Tuesday 18 June 1968 | Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo Road, London, England
The National Theatre's stage adaptation of John Lennon's book In His Own Write had its début at the Old Vic Theatre on Waterloo Road, London, on 18 June 1968. The production was directed by Victor Spinetti and co-written by Spinetti and dramatist Adrienne Kennedy.
Lennon's arrival with Yoko Ono caused considerable commotion among the journalists and reporters present — and the press hostility towards Ono that would define much of the coverage of Lennon's life over the following years can, in many respects, be traced to this evening.
The Play
The stage adaptation was the idea of Adrienne Kennedy, an American playwright who had approached Victor Spinetti — a Welsh actor and director who had appeared in all three Beatles films — about adapting Lennon's work for the stage. Together they drew on both of Lennon's books: In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard In The Works (1965).
The play centred on a character called Me, played by Ronald Pickup, whose thoughts and ideas were followed throughout. It was an attempt to translate Lennon's surreal, Joycean prose — his invented words, his nonsense logic, his satirical impulses — into a theatrical form. The challenge was considerable: Lennon's writing is deeply literary, rooted in the texture of language itself, and the stage demanded a different kind of engagement.
During its run at the Old Vic, In His Own Write formed part of a triple bill, following two other one-act plays with which it had no connection: A Covent Garden Tragedy and An Unwarranted Intrusion.
Lennon and Yoko Ono
Lennon arrived at the Old Vic with Yoko Ono. Although the pair had made earlier public appearances together, the news of Lennon's marriage to Cynthia Lennon ending was still largely unknown to the press and public. The sight of Lennon at a major public event with a woman who was not his wife — and who was not a recognisable figure in the British pop world — provoked immediate and hostile attention from the journalists present.
Several reporters called out: "Where's your wife, Mr Lennon?" His only reply was: "I don't know."
It was a laconic, deflecting answer — but it was also, in its way, honest. Cynthia Lennon had returned from a holiday in Greece in May 1968 to find Yoko Ono at Kenwood, the family home in Weybridge. The marriage was effectively over. The divorce would be finalised in November 1968. But on 18 June, none of this had been made public, and the press had not yet begun to process what Lennon's relationship with Ono meant — for him, for The Beatles, or for the culture.
The hostility towards Ono that would characterise so much of the British press coverage over the following years — and that would persist, in various forms, for decades — can in many respects be traced to this evening at the Old Vic.
Victor Spinetti
Victor Spinetti was one of the most significant figures in The Beatles' film and theatrical world. He had appeared in A Hard Day's Night (1964), Help! (1965), and Magical Mystery Tour (1967), and had developed a warm personal relationship with Lennon in particular. His involvement in the stage adaptation of In His Own Write was a natural extension of that friendship — and of his genuine admiration for Lennon's literary work.
The Audience
Also present at the Old Vic that evening were George Harrison and Pattie Harrison, and Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen — who had flown back from California that same day after accompanying Harrison on his filming trip for Ravi Shankar's documentary Raga.
Paul McCartney was absent. He was attending the opening of another play, starring his fiancée Jane Asher. It was McCartney's 26th birthday — a detail that makes the evening's geography of the four Beatles particularly striking: Lennon at the Old Vic with Yoko Ono, Harrison and Starr freshly returned from California, McCartney at a different theatre with Jane Asher. Four men, four separate evenings, one birthday.
Key Facts: 18 June 1968
| Date | Tuesday 18 June 1968 |
| Venue | Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo Road, London |
| Production company | National Theatre |
| Director | Victor Spinetti |
| Co-writer | Adrienne Kennedy |
| Source material | In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard In The Works (1965) |
| Lead character | Me, played by Ronald Pickup |
| Triple bill companions | A Covent Garden Tragedy; An Unwarranted Intrusion |
| Lennon's companion | Yoko Ono |
| Also present | George and Pattie Harrison; Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey |
| Absent | Paul McCartney (at another play, starring Jane Asher; his 26th birthday) |
The Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo Road, London — home of the National Theatre from 1963 to 1976, and the venue for the world première of the stage adaptation of John Lennon's In His Own Write on 18 June 1968.
The Beatles: 1968
The year everything began to change. Officially licensed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the In His Own Write stage play?
In His Own Write was a National Theatre stage adaptation of John Lennon's books, co-written by Adrienne Kennedy and Victor Spinetti and directed by Spinetti. It premiered at the Old Vic on 18 June 1968, drawing on both In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard In The Works (1965). The lead character, Me, was played by Ronald Pickup.
Why was Lennon's arrival at the Old Vic significant?
John Lennon arrived at the Old Vic with Yoko Ono, in one of their first major public appearances together. The news of Lennon's marriage ending was still largely unknown. Reporters called out asking where his wife was; Lennon replied only "I don't know." The press hostility towards Ono that followed can be traced to this evening.
Who was Victor Spinetti?
Victor Spinetti was a Welsh actor and director who appeared in A Hard Day's Night (1964), Help! (1965), and Magical Mystery Tour (1967). He co-wrote and directed the stage adaptation of In His Own Write with Adrienne Kennedy, and had a close personal relationship with John Lennon.
Which Beatles attended the In His Own Write premiere?
John Lennon (with Yoko Ono), George Harrison (with Pattie Harrison), and Ringo Starr (with Maureen Starkey) attended the Old Vic premiere. Paul McCartney was absent — it was his 26th birthday and he attended the opening of a play starring his fiancée Jane Asher.
What other plays were in the triple bill with In His Own Write?
In His Own Write formed part of a triple bill at the Old Vic alongside A Covent Garden Tragedy and An Unwarranted Intrusion. Neither of the other plays had any connection to Lennon or The Beatles.
→ 18 June in Beatles History
→ June in Beatles History
→ John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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