Furniture Buggy

This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story

The original cast of This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story, including Javier Parisi

In recent years since her death in 2015, there's been a petition for a movie idea featuring the life of Cynthia Lennon. You can check it out here, sign it if you wish. The difficult thing about this idea though is that if there's a movie idea, I want it to be right: as you probably know this from the blog that I am rather protective of John and Cynthia's love story. In my opinion, it has to be done right and not fall into the cliche trap of the general perspective of "got together, got pregnant, John wasn't happy, Cynthia too clingy, loveless marriage, drugs, hello Yoko" deal. I would want someone to hear Cynthia's voice and show for it: show the tenderness, innocence, affection, make their private love story turning into public, the depth, and care. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no connections with the entertainment business. 

Anyway, the good news is that instead of a movie, there is a play. Bad news is that it's only in Liverpool. I am in America and money is tight- I just can't magically get a plane ticket, transportation, hotel, food money, play ticket, and, as it's performing during Beatles International week, souvenirs! As well as buying a new suitcase just for souvenirs. All I could do is find reviews online from those who have seen it and pray for an international tour. Doubtful, but who knows? The playwright is Mike Howl, who is from Liverpool and witnessed John and Cynthia during their dating years as a Cavern regular. 

“I want to get across how important she was in John’s life, and not just because of their son Julian. John used to write to her every single day while he was out in Hamburg, playing in the nightclubs of the Reeperbahn. Her friends told me they saw some of these letters. I do think that without Cynthia’s love, John would have gone completely off the rails. Their relationship helped to keep the Beatles together for as long as they were.”

Mike Howl, 2019

“The key point for me is that they both fell madly in love when she was 18 and he was 17. It was equal on both sides. I was in the Cavern Club a lot as a teenager and saw them there. I was in the right place at the right time, so it has always bothered me that no one has looked at Cynthia’s influence before.”

Mike Howl, 2019

“I was told lots of lovely stories, including how Cynthia went out to Hamburg to visit as a naive teenager. The first half of the play is snapshot moments from their lives together, with some original songs. There is a scene in which John is working on the song You’re Gonna Lose that Girl in their home and Cynthia joins him to sing it. She would have been 80 this year, and I feel she must take her place in the Beatles story now."

Mike Howl, 2019

Mike reached out to Julian and got his approval; he also got support from John and Cynthia's friend, Helen Anderson who was originally going to do the backdrop and costume designs before resigning by August 19, 2019- a few days shy of it's debut- for professional and creative reasons. 

“He said he was pleased someone was finally writing about how talented his mother was, since all the world has written about his father and no one has paid her any attention.”

Mike Howl, 2019

Another blunder was the resignation of the actor playing John Lennon who had spent 3 months in England rehearsing and posing for publicity photos, a great impersonator, Javier Parisi, from Argentina. After being immediately cast for the play (also to mention that he's Julian's favorite 'Dad' impersonator as well as Helen's), he was saddened that John's music and legacy wouldn't be included (probably due to licensing and publishing copyrights) as well as other internal and contract problems and misunderstandings on the same day Helen announced her departure. It's a shame, really, sounding like he spent three months in England to do something but turned out to be for nothing other than learning more about John in his home country. Jordan Barkley also dropped out for unknown reason.

Anyway… This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story was held at Hope Street Theatre from August 21 until the 26th.

The cast of This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story

Cast:

Cynthia … Christina Rose and Mikyla Jane Durkan

John … originally Javier Parisi … Adam Byrne and Peter Durr

Stuart Sutcliffe … Lew Freeburn

Helen Anderson/Astrid Kirchherr … Florence King

Mimi Smith/Doctor … Karen Sharples

Dot Rhone/Maureen Starkey … Ciara O'Neill

Phyllis Mackenzie … Rachel McGrath

Julian … originally Jordan Barkley … Ginger Lee and Lee Clotworthy

Jonathan Hague … Lee Clotworthy

Lillian Powell … Maggie Green

Paul McCartney … Louis Holmes

Brian Epstein … Mike Sanders

Jim McCartney/Roberto Bassanini … Kevin Thomas

Noel Charles … Addae G.

Play in Park

Cynthia, Julian, Aunt Mater, and cousin Stanley at a local park in Surrey, March of 1967

Photographed by Dorothy Jarlett

Behind Bedroom Doors

Passion. Affection. Kissing, hugging, making love… here we go! The subject was bound to be brought up, right? Yes, it is in the Too Much Information category, but I honestly don't care because 1) it proves they had a sex life as the same with John and Yoko who chose to publicized it. If you don't wanna know, feel free to go on the next post. Their sex life started the same day their relationship began at Stuart Sutcliffe's apartment after a college party that had an after-party at Ye Cracke. After that, John and Cynthia would have sex at every chance they had when opportunity presented itself. According to Cynthia, their first time lasted an hour. In order to be together, Stuart would have to leave- he usually went to his mother's house. I don't know how he could stand sleeping in the same bed afterwards… I just hope he thought of washing his sheets but I have a funny feeling he didn't. One day while Stuart was out, John and Cynthia gleefully took the opportunity to make love but Cynthia crumbled in pain- they quickly got dressed and John literally carried her to the train station to go home and then to the hospital: she had appendix removed. John would sometimes try to convince Cynthia to have quickies in alleyways but instead she stuck to kissing (although I wouldn't be shocked if a quickie or two happened), however they did had sex at the sand dunes with sand going into their clothes. 

"Stuart, when there were too many sleeping in his room, would sometimes come home, which was three miles away. He would also stay with us when John and Cynthia wanted some privacy. He wouldn't call it that obviously, he wouldn't say, 'I'm coming home, Mother, because I'm letting Cynthia and John have my bed.' My mother couldn't have cared less what the reason was, for she was always elated to have Stuart home."

Pauline Sutcliffe, Stuart's sister

In August of 1960 before John went to Hamburg, he was home in Mendips while Mimi went to visit her sister Nanny. He borrowed a camera and invited Cynthia over to take pictures to take with him to Hamburg. Cynthia modeled for him in sexy Brigitte Bardot-like poses. Where are those pictures now? I'm guessing either Julian or Yoko has them. After the photo session, John and Cynthia made love before putting on a fire and raided the refrigerator. Just before Cynthia was about to leave, Mimi called to say she'll be coming in the next day due to fog. John and Cynthia couldn't believe their luck! Cynthia quickly set up her alibi of lying to her mother that she's at Phyllis's house and then they went upstairs to John's single bed to squeeze together until early morning when she left before Mimi's arrival. 

After when Cynthia returned home from Hamburg visiting John in 1961, her mother moved to Canada and so Cynthia moved in with Mimi as a lounger paying rent. Whenever John returned, they couldn't do anything with Mimi around. Despite Cynthia's denials, does anyone besides me think otherwise? I suspect some sneaky lovemaking happened on a rare free opportunity! Mimi got difficult to live with and after living with a relative, Cynthia eventually found her own apartment. A perfect love nest where they could go on uninterrupted or worry about being caught: John and Cynthia finally had a place to be together. He did visit often and the only thing he didn't want was to have next door neighbor Dot Rhone to be walking in on them. 

"I don't like the idea of Dot moving in permanently with you 'cause we could never be alone really- I mean when I come home- can't she have another room or find another flat- imagine having her there all the time when we were in bed- and imagine Paul coming all the time … God I'm knackered it's 6 o'clock in the morning and I want you … I love you Cyn Powell and I wish I was on the way to your flat with the Sunday papers and chocies and a throbber! … I'm dead beat my sweet so I hope you don't mind if I finish now and have a lovely sleep (without you but it'll still be lovely- don't be hurt- but I'm so so so tired)"

John, April of 1962 in a letter to Cynthia while he was in Hamburg

Then, in the Summer of 1962, Cynthia got pregnant. It's a miracle that she didn't get pregnant sooner! They never used protection as it never occurred to them. They got married, moved into a new apartment, and started their new married life together. I don't know if John and Cynthia had sex while she was pregnant but she did confirm that their sex life didn't end there. They had holidays (aka vacations), film locations, and the first American visit. When John was home, he would gift Cynthia 'naughty nighties' and have a private fashion show that would conclude a dance before going to bed. I will later explain the naughty nighties further in another post but let's say it's not exactly the typical lingerie. 

Eventually the sex dried up. Not sure when though- John did tour a lot, spent time in the studio, having a random affair, business meeting, photo session, and so on that it reached the level of leading separate lives under the same roof. They had irregular sleeping hours: after tours, John would sleep up to 3 days and then would stay up late until the sun comes up while Cynthia had the normal going to bed at a reasonable hour to get up early with Julian. The only times Cynthia stayed up late would be at an event, party, or keeping John company during his songwriting. My guess would be around the end of 1966 as John was heavily into LSD; that being said, according to Dot Jarlett's written testimony in the divorce, John's interest in Cynthia started to wane in the Summer of 1967. It could've been a gradual thing. 

"Cynthia was also out a good deal, especially in the evenings, and I soon noticed with surprise how very little time she and John spent in each other's company. In fact such was the irregularity of their respective comings and goings that they had agreed that whoever came home last would sleep in the guest room so as not to disturb the other. The master bedroom, which they normally shared, was actually a vast room on the first floor housing a massive eight-foot double bed and a sunken bath at the far end, and it was here that John loved to lie in till late in the morning."

Pauline Lennon Stone

By the time they were in India, forget it! Nothing! Within a few days of arriving, John got his own bedroom claiming not to be disturbed while meditating. Then he ignored Cynthia 95% of the time. You can see the strain in the photos. But they did managed to have sex in 1968… unfortunate timing as it was near the end of their marriage. It was after John and Yoko first had sex while Cynthia was in Greece and she came home unexpectedly to find them together in the kitchen wearing bathrobes; Cynthia left for 3 days before returning back to her husband. After a long talk, they made love. I suspect for the final time.

Bournemouth

A day after the Help! premiere (July 29, so it was on July 30th), Mimi was staying in Weybridge during a visit [don't ask me if Mimi went to the premiere as I honestly don't know], she was with John for his usual late breakfast of his cornflakes. For a time, Mimi refused to leave her beloved Mendips home in Liverpool but was also getting fed up by fans visiting. She then got to the point of wanting to leave. John asked her where she was willing to move to and the first place that flew out of her mouth was Bournemouth. After breakfast, John and Mimi were driven by Les Anthony to Bournemouth to check out houses, especially the ones that look out to the sea. Mimi fell in love with a house that wasn't for sale. So, in his 'weekend' wear of jeans with holes, a shirt, and a cap, John went to the door and convince the starstruck owners to sell their house to him… they did! Few sources, including Cynthia, say that it was indeed on the market and it was the fourth house they looked over that won Mimi's approval. Mimi happily moved in by September of 1965 and remained there until her death in 1991.

There's a known record of two times that John, Cynthia, and Julian visiting… well, actually three minus Cynthia. Although according to Cynthia, she thought only once but, sorry Cyn, pictures don't lie.

The first visit was in 1965 after Mimi moved in… unfortunately I don't know the exact date but let's say in September after she settled in, while it was still summer and the beach was full of people. John understandably didn't want to be recognized and wore a big hat. Luckily for him, he wasn't bothered at all. So far, no photos are publicly available, if taken. Mimi, John, Cynthia, and Julian had a picnic on the beach, swimming, and playing in the sand. 

"When we bought her the house down in Poole in 1965, we went to visit and she was all over him then, but apart from that there was no contact."

Cynthia, 2005

Again, sorry Cynthia, there were more contact than she either realized/didn't know or had forgotten about.

Julian in Bournemouth, 1966

(top) Julia Baird's collection

(bottom) Yoko Ono's collection [perhaps photographed by John?]

John and David hanging out on Mimi's balcony in Bournemouth, 1966

From Julia Baird's collection

The second visit was in 1966. Again, unknown date. However, this time around it was a family gathering. John, Cynthia, Julian, sisters Julia and Jacqui, Aunt Harrie, cousin David (Harrie's son), those are who I know of were there. 

John, Julian, and Mimi at Sandbanks Ferry, 1967

Photographed by Betty Derrick

In April of 1967, John and Julian went to Bournemouth to visit Mimi (where was Cynthia? I don't know… could be somewhere with her mother Lillian) and they took Sandbanks Ferry to Studland and Shell Bay.

Those times weren't the only times John visited- he actually came around quite often when able to where he could get away from being a celebrity and pressures. Even after his divorce from Cynthia, John continued to visit Mimi with Yoko. In fact, while Paul McCartney was marrying Linda Eastman and George and Pattie Harrison were being arrested, John and Yoko were with Mimi and decided that they were going to get married. In 1972, John and Yoko left England for good for New York City and Mimi wouldn't see John again although they did talked on the phone often. After John's death in 1980, Mimi discovered that she wasn't the owner of her beloved house: John was and now Yoko. In fear that Yoko would send her people over to check in on Mimi, she quickly put down display photos of Julian and replaced them with Sean. Wow. That's definitely not a favorable point for Yoko! By the way, Mimi only met Sean once but we will get into that some other time. Cynthia did later started visiting Mimi on occasion. Anyway, immediately after Mimi's death and funeral, her house was sold. It was soon demolished and was replaced with a more modern home. 

Member of the British Empire

On June 11, 1965, The Beatles were on the Queen's Birthday Honours List to receive Member of the British Empire (M.B.E.). John was at home with Cynthia and Julian and he had let the phone ring and ring- much to caller Brian Epstein's dismay. When John eventually got to the phone, he was given the news. John later claimed that he only accepted the honor after Brian pursued him to do so. Cynthia claimed that John was actually thrilled. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. However, it was a positive sign that his Aunt Mimi was thrilled and finally saw that John was doing all right after all. Cynthia was very happy for John but was disappointed that she couldn't come along to see the ceremony. Today you can come along- the honor guest can bring limited three people and the ceremony is now filmed unlike 1965. If John was able, I am sure Cynthia and Mimi would have gone… don't know the third guest (not Julian as he was only two years old then). 

John followed by Cynthia, Alf, and Brian after arriving late to Twickenham Studios to give a press conference about being honored with the MBE on June 12, 1965

Cynthia did accompany John to Twickenham Studios the following day for his interview with Paul (who cut his Portugal holiday short with Jane Asher), George, and Ringo for their reactions. John and Cynthia were late as John overslept and his hair was messy in protest while Brian and chauffeur Alf Bicknell went over to pick them up. They also screened a preview of their new movie Help!

The Beatles showing their medals on October 26, 1965 at Buckingham Palace

On October 26, 1965, John, Paul, George, and Ringo went to Buckingham Palace to receive their medals from Queen Elizabeth II. Before meeting their Majesty, they received the typical protocol lecture of what to do and not to do in her presence. John later claimed that they were so nervous that they smoked marijuana in the bathroom… George denied it, saying it was actually a cigarette. Maybe John was trying to be controversial? Seriously, if they did smoke pot, that smell is undeniable. The security, guards, etc. would have noticed! Afterwards, John took it to Bournemouth to present it to Mimi, who displayed it proudly above her television in her living room.

In 1969, John returned his MBE back to the Queen as his way to protest over wars and that his song Cold Turkey wasn't doing well on the charts… rather lame excuses! John could have just simply said, 'I don't want it.' It was located in St. James Palace's vault in 2009. He had sent Les Anthony to Mimi's house, telling her that John needed it. Regrettably, Mimi said sure but when she found out what John did with the medal, needless to say she was not pleased.

The Longest Relationship

"Jim Christie and I have been together for many years. He is my companion in every sense of the word - we're always together and we share everything but we're not thinking of getting married. Who knows what will happen in the future, but the important thing is to live for the present."

Cynthia, 1990

Cynthia and Jim

Out of all the relationships Cynthia has had, she was with Jim Christie the longest: 17 years.

Alan Price - 2 days (circa 1950); boyfriend

Barry - approximately 2 years (1956 - 1958); engaged.

John Lennon - 10 years (1958 - 1968); married.

Roberto Bassanini - 5 years (1969 - 1973); married

John Twist - 7 years (1975 - 1982); married

Jim Christie - 17 years (1982 - 1999); boyfriend

Noel Charles - approximately 14 years (1999 - 2013); married

Let's talk boyfriends of Cynthia's, except for Barry as you can check the Labels ➡ for more about him, Alan Price and the main topic Jim. Alan did not last long at all.

"My first boyfriend was called Alan Price. He was in my class at Primary School. I was 11 years old and besotted with him and it looked as if he felt the same about me. He wrote me a letter in which he'd placed a half crown piece. 'Right in this letter,' he scrawled in painstaking print, 'is half a crown for you.' True love. Unfortunately, the next day he was out with someone else and I was heartbroken. My first experience of the fickleness of men. Despite the flirtation with Alan, my main interest was art."

Cynthia, 1994

Cynthia and Jim at the London premiere of Imagine: John Lennon on October 7, 1988

James Christie was born circa 1943 to Hal and Sonny Christie. Hal and Sonny were in show business as a musician and cabaret-style performer, touring in hotels and such. They also ran a restaurant business and divided time in Liverpool. Sonny was best friends with the mother of Tony Bramwell (later became one of The Beatles' associates), Tony and Jim were obviously best friends. In 1974, Cynthia had recently divorced Roberto while living near London and moved back to Wirral where she grew up (Hoylake). Jim was a neighbor, I believe he was married at the time (… just don't ask me if he had children as I honestly don't know; Cynthia never mentioned it but that doesn't really mean much as it could be a private personal matter) and was working as a chauffeur. Her son Julian had met Jim first. How? I don't know but Jim taught Julian how to ride a motorcycle. After Cynthia married John Twist by 1977, Cynthia moved house yet again, settling in Wales for a time until they divorced in 1983 after separating in 1981. By 1982, Cynthia reconnected with Jim who also recently divorced.

"Jim was a neighbour and was interested in motorbikes. He taught Julain to ride the little  motorbike that John had bought him. It was about 1974, I was married to Mr Twist at the time and he wasn't really interested in Julian. We didn't get together for a long time, not until 1982. We're not married and we're not planning to get married. I think the reason is that I'm a serious person. I would never have affairs. After John and I broke up, as Julian was growing up, I wanted him to have a father and so I married the men in my life. Now Jim and I are partners, we live together, we work together and we have a stronger relationship than any marriage. The situation is accepted by everyone; Julian accepts it and we've reached a time in our lives when we don't need to get married. We feel right as we are."

Cynthia, 1988

Probably because of his parents in show business, Jim became Cynthia's manager and spokesman. Jim and Cynthia moved to Cumbria around 1985 while she started her new career in textile design and trying to get away from John Lennon/The Beatles hunters.

"We came here from Cumbria to escape from being at the end of a phone. When anything was on about the Beatles or Julian, I was always being pursued and harassed. I was getting really fed up with it because I was trying to do my textile designs."

Cynthia, 1988

“There have been some very tough times, but now I am very happy, contented and settled. I’m having a great time, I’m so lucky to have come to the kind of peace of mind I have now. I didn’t expect it four years ago.”

Cynthia 1985

While there, Jim and Cynthia held a garden party fundraiser that was record-breaking on behalf of their local community Hall in July of 1985. Their time in Cumbria didn't last long- Jim and Cynthia moved to Isle of Man where they briefly ran a restaurant Bunter's (and later Lennon's in London in 1989).

"Jim has never felt he's living in John Lennon's shadow. He's four years younger than me and wasn't really part of that whole Beatles scene, though his parents were in showbusiness. He knew Julian before he knew me and, in fact taught him to ride motorbikes - and we became friends as a result. He's slotted so easily into my life it really is a miracle for me. And living here on the island for the last nine years feels like I'm finally at rest. After I found out about John and Yoko and we split up, I seemed to be constantly on the move. I'd move house every three years, which was ridiculous, but for many different reasons - all of them some kind of search for peace. Here I think I've found what I was looking for and Julian has a bolt hole in a place where we can just take a flask and go walking across the hills."

Cynthia, 1995

Cynthia and Jim at home in Isle of Man, 1994

"We have no plans to marry - everything is just fine as it is. Jim is great. He's 47 years old - I'm 52 this year. It's a good working friendship, relationship and partnership, without  the need for marriage. We have a great life and lovely home."

Cynthia, 1991

"Yes, Jim and I have been together for 14 years and we're doing fine."

Cynthia, 1996

After Jim and Cynthia had their fill with Isle of Man, they moved to Normandy, France. Unfortunately, they were soon over: Jim broke up with Cynthia. Actually, she broke up with him! Rightfully so... Jim and Cynthia took in a woman whose parents were going through a well publicized scandal in England. Next thing Cynthia knows, at a party that she and Jim were hosting, Jim and this woman decided it was time to reveal their love affair and declared their love for each other! Cynthia was humiliated! It was bad enough to be humiliated in her own home when she caught John and Yoko together, but only two other people witnessed; this, I think, is much worst than what John did. There were definitely more than two people in this room. The party quickly left, Jim and this woman reassured Cynthia that they could still remain friends, but Cynthia, understandably, did not. She asked them to leave. Cynthia was devastated and Julian drove all night from his home in Italy to France to be there for his mother. It was her first time alone since her divorce from Roberto/relationship with John Twist in the mid-1970s until she started her relationship with Noel.

"It's wonderful. Life begins at whatever age is good for you, and 60 certainly seems as if it's going to be good for me. Eight months ago I found myself finally on my own, which may have been horrendous at the time, but has done me the greatest favour. To be alone but not lonely, to be unburdened by responsibilities, to have my own space - truly, it's the first time in my life I've felt such freedom. It's brilliant. I've never experienced it before because at 23, I had a baby - Julian - to look after, and I then cared for my mother when she had Alzheimer's disease. After that one marriage followed another - Roberto Bassanini being the best of the three, because the others were influenced too much by the Lennon legacy. So I never knew how good independence could be."

Cynthia 1999