We all love a happy ending and Roland Curram’s ‘Which Way to Love?’ – which deals with the loves and limelight of his half century in the theatre and screen – ends on such a high point. Getting to middle age, reassessing his life after the breakdown of a happy marriage, then making known his homosexual desires, trapped inside in painful torment for most of his life, was not an easy accomplishment.
As one reviewer put it: “Searingly honest, excruciatingly funny and deeply moving.” It’s every bit those things…and more. There’s no doubt a sequel in the pipeline from this renowned Brit actor now turned five-times published author.
Roland Curram
As autobiographies go, this one is something special. Well-known Brit actor for over half a century, Roland Curram came out as gay in the early 1990s and has since moved on from treading the boards to carve out a second career as a novelist. ‘Which Way to Love?’ is his fifth book, and follows ‘Mother Loved Funerals,’ ‘The Rose Secateurs,’ ‘Man on the Beach,’ and ‘The Problem with Happiness.’
It’s special because lovers of entertainment and showbiz history will relish the encounters and anecdotes that gush forth from the pages of ‘Which Way to Love?’ but so too that it’s a both colourful and painful story of one man’s dilemma in coming to terms with his gayness after being a devoted husband and father for over two decades – and in the full glare of the spotlight.
Roland was long married to British actress Sheila Gish, they eventually split up in the 1980s. She later married actor/director Denis Lawson and Roland came out as gay. He subsequently met his long-time companion and they settled in Chiswick.
Father of actresses Lou Gish and Kay Curram, Roland’s probably best known for playing Julie Christie’s gay travelling companion in her Oscar-winning movie ‘Darling’ (1965), and several years later went on to play one of the greatest homosexual characters in British soaps, the expatriate Freddie in the BBC’s short-lived series Eldorado (1992).
Which Way To Love?
This is a book about love, loss and desire. In his own words the author describes it as: “An honest account of my racy, painful and sometimes hilarious adventures struggling with the Gods of Love and Lust and of the big change that occurred in my middle years.
“To enter the gay world after 21 years of a happy heterosexual marriage requires, to say the least, a little re-adjustment. This story of my corporal and spiritual journey to rebuild my life after my divorce will hopefully amuse and enlighten you, for I’ve been there and come out the other side with a smile. Enjoy.”
Reviews:
“An intriguing and compelling story of an actor’s public and personal life told honestly, openly and with more to come I hope.”– Amazon customer
“I loved this book – not too long, not so short as to dull the interest.. a moving story of love lost and gained with, I’m pleased to say, a happy ending.”– emrys
“Searingly honest, excruciatingly funny and deeply moving.”– David Weston
“An enthralling read.”– Gillian
More From Roland Curram
Roland Curram was born in Brighton in 1932, educated at Ayr Academy and Brighton College, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to a career as an actor for over 50 years.
After repertory seasons in Carlisle, Nottingham, Eastbourne and Worthing he joined the RSC in 1967 for ‘Little Murders’ by Jules Feiffer. Appearing in the West End in ‘Enter A Free Man’ by Tom Stoppard, ‘Design For Living’ by Noel Cowerd, ‘Noises Off’ by Michael Frayne (1984/5), ‘Grand Manoeuvres’ by A E Ellis at the National Theatre, ‘Ross’ at the Old Vic and ‘In The Summer House’ by Jane Bowles at The Lyric, Hammersmith.
His fringe productions include ‘Les Parents Terrible’ by Jean Cocteau at Orange Tree Theatre, ‘Rough Crossing’ by Tom Stoppard at the King’s Head, ‘Increased Difficulty of Concentration’ by Vaslav Havel at the Old Red Lion and ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Holland Park.
Roland’s many TV plays and series include: ‘Nana,’ ‘Z Cars,’ The Avengers,’ ‘The Crezz,’ ‘ Some Mothers Do ‘Av ‘Em,’ ‘Bouquet of Barbed Wire,’ ‘Artemis ’81,’ ‘Big Jim and the Figaro Club,’ ‘Till We Meet Again,‘ and ‘Eldorado.’
Among his films are: ‘Dunkirk’ (1958), ‘Admirable Crichton,’ ‘Queen’s Guard,’ ‘Oh You Are Awful, ‘Peeping Tom,’ ‘Decline and Fall, ‘The Silent Playground,’ and ‘Darling.’
‘Which Way to Love?’ by Roland Curram (ISBN 9781803699882) is published by New Generation Publishing and is available at Amazon in hardback, RRP £27.47. For details see: www.amazon.co.uk/Which-Way-Love-Roland-Curram/dp/1803699884/
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