A pair of theatrical icons have been in the news in recent days. Their reputational trajectories have long been heading in opposite directions, which may be more a reflection of society than their work.

Attempting to evaluate careers can be difficult. In so many cases, while the best output is exceptional, performance tails off or is uneven. There is also the irony that many angry young men slowly but surely gravitate into tedious old bores, doing themselves and their reputations no favours in the process.

John Osborne

Sir David Hare has written a depressed piece questioning why the John Osborne archive is being sold off piecemeal at auction, rather than being rescued for the nation.

Sadly, in these straightened times, few archives would have the financial wherewithal to rescue the work of even a handful of playwrights, let alone all of the deserving. Indeed, the only realistic chance of keeping a collection of this kind together in the public domain would be the intervention of a wealthy American University. It may not be entirely coincidental, but the sale coincides with Atri Banerjee’s revival of Look Back in Anger at the Almeida Theatre.

For those of us who were not born when the explosion occurred, if the proverbial time machine were to roll up some time soon, a trip back to 1956 in order to witness the devastating impact of an iconic play would be a desirable early stop on the journey back to Jacobethan times. Our critic at the Almeida, Howard Loxton, did not need the time machine, merely a long memory and expertly puts the new production into the context of the original.

Society today has a problem with plays that do not fit in with its desire to reappraise or even rewrite the past. In the same way that many would be happier if The Taming of the Shrew disappeared forever, and for similar reasons, Osborne’s masterpiece has become unfashionable due to what are very reasonably regarded as the sexist and boorish opinions of its semi-autobiographical protagonist, Jimmy Porter. However, that is the point.

We will never be able to understand the past properly, if anything regarding as unseemly today is airbrushed out. Watching Look Back in Anger may engender negative views, but it should still be compulsory viewing. The play changed the way that theatregoers looked at society, and the introduction of Kitchen Sink Drama undoubtedly also had an incredible impact on TV, film and literature.

While the Osborne collection may not survive, the way in which the playwright should be remembered must be via the best of the work. Therefore, we should all hope that cancel culture does not discourage directors from reviving the half-dozen or so plays from his canon which helped to reshape the world.

Andrew Lloyd Webber

The ongoing popularity of Lord Lloyd Webber provides a complete contrast with Osborne, his star shining as brightly than ever. As a co-creator of popular musicals that may not always challenge but please audiences, his reputation is far more secure.

This week, his Lordship’s Really Useful Group announced the launch of two new web sites.

The first bearing his name has been created to publicise his work and provide a forum around it. A quick trawl through can be instructive. Many of the headline shows will be staples across the world for many more years, but the site does not shy away from reminding us of a few clunkers that died a very early death.

Fans will undoubtedly be delighted by this project and some will have the pleasure of communing with the man himself via a Q&A that could prove very popular should Lord Lloyd Webber be willing to devote the time required to please the punters.

The second site is also a thinly veiled marketing exercise. To quote from the puff, “The Box Five Club invites all fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals to explore a world of unseen archives, behind-the-scenes moments, new videos and articles and special previews from new shows and music.”

There will be chances to subscribe to a curated newsletter “featuring first looks, news, articles, and video content, early access to tickets and events, as well as additional members’ perks and benefits.” To add to the attractions, the group is offering members the chance to purchase three limited edition The Phantom of the Opera art prints designed with the assistance of studio MinaLima.

If only John Osborne and his followers had that kind of clout.