James Roose-Evans (1937 – 44)

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Hampstead Theatre and the 35th anniversary of the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit, founder James Roose-Evans shares his lessons from a creative life.

In these dangerous times, it is more important than ever that we try to understand the synthesis of chaos and order, freedom and discipline, intuition and ritual. And nobody has greater insight into these things than James Roose-Evans, who, alone amongst my teachers, opened the door to the nature of creativity for me at the beginning of my working life (Mike Leigh).

Colourful, entertaining and inspirational, Opening Door and Windows weaves together the strands of JamesRoose-Evans’ rich, multifaceted life, from his tormented childhood to fulfilled older age.

A highly respected theatre director and author, James Roose-Evans has worked with an array of actors and writers who were both mentors and friends, including Martha Graham, Robert Frost, John Gielgud and Tennessee Williams. He founded the Hampstead theatre fifty years ago and his many successes include the award-winning adaptation of 84 Charing Cross Road and revival of Noel Coward’s plays. Running in tandem with his career in theatre is his pastoral work as an Anglican priest, and his development of the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit, which he founded thirty-five years ago.

Following the success of James Roose-Evans’ first book on meditation, Inner Journey: Outer Journey, comes this delightful collection of practical but inspiring thoughts about meditation, creativity and spirituality, which is grounded in his experience of life and draws on different religious and spritusl traditions.