Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round: 1980

This page contains a more detailed guide to significant events concerning Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round in 1980.

1980

  • Improvements to the venue - including air-conditioning - are completed at a reported cost of £104,065.
  • The Library Theatre launched in 1955 with unreserved seating; perhaps surprisingly 25 years on there is still a remnant of this with each performance in 1980 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round having 213 reserved seats and 90 unreserved seats at the back of the auditorium.
  • Robin Herford is appointed Associate Director of the company.
  • 16 January: Photocall, an exhibition of the photographs of the renowned theatre photographer Nobby Clark presented by The Observer, runs at the theatre until 9 February.
  • 17 January: World premiere of Alan Ayckbourn and Paul Todd's musical Suburban Strains; the production sees a double revolve installed into the auditorium.
  • May: Due to Alan Ayckbourn's commitments to the National Theatre's production of Sisterly Feelings, rehearsals for the first show of the season - Time & The Conways - take place in London.
  • 4 June: The Summer season opens with Time & The Conways by J.B. Priestley.
  • June: The largest exhibition yet mounted by the theatre sees a retrospective of costumes from previous productions includes designs, photographs and actual costumes.
  • 24 September: The advertised opening date of Alan Ayckbourn's Sight Unseen; a thriller which is never written and replaced at short notice by Season's Greetings.
  • 25 September: The Autumn / Winter season opens with the world premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's Season's Greetings.
  • 13 October: Season's Greetings tours to The Round House, London, for a month long residency; this marks the first time the Scarborough company has performed in London.
  • 6 November: A production of The Importance Of Being Earnest marks the first play by Oscar Wilde to be staged by the company.
  • 10 December: The company's production of Clouds marks the first play by Michael Frayn to be performed by the company.
  • 14 December: Tim Brierley and Catherine Bennett from the RSC visit the theatre with the show See The Village Wait.
  • A plaque reading: "To the memory of Stephen Joseph (1921 - 1967) Theatre pioneer and founder of Scarborough Theatre In The Round 1955" is hung at the entrance to the theatre.
Article by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce this article without permission of the copyright holder.