strive to survive 'when all the nice people were poor'. The Girls of Slender Means is a story of glamour in austerity, women at work, women at play, and women’s wit.

Muriel Spark at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2023 ....

THE BOOKER PRIZES EVENT The Booker Prizes: Book of the Month Fri 25 Aug 12:30 - 13:30 Baillie Gifford West Court Attend in person Baillie Gifford West Court £15.50 [concessions £13.50/£10.50] Sponsored by The Booker Prizes The Booker Prizes: Book of the Month ‘How wonderful to be an artist and a woman in the twentieth century,’ says Fleur Talbot, Muriel Spark’s heroine in Loitering with Intent. In this Festival edition of the Booker Prizes' Book of the Month series, Sparkophiles, including Jackie Kay, explore this beloved melodrama, and how Sparks’ experiences as a writer in post-war London propelled her to write a novel that takes place ‘on the grubby edge of the literary world'. Chaired by Jo Hamya. Please note: this event may be recorded for the Booker Prize podcast series. Categories: Fiction, Words/Reading Tickets available from the Book Festival.

Sir Ian Rankin display highlights Spark PhD

A display at the National Library of Scotland includes his PhD proposal and research cards on Muriel Spark. Rankin apparently donated his archive to the Library to reside beside that of his literary heroine. This is timely as members of the Muriel Spark Society visit the Library today to view items from the Spark Archive. The Rankin display is free and runs until April.

Poetic Licence: paintings of Scottish writers and poets

An exhibition of paintings of Scottish writers and poets by Greg Moodie includes 2 portraits of Muriel Spark. it is on at The Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh until October 12.

Happy Platinum Jubilee with Muriel Spark

The Girls of Slender Means has been chosen to represent one year of the seventy of the Queen's Reign, another Royal honour for Dame Muriel Spark. The Big Jubilee Read has been compiled by The Reading Agency and the BBC. Excellent choice!

Robinson Crusoe and Miss Brodie …

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie has been included in the list of the greatest novels of impact sine Robinson Crusoe. Great news, but should they have chosen Robinson?!

Afterwords: Muriel Spark

Radio 3 will present a programme of readings and views on Muriel Spark on Sunday June 12 at 18.45. Reflections on Spark's life and work through audio archive and those who knew her. 44 minutes.

The Muriel Spark Society AGM

The Muriel Spark Society Annual General Meeting will take place on 7 June 2022 at 6pm in The Saltire Society, 22 High Street, Edinburgh. We hope as many members as possible can join us.

Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Weird Sisters Olga Wojtas

Olga publishes her 3rd Brodie-inspired novel on March 17, with the intriguing title above. Macbeth perhaps ...? She has also recoded the novel for Audible which sounds like great fun. Olga will be speaking to the Society after the lunch on April 24, and will also hold an event at Toppings Books in Edinburgh on March 30 at 8pm. See you there!

Patricia Highsmith, Muriel Spark and the cat …

Patricia Highsmith's diaries were published late last year and there are references to her friend Muriel Spark and the cat, Spider, that passed between them. There is also reference to a review Highsmith wrote on The Hothouse by the East River - intriguing. I must check that out. Highsmith is pictured holding a cat on the cover - was that Spider I wonder?

The Muriel Spark Society Spring Lunch

The Society will hold a Spring Lunch this year on Sunday 24 April at 12.30-1pm at the Bruntsfield Hotel in Edinburgh. We are delighted to welcome members and guests back after a hiatus caused by the pandemic. Join us for a welcome glass of fizz, three courses with wine, and coffee. There will be raffle, quiz on The Piblic Image and a talk by novelist Olga Wojtas. Guests are welcome. Please contact our Membership Secretary, Lorna Statham, if you would like to join us.

The Crooked Dividend: essays on Muriel Spark - free online event

The National Library of Scotland is hosting a free online event on this book of essays to be publushed by the Association of Scottish Literary Studies next month. The event is on the 17th March at 5pm. Please register a place at the National Library of Scotland website events section.

Birthday Thoughts ….

Today would have been Muriel Spark's 104th Birthday and so is an opprtune moment to wish all members of the Society a happy new year. We had to postpone the Birthday Lunch this year, but we still hope to have a Spring Lunch near Easter. The Committee met recently to discuss plans for the autumn lecture and AGM. We can't wait to see you all again. i hope you are all keeping well. Oh and we haven't given up on Venice ...

Happy 60th Birthday Miss Jean Brodie!

On this day in 1961 Macmillan published the first edition of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, a novel that would become a classic of 20th Century literature. Soon afterwards, the novel would appear in its entirety in The New Yorker. The Muriel Spark Society is celebrationg by holding a free online lecture today at 5pm. Norma Allan, a James Gillespie's girl like Muriel Spark, will give us some of the history behind the Brodie myth. Please head to the website of the National Library of Scotland - events if you would like to join us: www.nls.uk/events

Sar-sgeoil The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in Gaelic

BBC Alba recently aired a documentary on Muriel and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in Gaelic. Subtitles are provided. Filmed at Gillespies, in Morningside and in Abercorn Cemetery, where they failed to find Miss Kay's headstone. Our member Olga Wojtas appears, and your lockdown hair looked fine Olga! Available on iPlayer.

Ali Smith’s favourite literary heroine

Ali Smith recently chose Fleur Talbot from Loitering with Intent as her favourite literary heroine. A wonderful choice and she also qouted Fleur's unforgettable credo, "Everything happens to an artist, time is always redeemed, nothing is lost and wonders never cease" Defoe's Moll Flanders comes a very disreputable second choice.Check out the Guardian online from 1 May.

Richard Osman’s cultural highlights

Muriel Spark has never been short of prominent admirers, and here is another for that distinguished list: Richard Osman. The Pointless host and best selling author chose Dame Muriel in the book section of his list of cultural highlights in last Saturday's Guardian. Now, I wonder if he's free to speak to the Society ...