Fiction about acting?

[FurrySlipperBoots]

I've just finished the teen series 'Waiting for call back', which I really enjoyed! Also liked 'Faking Friends' by Jane Fallon - it seems I'm really into the whole acting career/agents/auditions theme! I only like 'nice' books without distressing storylines, just easy-to-read escapism. Can you recommend any more with the 'actor' theme?

Lucky Break, Esther Freud. Quite trashy!

Simon Brett's Charles Paris series - 20 books, 14 4-hour radio series on Radio 4

Ballet Shoes came to mind, although it’s a children’s book. Has acting and ballet in it.

What about some biographies about actors/actresses?

Funny girl by Nick Hornsby

Painted Garden is a sequel to Ballet Shoes and more about Hollywood, still a kids’ book of course. There’s Swish of the Curtain as well.

Swish of a Curtain - loved the tv series as a child. Sarah Green was in it, if I recall, who then became a Blue Peter presenter.

If you like funny books I read The Understudy by David Nicholls some years ago and found it hilarious

The Carol series by Helen Dore Boylston, YA-ish books about an American girl in the 40s who decides to become an actress. Carol on Broadway is my favourite. Might have to order them via your local library as they cost a fortune second hand.

Another vote for The Swish of the Curtain, though I hated the sequels.

And more Noel Streatfeild - The Painted Garden and Curtain Up (I think called Theatre Shoes in more recent years).

If you can find them, Jane Dentinger’s Jocelyn O’Roarke mystery novels are terrific. The author is an actor and director and the books are all set in the world of theatre.

Ngaio Marsh sets several of her books in the theatre; Hand in Glove and Death at the Dolphin are two.

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (who write Go Fug Yourself), have a couple of very funny YA novels which poke fun at Hollywood. Spoiled is the first one; the sequel Messy, has lots of stuff about auditions and tv acting.