Ring Of Roses (1958)

Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
David Campton
Yes

Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre
Concert Room, Scarborough Library
Staging

22 December 1958
22 December 1958
27 December 1958
Director:

Stage Manager:
Stephen Joseph

Ann Hughesdon
Character
Stacey
Fred
Mum
Eric
Brewster
Milkman
Actor
Faynia Jeffery
David Sutton
Dona Martyn
Alan Ayckbourn
Rodney Wood
Harold Goodwin

Why is this play significant?

Notorious might be a better word than significant! Ring of Roses was the play which inspired Alan Ayckbourn to complain about the quality of his roles to Stephen Joseph. He, in return, threw down the gauntlet for Alan to write a better play, which he would produce if it was of good enough quality. Alan wrote The Square Cat, which Stephen produced the next year.

Notes

○ Ring Of Roses is listed as a significant play not so much for its quality - which is debatable - but for its historical significance and what it led to…
○ Ring Of Roses is the play which Alan Ayckbourn took offence at his role in, leading him to complain to Stephen Joseph about the quality of his roles with the company. As a result of this, Stephen challenged Alan to write his first play, The Square Cat. For many years, Alan named the offending play as Bell, Book & Candle so as not to offend his friend, David Campton.
○ Ring Of Roses was presented as part of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre's 1958 winter season which also included Martine and Squaring The Circle.
○ David Campton was Theatre in the Round at 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.
○ Ring Of Roses was presented without an interval.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.