ABOUT PETER

Peter Brett – In a Language Not My Own

Writer and actor, Peter Brett, has been living and working in Wales for the last 31 years.  He is based in Clyro, a mile from the famous Book Town of Hay on Wye, so it is appropriate that he has now published three novels and, just this month, his autobiography – In a Language Not My Own.

Peter started his acting career with a scholarship to RADA, but prior to that he was already performing on the West End stage as a dancer in musicals like ‘Oklahoma’, and in films such as ‘Invitation to the Dance’ with stars like Gene Kelly.  As an actor he worked with Ken Russell, playing Elgar in the well-known BBC Monitor profile, and also wrote the screenplay for Russell’s first film, French Dressing.  His name can be found in the credits of many popular TV series of the 60’s and ’70’s, but he is probably best known nowadays for his appearance as ‘Brian’ in Fawlty Towers – The Hotel Inspector as the DVD is one of most popular of all time and has been viewed worldwide.

As a writer Peter has written extensively for stage and screen, but has come to novel writing fairly late in the day.  He started writing ‘The Elena Emotion’ at a house near Granada in 2007, and much of the plot of that novel takes place in the beautiful landscape of Andalucia.  ‘Game in a Spider’s Web’ also has a number of scenes which take place in Southern Spain, but the main story happens in and around Hay on Wye.  One reader has described the novel as a ‘passionate story of landscape, place, people, time and love…skilfully weaving the past with the present, mythology with the supernatural to create an intricate web of intrigue’.

‘Walking Blues’, based on Peter’s screenplay of the same name, is a short novel set in Norfolk where Peter spent some of his childhood, and has autobiographical echoes.  His latest book, ‘In a Language Not My Own’, gives a more detailed account of this childhood:  how he arrived as a refugee from Vienna in 1939, how he adapted to life in a big country house, how he survives and even enjoys life in a famous Public School, and gradually from there finds his way into the theatre, first as a dancer, then an actor, director and writer.

Now in his ninetieth year Peter looks back on a varied life, over the many changes from the post war era to the coming of the internet, and from a troubled childhood to being a reasonably contented grandfather.

‘In a Language Not My Own’ is now out in paperback and all four books are available on Amazon Kindle [www.amazon.co.uk].  A free Kindle ‘app’ can be downloaded onto any computer or device.  Further information, contact details and purchase link can be found on Peter’s website:  www.peter-brett.co.uk

Contact Peter Brett by email:  pmbrett@btinternet.com

or telephone 01497 821061