Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre: 1954
This page contains a more detailed guide to significant events concerning Scarborough's Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre in 1954.1954
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Whilst most written evidence points to the fact Stephen Joseph did not engage in any meaningful way with the town before 1955, there has long been an oral tradition that Stephen made initial contact with figures in the town's theatrical community in 1954, prior to making more deliberate moves to establish theatre in the round the following year.
Indeed, there are several contradictory eye-witness stories of how and when Stephen Joseph first arrived in Scarborough, told by Stephen, Alan Ayckbourn, Ken and Margaret Boden as well as the widow of Scarborough Director of Public Libraries and the family of his successor. None truly corroborate with the others making it very difficult to ascertain the accuracy of any. This is further compounded by the fact that the earliest correspondence between Stephen and Scarborough Library does not begin until February 1955 and the earliest held efinitive dated visit to Scarborough is 12 March 1955.
However, whilst there is no way to establish a definitive or accurate timeline or account of Stephen's initial visit to Scarborough, we can make certain observations with varying degrees of confidence. We know Stephen visited Scarborough in August 1954 when he was lecturing at a summer school held at the North Riding Training College, on Filey Road. We also know - with a fair degree of confidence - he was also in Scarborough over the New Year at Wrea Head, in Scalby near Scarborough, for a weekend course called The Exemplary Theatre. Both were organised by his friend John Wood and it is likely one of these events led to the circumstances described by Stephen in his book, Theatre in the Round.
"For several years John Wood, education officer for the North Riding Education Committee, had asked me to take part in weekend courses and summer schools in Yorkshire, and it was on a weekend course in acting at Wrea Head that he challenged me to put theatre in the round to the test of professional performance to the public. I told him of the difficulties in finding a central hall, in London. So he took me to see the Concert Room in the Central Library at Scarborough; and after a friendly and helpful talk with W.H. Smettem, the librarian, our first booking was made."
(Theatre in the Round by Stephen Joseph)
That Stephen visited Scarborough prior to 1955 is also given credence in his second letter to William Smettem on 23 February 1955 in which he notes: "I should like to take another look at the Concert Room" implying he had visited it previously.
Due to the conjecture and unresolved timeline, some of the events listed below may not have taken place in 1954; however we can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that Stephen visited Scarborough Library with John Woods in 1954, planting the seed for all that was to follow.
1954
- 14 - 26 August: Residential summer school at North Riding Training College, Filey Road, in which Stephen was lecturing on drama.
- August: John Wood - Education Officer for the North Riding Education Committee - takes Stephen to the Concert Room at Scarborough Library to assess its potential (conjecture - this may have happened at the end of the year).
- August: Stephen potentially meets William Smettem, Director of Scarborough Libraries, Museums and Art Gallery (conjecture - this may have happened at the end of the year).
- August: Stephen potentially meets Ken Boden, a leading figure in Scarborough's amateur community who will go on to play a pivotal role in their in the round in the town for the next three decades (conjecture - this may have happened at the end of the year).
- 30 December - 2 January (1955): Stephen Joseph leads a weekend course at the Wrea Head, Scalby, called The Exemplary Theatre. This may have afforded an alternative opportunity to August to visit Scarborough.
Article by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce this article without permission of the copyright holder.