{"product_id":"the-swish-of-the-curtain-book-1-9781782695356","title":"The Swish of the Curtain: Book 1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'I wanted to act before I read this book, and afterwards there was no stopping me' Maggie Smith\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An enchanting book. A must for any child who wants to become an actor' Eileen Atkins\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the quiet town of Fenchester, seven children dream of the stage. There is Lyn the actress, Vicky the dancer, Jeremy the musician, Nigel the artist, Sandra the designer, Bulldog the comic and of course Maddy - who is too young to know her role just yet, but busts with enthusiasm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen they discover an abandoned chapel, a glorious plan is hatched. Together they will transform the dingy space into a theatre of their very own - writing, directing and performing plays to amaze the whole town. But with parents insisting on sensible futures and the end of their schooldays looming, can the show go on?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart of the new Pushkin Children's Classics series of thrilling, magical and inspiring stories from around the world, which young readers will return to time and again.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela Brown (1924-1989) was a British writer, actor and television producer. She was just fourteen when she started writing her first book, and the town of Fenchester in the book is inspired by her home town of Colchester. During the Second World War, she went to line in Wales, so \u003ci\u003eThe Swish of the Curtain was no published until 1941\u003c\/i\u003e, when she was sixteen. She used the earnings from the books to train at RADA, and became an actor and a producer of children's television programmes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDetails\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eISBN13: 9781782695356\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNumber of Pages: 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdition: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication Date: 20 Oct 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher: Pushkin Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication City, Country: United Kingdom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions (cm): 19.8(H)x12.9(L)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight (gm): \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h4\u003ePamela Brown (1924-1989) was a British writer, actor and television producer. She was just fourteen when she started writing her first book, and the town of Fenchester in the book is inspired by her home town of Colchester. During the Second World War, she went to live in Wales, so \u003ci\u003eThe Swish of the Curtain\u003c\/i\u003e was not published until 1941, when she was sixteen. She used the earnings from the books to train at RADA, and became an actor and a producer of children's television programmes.\u003ch4\u003eReviews\u003c\/h4\u003eI wanted to act before I read this book, and afterwards there was no stopping me * Maggie Smith *\u003cbr\u003eAn enchanting book. A must for any child who wants to become an actor * Eileen Atkins *\u003cbr\u003ePart of the novel's appeal, as well as its humour and the excitement of the group's entry into an acting competition, is Brown's pitch-perfect depictions of childhood... Rereading The Swish of the Curtain, I'm amazed by how much of it has stayed with me; it is one of those books that makes up my very bones -- Alison Flood * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eBudding thespians will adore this * The Times, Best Children's Books to Take on Holiday This Summer *\u003cbr\u003eA much-loved classic... captivating * Daily Express *\u003cbr\u003ePure nostalgia... one of my favourite books when I was a kid... Fans of Noel Streatfeild will love this and though you may want to buy this for your own children, it's absolutely worth reading before you pass it on -- Sarra Manning * Red, Summer Reads to Escape With *\u003cbr\u003eThe tales of Lyn, Sandra, Vicky, Bulldog, Nigel, Jeremy and ebullient nine-year-old Maddy have stood the test of time. Their determination to make a success of the Blue Door Theatre Company, write scripts, design sets and costumes and build acting careers will charm readers new and old, young and not so young. Bravo Pushkin Press for bringing them back * Good Schools Guide *\u003cbr\u003eWhether you are already entranced by the magic of theatre or have yet to come under its spell, The Swish of the Curtain is a wonderful story of the intense please of performance and the life-changing effect that putting on a play has on a group of children. Pamela Brown's classic novel celebrated childhood friendship and the transforming power of creativity; it has inspired generations of readers to love theatre too and to pursue their own performing dreams * Julia Eccleshare *\u003cbr\u003eThat's what I wanted to do * Victoria Wood, on the children setting up their own theatre in 'The Swish of the Curtain' *\u003cbr\u003eThis pooh-stick filled, taffeta-crisp joy of a book... will put you and all the youngsters around you in the right mood for pantomines and puppet shows... A grand story in the old tradition * Bookanista *\u003cbr\u003eI'd soon read my way along all the Browns on the shelf in the library. I particularly liked her Blue Door series about a group of children who set up their own theatre * Jacqueline Wilson *\u003cbr\u003eAs a child I loved The Swish of the Curtain * Julia Donaldson *\u003cbr\u003eThere is careful detail and good dialogue * Kirkus Reviews *\u003cbr\u003eI loved this as a child. It's about two families with an actress in each - it spoke to me as I wanted to be an actress -- Janet Ellis * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eI lost count of the number of times I borrowed this book... And now it has been republished and issued for a new generation of theatre mad, or not so theatre mad, children to read. I could not be happier... Gorgeous * Random Jottings (blog) *","brand":"Pamela Brown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50837513863385,"sku":"9781782695356","price":19.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0502\/9530\/8441\/files\/9781782695356.jpg?v=1793104969","url":"https:\/\/www.arielbooks.com.au\/products\/the-swish-of-the-curtain-book-1-9781782695356","provider":"Ariel","version":"1.0","type":"link"}