The Buildings

From this page, discover the history of the Scarborough buildings which have housed the town's three theatre in the round venues as well as brief notes on other notable locations in the town.
◦ Scarborough Library: The home of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre where Stephen Joseph founded the UK's first professional theatre in the round company. Performances took places in the Concert Room - and occasionally the smaller Lecture Room - from 1955 to 1976. Click on the link below to find out more about the history of the Scarborough Library on Vernon Road. The library is also home to an extensive collection of archival material relating to Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre.

◦ Westwood: The home of Theatre in the Round at Westwood - later renamed the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round - from 1976 to 1996. The building was initially the town's Municipal School before several other schools occupied the space. The Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round occupied the ground floor of the building. Click on the link below to find out more about the history of the former Municipal School at Westwood.

◦ The Odeon Cinema: The current home of the Stephen Joseph Theatre since 1996 is the town's former Odeon cinema. The derelict building underwent a £5.2m conversion into a purpose-built theatre space during the early 1990s and still serves as the company's home. Click on the link below to find out more about the history of the former Municipal School at Westwood.

Other Buildings and Areas of Note Relating to Theatre in the Round

◦ Scarborough Art Gallery: Part of Scarborough Museums & Galleries and located in The Crescent, which includes Woodend next door, home to the town's museum collection and former home of the Sitwell family.
This is also home to The Ayckbourn Collection, a collection of material relating to Alan Ayckbourn, Stephen Joseph and theatre in the round, donated by the playwright and his archivist, Simon Murgatroyd.

◦ St Thomas's Church: A former church on Sandgate in the old town which was all but confirmed to be the second home of the theatre in the round company in 1975. Bought by the company, it was used as a rehearsal space and workshop during the mid 1970s.

◦ Longwestgate: A street in the old town where Stephen Joseph, founder of theatre in the round in Scarborough, lived for the majority of his 12 years in Scarborough and where he died in 1967. The building was left to his house-keeper who later sold it to Stephen's protégé, Alan Ayckbourn.

All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without permission.