Harold Hobson

Who was Harold Hobson?

Sir Harold Hobson was an English drama critic and author.

He was born in Thorpe Hesley near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England and read History at Oxford University. He was an assistant literary editor for the Sunday Times from 1944 and later became its drama critic. He was the only drama critic to recognise Harold Pinter's talent as a dramatist and wrote of The Birthday Party, "Pinter … possesses the most original, disturbing and arresting talent in theatrical London". During his career, he was to champion many other new playwrights, especially John Osborne, Samuel Beckett and Tom Stoppard. He was also drama critic of the Christian Science Monitor, wrote for Drama and The Listener and was a regular member of the radio programme The Critics. In the 1960s, he was invited by Peter Hall to join the board of the National Theatre.

He wrote a number of books relating to British and French theatre, including his autobiography entitled Indirect Journey and a personal history based on his work as a drama critic Theatre in Britain.

Harold Hobson received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.