Billy Liar
Poster
1960 (illustrated)
1960 (illustrated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Directed by Lindsay Anderson and adapted from his own novel by Keith Waterhouse, Billy Liar was part of the 'kitchen sink realism' movement of British literature, drama and film in the late 1950s and early 1960s.Written as a style of post-war social realism, the play tells the story of a working class 19-year-old in Yorkshire living with his parents, with an overactive imagination and engagements to three girlfriends. Throughout the play we see into Billy’s mind through his fantasies, helping us to understand why Billy makes the decisions he does and his constant lies to everyone he comes across. The Cambridge Theatre production starred Albert Finney, who went on to great success in film and on stage, and the play has been performed all over the world.
The poster was illustrated by Denis Wrigley, whose simplistic painted design style has also been used in many illustrated informational children's books.
The poster was illustrated by Denis Wrigley, whose simplistic painted design style has also been used in many illustrated informational children's books.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Billy Liar (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed paper |
| Brief description | Poster advertising Billy Liar at the Cambridge Theatre, London, September 1960 |
| Physical description | Paper poster with white background, with a large pink band covering most of the middle. On the left side is half a simplistically illustrated head and shoulders in purple brush strokes, with black detailing, smoking a cigarette. On the right is the name of the play, 'Billy LIAR' in black and purple, and details of the play and theatre in black type. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Literary reference | Billy Liar |
| Summary | Directed by Lindsay Anderson and adapted from his own novel by Keith Waterhouse, Billy Liar was part of the 'kitchen sink realism' movement of British literature, drama and film in the late 1950s and early 1960s.Written as a style of post-war social realism, the play tells the story of a working class 19-year-old in Yorkshire living with his parents, with an overactive imagination and engagements to three girlfriends. Throughout the play we see into Billy’s mind through his fantasies, helping us to understand why Billy makes the decisions he does and his constant lies to everyone he comes across. The Cambridge Theatre production starred Albert Finney, who went on to great success in film and on stage, and the play has been performed all over the world. The poster was illustrated by Denis Wrigley, whose simplistic painted design style has also been used in many illustrated informational children's books. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1164-1994 |
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| Record created | April 24, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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