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 | | Thursday, 11 October, 2001, 14:57 GMT 15:57 UK Priestley's 'lost' play discovered  The play was found in a cupboard A forgotten play and letters written by dramatist and novelist JB Priestley have been discovered in a theatre cupboard. The play, titled The Rebel, and letters written to the BBC were discovered at the Priestley Centre for the Arts in Bradford. Christian Hohenzollern, executive general manager at the theatre, said they would be added to the theatre's extensive archive. He said the find came as the very future of the theatre hangs in the balance. One performance Mr Hohenzollern said: "The Rebel has only ever been performed once, back in the 1930s. "It was written in one afternoon and performed that evening for the chairman's dinner. "The letters I found were to the BBC. "He had been invited him to do a broadcast and he wrote a letter back saying he had very little interest in regional programmes. "He was not really known for his social skills."
Mr Hohenzollern said he found the items as he cleaned out a cupboard at the theatre, which was co-founded in 1929 by JB Priestley. They will now be added to the extensive achieve, which is valued at �800,000. The theatre, as well as mounting both mainstream and experimental drama, supports a range of cultural activities. It provides drama and dance classes especially aimed at disadvantaged inner-city children. Financial crisis Despite their assets, the theatre is facing a financial crisis and must raise �14,000 by the end of October or face closure. Mr Hohenzollern said the recent race riots in the city had contributed to the financial problems. "The knock-on effects of the riots have been devastating for Bradford. "People don't want to go into the city during the evening and that kind of confidence is going to take a long time to rebuild itself." War service "Our archive is worth �800,000 but we are not allowed to sell any of it, or raise any money against it. "We are having to rely on donations from the people of Bradford and the messages we are receiving here every day shows that people do care and want the Priestley to stay." JB Priestley was born in 1894 and served as a soldier in World War I. He studied at Cambridge University and his most famous works include the novel The Good Companions and plays such as An Inspector Calls, Dangerous Corner and When We Are Married. | |   See also: Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top England stories now:  Links to more England stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||
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