Look Back In Anger (1957)
Author:
New Play:
Venue:
Location:
Staging:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
New Play:
Venue:
Location:
Staging:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
John Osborne
No
The Library Theatre
Large Lecture Room, Scarborough Library
Traverse
16 December 1957
16 December 1957
22 December 1957
No
The Library Theatre
Large Lecture Room, Scarborough Library
Traverse
16 December 1957
16 December 1957
22 December 1957
Director:
Stage Manager:
Asst. Stage Manager:
Stage Manager:
Asst. Stage Manager:
Rodney Wood
John Smith
Marlene Murray
John Smith
Marlene Murray
Character
Jimmy Porter
Cliff Lewis
Alison Porter
Helena Charles
Colonel Redfern
Jimmy Porter
Cliff Lewis
Alison Porter
Helena Charles
Colonel Redfern
Actor
Clive Goodwin
Brian Wallace
Prunella Saenger
Celia Hewitt
Rodney Wood
Clive Goodwin
Brian Wallace
Prunella Saenger
Celia Hewitt
Rodney Wood
Why is this play significant?
After the success of its first two summer seasons in 1955 and 1956, Stephen Joseph launched Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre's first winter season in 1957 after being convinced there was enough support from the local community to successfully run a winter season without the support of tourists. Osborne's famed and challenging play, which had premiered the previous year at the Royal Court, was chosen to launch the winter seasons.Notes
○ One of the most important aims of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre was to present new work by new writers. Whilst Look Back in Anger was not - obviously - not a world premiere for the company, Stephen Joseph recognised the significance of this play, premiered at the Royal Court in 1956 and felt it was important for Scarborough audiences to see a play which had come to public attention so quickly. This was one of the earliest revivals of the play coming just 18 months after its world premiere.
○ Whilst Stephen Joseph had some respect for what Look Back In Anger achieved and represented (essentially the play which launched the ‘angry young man’ trope in theatre), he did not necessarily think it was a great play as he wrote in 1958: “[Osborne’s The Entertainer] was not a good play, but then, come to think of it, nor was Look Back In Anger a good play. It is a measure of the inadequacy of most new plays that this one was so generally acclaimed.”
○ Stephen Joseph launched the inaugural winter season in 1957 and Look Back In Anger was one of the plays presented during this season. The winter seasons would run until 1961 and would then not be reinstated until 1974.
○ Due to the unavailability of the Concert Room used for the summer seasons, the first winter season had to be performed in the Large Lecture Room at Scarborough Library. Due to its limited space, Stephen Joseph had to create a traverse design meaning it was performed to two sides. All of the winter season of 1957/58 was presented in the Large Lecture Room before the winter seasons for 1958 - 1961 returned to the Concert Room. The Large Lecture Room was also used for the 974/75 and 975/76 winter seasons where Alan Ayckbourn arranged a three-sided configuration for the space.
○ Look Back In Anger was presented without an interval.
○ Whilst Stephen Joseph had some respect for what Look Back In Anger achieved and represented (essentially the play which launched the ‘angry young man’ trope in theatre), he did not necessarily think it was a great play as he wrote in 1958: “[Osborne’s The Entertainer] was not a good play, but then, come to think of it, nor was Look Back In Anger a good play. It is a measure of the inadequacy of most new plays that this one was so generally acclaimed.”
○ Stephen Joseph launched the inaugural winter season in 1957 and Look Back In Anger was one of the plays presented during this season. The winter seasons would run until 1961 and would then not be reinstated until 1974.
○ Due to the unavailability of the Concert Room used for the summer seasons, the first winter season had to be performed in the Large Lecture Room at Scarborough Library. Due to its limited space, Stephen Joseph had to create a traverse design meaning it was performed to two sides. All of the winter season of 1957/58 was presented in the Large Lecture Room before the winter seasons for 1958 - 1961 returned to the Concert Room. The Large Lecture Room was also used for the 974/75 and 975/76 winter seasons where Alan Ayckbourn arranged a three-sided configuration for the space.
○ Look Back In Anger was presented without an interval.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.