Lecturer
Cultural Historian
Lecturer
John is a well-established public speaker, informative and enthusiastic for general interest groups, authoritative in university lecturing. He is an Accredited Lecturer of The Arts Society, and has given talks for, among others, ENO, the Garsington and Glyndebourne festivals, BBC radio and the Royal Opera House (for whom he worked for 20
John is a well-established public speaker, informative and enthusiastic for general interest groups, authoritative in university lecturing. He is an Accredited Lecturer of The Arts Society, and has given talks for, among others, ENO, the Garsington and Glyndebourne festivals, BBC radio and the Royal Opera House (for whom he worked for 20 years). He is an Associate Lecturer in Musical Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London
Writer
Cultural Historian
Lecturer
John's writing has ranged from programme articles for interested non-specialists (for the ROH, ENO, Salzburg Festivals and others) through to such academic research as his ground breaking PhD, chapters in authoritative books, and peer-reviewed journal articles . His book on Andrew Lloyd Webber (Yale UP) is a core reference work on the rep
John's writing has ranged from programme articles for interested non-specialists (for the ROH, ENO, Salzburg Festivals and others) through to such academic research as his ground breaking PhD, chapters in authoritative books, and peer-reviewed journal articles . His book on Andrew Lloyd Webber (Yale UP) is a core reference work on the repertory. His next book is a new study the works of the works of Ivor Novello.
Cultural Historian
Cultural Historian
Cultural Historian
John has been fascinated by music and the stage all his life. He is a leading expert in British musical theatre (the subject of his PhD). He is especially known for exploring musicals in the light of society and culture to reveal what makes them so appealing, enduring and important. John has written widely on opera, and worked for the Royal Opera House for two decades.
New Book
FORTHCOMING MAY 2027
Ivor Novello in his own Works
A Critical Study of the Songs, Plays, Films and Musicals of a British Icon
by John Snelson
from Methuen Drama
Ivor Novello In His Own Works: A Critical Study of the Songs, Plays, Films and Musicals of a British Icon: John Snelson: Methuen Drama - Bloomsbury
A new study of the first superstar of British popular culture
More than seventy-five years after Ivor Novello's untimely death in 1951, he remains a defining figure of British popular culture of the first half of the 20th century whose name is most commonly recognised by the contemporary music awards that bear his name. But who was the man described as the 20th century's most consistently successful composer of British musicals, and why was his work so successful in so many different fields?
Ivor Novello In His Own Works is the first critical study of both Novello the icon and Novello the artist. Published to commemorate the 75th anniversary of his death, this in-depth study tracks his activities across popular song, musical theatre, plays and silent film, as well as exploring his work as an actor and theatre producer that made him central to popular culture of the period and beyond.
From becoming a silent film matinée idol of the 1920s through to the creation of spectacular Drury Lane musicals in the 1930s including Glamorous Night and The Dancing Years his true reach goes well beyond such selection. He encompasses such diversity as the composer of the World War I anthem 'Till the Boys Come Home' and early musical comedy and revue hits for London, a script writer in Hollywood and as the playwright of a succession of successful light comedy plays in which he usually starred.
Often overlooked in both academic and popular study, Novello enjoyed a phenomenal career of creation and success, repeatedly capturing the popular national mood through a highly individualized approach of assimilation and reinvention. Through five themed chapters, this new study explores Novello's works to reassess his exceptional musicality and theatricality and redefines his place in British popular culture by asking us to re-assess the importance of this celebrated British icon.
Preorder from Methuen Drama and Amazon
Also available
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK
Reviewing the Situation
The British Musical from Noël Coward to Lionel Bart
by John Snelson
from Methuen Drama
Reviewing the Situation: The British Musical from Noël Coward to Lionel Bart: John Snelson: Methuen Drama (bloomsbury.com)
A new study of the British musical
The British musical in its formative years has appeared in strikingly different guises: from the lasting hits of Oliver!, and Me and My Girl, to the successes of The Dancing Years, Bless the Bride and Expresso Bongo.
This authoritative study traces what made these shows successes in the West End and how their qualities define a uniquely British interpretation of the genre. Cultural, sociological and political influences entwine with close reading of the dramatic and musical elements of this repertory to reveal a fascinating web of connections and contrasts between the times, the shows and the people who made them.
Through detailed case studies, such as of The Boy Friend and Bitter Sweet, the rich individuality of each West End work is spotlighted, posing vital questions and intriguing answers as to what a British musical can be. Interdisciplinary in nature, this study brings together all the core materials to discover this period in the story of the British musical. Reviewing the Situation is insightful and lively, an invaluable resource for students and scholars of musical theatre and all those theatregoers drawn to the power of these classic British shows.
'An eloquently written and rigorously researched academic book... A hugely valuable resource for students and academics.' Musicals Magazine
Order from Methuen Drama
Paperback published April 2025