Two more lovely photos of Ingrid Bergman and Kenneth Williams at the press reception for their common stage play, a production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” at London's Cavendish Hotel, 5th January 1971.

On the 31st [July 1971] the theatre was packed and the audience tremendously enthusiastic.

Ingrid put her arms round me in the wings before I went on, and said, "So at last, my dear, we come to the final performance. Just think, I stood here and wished you luck half a year ago.' I had little time to reply because I had to make my entrance but I felt a surge of melancholy as she spoke.

I wasn't the only one who was affected by last-night feelings. Several actors became sentimental and invested certain lines with special significance. When I came to my speech, 'Dear me, we comes in with vanity, and we departs in darkness, don't we, guv'nor?" I suddenly realised that when the lights went out tonight on this production it would vanish forever. It had all turned out so differently from what I had imagined.

This poor old creaking play and this rickety production, greeted with hostility and indifference by the press, had been kept afloat by a lady who had broken all box-office records for a limited London season, delighted loyal audiences nightly and never missed a performance. ♡

A gorgeous snapshot of KENNETH WILLIAMS and INGRID BERGMAN during the press reception for their common stage play, a production of Sir Bernhard Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” in London, January 1971.

The play premiered on 1 February 1971 in Brighton, was transferred to several British theatres until 31 July 1971 and at last, broke box office records for a short-run play. 

... it must have been amazing to witness these extraordinarily talented artists performing together onstage! ♡ 

Evening show OK and after!!! - I went up to see Sir Noël Coward in Ingrid's room. [...] I sat at his feet ... he was adorable and said my performance was very good. 'You are one of the few actors I know who can be outrageous and get away with it ... and we love you for it.' [...] He looked very good and kissed me on both cheeks with real affection. Impossible to tell him what I really owe him but I did say 'My debt to you is infinite & your dialogue and your lyrics go on delighting me and reverberating thro' me every year ... esp. when I sing "Now In the Clear Bright Morning" [from After the Ball] and he replied 'That's my favourite sentimental lyric' and he said I was clever to remember the words. When he'd gone I said to Ingrid 'It's been a beautiful evening and you have made it all possible ... you don't realise how much warmth, delight and love you bring into a room with you ...' Walked home thanking God for bringing all my dreams to fruition ... couldn't sleep for excitement.

Ingrid Bergman and Kenneth Williams at a press reception for the play of Sir Bernhard Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” in London, January 1971

I said to Ingrid … ‘you don’t realise how much warmth, delight and love you bring into a room with you …’

We saw the television tribute to Ingrid Bergman. It was staggering to see clips of her early films when she looked so radiantly beautiful, and then the later shots of her (during the illness) when the face aged so rapidly. The interviewer asked her ‘Were you frightened when you found out you’d got cancer?’ and for a tiny moment Ingrid’s patience broke. ‘Of course … wouldn’t you be frightened if you found out about yourself?’ Then the smile was resumed. I remember that dinner with her at the Garden in ‘71. I wrote in that diary how I’d said at the end of the evening 'You’re the best person I’ve ever worked with’ and she replied 'Oh my dear! There will be lots of others …’ There were not. 1 September 1982

The Kenneth Williams Diaries