The Complete Plays: The Unproduced Works
The Unproduced Works - The Plays That Got Away
It's fair to say that over the decades, the Stephen Joseph Theatre and its predecessor venues have looked at, worked with and commissioned hundreds of new plays. Whilst the company has an enviable record of producing new commissions since its foundation in 1955, there are some plays which fell at the very last hurdle and had a brief moment in the spotlight before being lost.Within this website, the Plays section includes details of those few new plays which were advertised either in the theatre's brochures or were officially announced to the press and reported but were never actually produced.
As it stands, these plays are considered to be Necessary Doubt by Colin Wilson (1963), A Legendary Man by David Bramley, an untitled children’s play by Alfred Bradley (1969), Up To The Eyes by Peter King (1975), Sight Unseen by Alan Ayckbourn (1980), Wonderland by Stephen Mallatratt (1987), State Of The Union by Peter Tinniswood (1988) and Private Fears In Public Places by Alan Ayckbourn (1994).
Given the plays were not produced - possibly not even written in several cases - what is the significance of this?
Future researchers looking at the history of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre (1955 - 1976) and the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round (1976 - 1995) are very likely to come across these plays, particularly those advertised in the theatre's brochures and mentioned in the schedules. Out of context, it would be too easy to presume these plays were produced as intended and part of the aim of this website is to clarify issues such as this: what was actually produced and when they were produced - it is surprising how many times production schedules actually deviated from officially announced schedules over the years.
The listing of the plays performed between 1955 and 1995 on this website is the most accurate to have yet been produced and cross-references brochures, schedules, listings and contemporary press cuttings to provide as accurate a picture as possible of the production history of the theatre in the round in Scarborough between 1955 and 1995.
Article by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.
Unproduced Plays
Click on a play title to find out more about advertised plays which were never produced.1960s
Necessary DoubtColin Wilson, 1963
A Legendary Man
David Bramley, 1969
Untitled children's play
Alfred Bradley, 1969
1980s
Sight UnseenAlan Ayckbourn, 1980
Wonderland
Stephen Mallatratt, 1987
State Of The Union
Peter Tinniswood, 1988
All research for the unproduced plays is by Simon Murgatroyd. Please do no reproduce without crediting Simon Murgatroyd this website.