Idol in the Sky (1956)

Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
David Campton
Yes

Library Theatre
Concert Room, Scarborough Library
Round

2 August 1956
2 August 1956
7 September 1956

Stephen Joseph
Stage Manager:
Asst. Stage Manager:

Character
Joyce Hewitt
Alan
Fossie
Wing Commander Dorning
Leonard Hewitt
Christine
Hubert Raeburn-Smith
Margaret Tabor
James Wootton

Actor
Margaret Rubel
John Rees
Betty Cardno
Harry Hancock
Peter Bridgmont
Shirley Jacobs
Walter Hall

Why is this play significant?

Intriguingly, although Idol in the Sky is credited to the company's first resident playwright David Campton, it was originally written by the company's founder Stephen Joseph. He originally wrote the play What Would Mildred Have Said? According to Stephen Joseph's archive in the Roland's Library at the University of Manchester, David Campton then re-arranged the play and it was presented as a new play by David during the 1956 season. However, to all intents and purposes, this is the only play which Stephen Joseph wrote - or had a hand in - which was produced by the Scarborough company.

Notes

○ Although credited to David Campton in the programme for the production, notes in the Stephen Joseph Papers held at the University Of Manchester indicate the play was originally written by Stephen Joseph under the title What Would Mildred Have Said? The archive makes note the play was re-arranged by David Campton for the Library Theatre.
○ David Campton was the Library Theatre's first writer-in-residence and met Stephen Joseph as a participant in one of his playwriting courses held at the Central School Of Speech And Drama, London, prior to the Library Theatre opening in 1955.
○ Idol In The Sky was performed without an interval.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.