A Little Something For All Of You Trying To Quit.

An Englishman in New York

I recently watched An English Man In New York, with John Hurt revisiting his role as Quentin Crisp which he had played so wonderfully in the 1970s. The film told us what had happened to Quentin after The Naked Civil Servant had been shown on British television in 1975 - he got famous, moved to New York, became out of touch and bitter and died in Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester in November 1999.
I knew Quentin Crisp towards the end of his life and spoke on the phone with him the Sunday before he left New York for the last time, "I'm very ill you know, Mr Bowles" he told me. I asked him why he was making the journey if that was the case, "Because they have asked me to come. I can't refuse". He told me, with some indignation and anger, that certain friends in New York had tried to "interfere" to stop this tour of the U.K. taking place, he mentioned Penny Arcade as being one of the people trying to stop him coming over. He seemed to think they were trying to stop him earning a living when actually they only had his best interests at heart. I met Penny Arcade in London a year or so after Quentin's death at we talked at length about this.
I have dug out the last letter Quentin wrote to me, a month before his death in 1999, I thought I would publish it on this blog so you can have an idea of his state of mind at this time, it's strong stuff. As for the film, An English Man in New York, it painted a rather sad picture of Quentin's last days and made me feel rather sad that he had to end up like that; turning his bitterness against his friends. A friend of mine said, after seeing the film, 'It made him out to be so bitter and out of touch'. I think if anything it didn't show just how bitter and angry he was at the end.

The letter reads as follows:

Thank you,

dear Mr Bowles

for your kind letter about my visit to Britain. It's off!

A very wicked busybody called Miss Arcade rang up Mr Sago and told him I wouldn't go. She knew of my reluctance ( as everybody does) that the English hate me and that, therefore, I return the sentiment - but I have never NEVER refused to anything that I have been ordered to do.

This has completely ruined my relationship with Mr Sago, who has doubtless lost a lot of money by the cancellation and I am now more abject, more downtrodden, more worthless than ever before.

I am also sorry that we shall not be able to meet.

Yours in a rage,

Quentin Crisp

Monday 4th January 2010, Valentines Park

I took these pictures on my trusty Sony Ericsson on Monday morning, thought I'd share them with you here.