The Studio Theatre Club
When Stephen Joseph formed Studio Theatre Ltd with the intent of promoting new writing and theatre-in-the-round, it was always his hope he would be able to find a suitable base in London for his company.
However, this proved impractical due to the expense and lack of suitable venue, which led Stephen to set up his first company in Scarborough with Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre. This was never intended as a long-term base though and Stephen was continually looking for a permanent home with an eye on London. Towards this end, he formed the Studio Theatre Club in 1955 which would perform in London on Sundays with the Scarborough company. The club was designed to promote some of the new writing Stephen was presenting in Scarborough and to draw attention to the company.
"The company will go to London and present the play [Turn Right At The Crossroads] for a single performance on Sunday 11 September. This Sunday show will be the first in a series to be presented in the Studio Theatre Club in London."
Stephen Joseph, programme note for Turn Right At The Crossroads at the Library Theatre
In 1957, the then actor / stage manager Alan Ayckbourn first experienced theatre-in-the-round and the Studio Theatre at its London performance of Sartre's Huis Clois; it would have a profound impact on his life.
According to contemporary reports, Stephen set up a registered office for Studio Theatre Ltd in order to run the Studio Theatre Club in Yeoman's Row, Brompton, at the home of the architect Stephen Garrett - who worked with Stephen before becoming famous as the designer and director of the Getty Museum in Malibu. Rehearsals apparently took place above a public house in Bower Street, Soho.
Examples of documents associated with the Studio Theatre Club case be found by clicking here.
This is a list of known productions of the Studio Theatre Club during its three years of existence from 1 September 1955 to 7 December 1957. All performances took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall, 41 Fitzroy Square, W1, London, except where noted.
However, this proved impractical due to the expense and lack of suitable venue, which led Stephen to set up his first company in Scarborough with Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre. This was never intended as a long-term base though and Stephen was continually looking for a permanent home with an eye on London. Towards this end, he formed the Studio Theatre Club in 1955 which would perform in London on Sundays with the Scarborough company. The club was designed to promote some of the new writing Stephen was presenting in Scarborough and to draw attention to the company.
"The company will go to London and present the play [Turn Right At The Crossroads] for a single performance on Sunday 11 September. This Sunday show will be the first in a series to be presented in the Studio Theatre Club in London."
Stephen Joseph, programme note for Turn Right At The Crossroads at the Library Theatre
In 1957, the then actor / stage manager Alan Ayckbourn first experienced theatre-in-the-round and the Studio Theatre at its London performance of Sartre's Huis Clois; it would have a profound impact on his life.
According to contemporary reports, Stephen set up a registered office for Studio Theatre Ltd in order to run the Studio Theatre Club in Yeoman's Row, Brompton, at the home of the architect Stephen Garrett - who worked with Stephen before becoming famous as the designer and director of the Getty Museum in Malibu. Rehearsals apparently took place above a public house in Bower Street, Soho.
Examples of documents associated with the Studio Theatre Club case be found by clicking here.
This is a list of known productions of the Studio Theatre Club during its three years of existence from 1 September 1955 to 7 December 1957. All performances took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall, 41 Fitzroy Square, W1, London, except where noted.
Play
1955Turn Right At The Crossroads
Dragons Are Dangerous
Three Disturbing Meetings comprising:
…..The Fool
…..Bellavita
…..The Man With A Flower In His Mouth
1956
Three Disturbing Meetings comprising:
…..The Fool
…..Bellavita
…..The Man With A Flower In His Mouth
Hello, Out There
The Beautiful People
We Are For The Dark
We Are For The Dark
Pyramus & Thisbe
The Saloon
The Love Of Don Perlimpen & Belisa In The Garden
The Disguises of Arlecchino
Burning Bright
The Apollo Of Bellac
Office Of Information
Father Matthew
Idol In The Sky
Wuthering Heights
The Last Of The Wine
White Nights
The Bear
1957
Paradise Street
Huis Clois
Frankel
An Inspector Calls
Huis Clos
Four Plays Of Adventure comprising:
…..Professor Taranne
…..A Smell Of Burning
…..A Werry Pretty Garden
…..Memento Mori
Masses And Men
The Awakening
The Illusionists
Honey In The Stone*
The Ornamental Hermit*
Phèdre
Phèdre
The Lunatic View*
1958
Phèdre**
Who Cares?***
Playwright
Jurneman (Joan) Winch
David Campton
Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello
William Saroyan
William Saroyan
Margaret Turner
Margaret Turner
Henry James
Henry James
Frederico Garcia Lorca
Clifford Williams
Jean Giraudoux
Jean Tardieu
Pierre Marivaux
Aubrey Collins
David Campton
Jurneman (Joan) Winch
Robert Bolt
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Anton Chehov
Antony Brown
Jean Paul Sartre
Antonio Callado
J.B. Priestley
Jean Paul Sartre
Arthur Adamov
David Campton
Geoffrey Stephenson
David Campton
Ernest Toller
Ron Hartley
Morris West
Ruth Dixon
Catherine Prynne
Racine
Racine
David Campton
Racine
Leo Lehman
Director
Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Graham Evans
Graham Evans
Gerard Glaister
Gerard Glaister
Gerard Glaister
David de Kayser
Clifford Williams
Adrian Stanley
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
Minos Volankis
David de Keyser
Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph
Roger Jenkins
Hana Pravda
Hana Pravda
Clive Goodwin
David de Keyser
Teresa Collard
Hugh Monro
David de Keyser
Geoffrey Stephenson
Geoffrey Stephenson
Geoffrey Stephenson
Geoffrey Stephenson
Richard Pilbrow
Robert Palmer
Leila Blake
Clive Goodwin
Rodney Wood
Campbell Allan
Campbell Allan
Stephen Joseph
Campbell Allan
Unknown
Date
1 Sept 1955
9 Oct 1955
20 Nov 1955
20 Nov 1955
20 Nov 1955
22 Jan 1956
22 Jan 1956
22 Jan 1956
12 Feb 1956
12 Feb 1956
26 Feb 1956
4 Mar 1956
25 Mar 1956
25 Mar 1956
20 May 1956
20 May 1956
27 May 1956
10 Jun 1956
10 Jun 1956
8 Jul 1956
9 Sept 1956
7 Oct 1956
4 Nov 1956
25 Nov 1956
25 Nov 1956
20 Jan 1957
3 Feb 1957
17 Mat 1957
7 Apr 1957
14 Apr 1957
5 May 1957
5 May 1957
5 May 1957
5 May 1957
19 May 1957
2 Jun 1957
16 Jun 1957
9 Sep 1957
15 Sep 1957
10 Nov 1957
17 Nov 1957
25 Nov 1957
17 Feb 1958
13 June 1958
* Whilst all previous productions for the Studio Theatre Club had been one day only, these productions marked Stephen Joseph's final attempts to attract interest in the round and he ran them for an extended period: Honey In The Stone ran from 9 - 14 September; The Ornamental Hermit from 15 - 21 September; The Lunatic View from 25 November - 7 December.
** Phèdre was not a Studio Theatre Club performance but the start of a national tour by Studio Theatre Ltd. It is included here as it took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall running from 17 February - 1 March 1958. It was the most successful production by Studio Theatre Ltd in London.
*** Although the Studio Theatre Club's professional performances ended on 7 December 1957 with The Lunatic View, there was a post-script. On 13 June 1958, an open rehearsal of Who Cares? by Leo Lehman took place at the Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, under the auspices of the Studio Theatre Club. The rehearsal took place just prior to the production opening the summer season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre's Scarborough, on 19 June 1958. The reason for the location was that half the company, including Stephen Joseph, lived in Chelsea at that point.
** Phèdre was not a Studio Theatre Club performance but the start of a national tour by Studio Theatre Ltd. It is included here as it took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall running from 17 February - 1 March 1958. It was the most successful production by Studio Theatre Ltd in London.
*** Although the Studio Theatre Club's professional performances ended on 7 December 1957 with The Lunatic View, there was a post-script. On 13 June 1958, an open rehearsal of Who Cares? by Leo Lehman took place at the Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, under the auspices of the Studio Theatre Club. The rehearsal took place just prior to the production opening the summer season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre's Scarborough, on 19 June 1958. The reason for the location was that half the company, including Stephen Joseph, lived in Chelsea at that point.
All research by Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without permission.