The Complete Plays: 1958 Overview
This page contains details about the 1958 season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough. For details about individual plays, click on the play titles below.All information on this page has been researched and compiled by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. from programmes, brochures and newspaper articles.
Spring / Summer 1958
All plays were performed in-the-round in the Concert Room on the first floor of Scarborough Library. The season ran from 19 June to 12 September 1958, preceded by the Studio Theatre Ltd tour of Phedre which visited The Library Theatre from 17 - 22 March. The summer season plays were performed in rep with a change of programme on Thursdays.Advertised Programme
○ Who Cares?
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Who Cares?
○ Captain Carvallo
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Love & Chance
○ Captain Carvallo
○ A Sense of Loss
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Captain Carvallo
○ Love & Chance (Double Bill)
○ A Sense of Loss
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Who Cares?
○ Captain Carvallo
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Love & Chance
○ Captain Carvallo
○ A Sense of Loss
○ Dial M For Murder
○ Captain Carvallo
○ Love & Chance (Double Bill)
○ A Sense of Loss
○ Dial M For Murder
19 - 25 June
26 June - 2 July
3 - 9 July
10 - 16 July
17 - 23 July
24 - 30 July
31 July - 6 August
7 - 13 August
14 - 20 August
21 - 26 August
27 August - 3 September
4 - 10 September
11 - 12 September
26 June - 2 July
3 - 9 July
10 - 16 July
17 - 23 July
24 - 30 July
31 July - 6 August
7 - 13 August
14 - 20 August
21 - 26 August
27 August - 3 September
4 - 10 September
11 - 12 September
Actual Programme / Alterations
○ Brochures held in archive only list details of productions until the 21 August. The rest of the season has been reconstructed from advertising, newspaper articles and programmes by Simon Murgatroyd M.A.
○ The double bill consisted of Marivaux's Love & Chance and Pirandello's The Man With A Flower in his Mouth. It was not advertised as a double-bill as it was only when Stephen Joseph replied Love & Chance only ran to 70 minutes that a second play was added to the evening.
○ Love & Chance was initially advertised under the title Love & Hazard.
○ The double bill consisted of Marivaux's Love & Chance and Pirandello's The Man With A Flower in his Mouth. It was not advertised as a double-bill as it was only when Stephen Joseph replied Love & Chance only ran to 70 minutes that a second play was added to the evening.
○ Love & Chance was initially advertised under the title Love & Hazard.
17 - 22 March
Creatives
Stephen Joseph (Artistic Director)Rodney Wood (Director)
J.W. James (Writer)
Actors
Alan AyckbournIan Curteis
Pauline Devaney
Robert Fyfe
Actors
Christine RolandDavid Sutton
Rodney Wood
Other Staff
Rodney Wood (Theatre Manager)Alan Ayckbourn (Stage Manager)
John Smith (Stage Director)
Christine Roland (ASM)
Ken Boden (Local Secretary)
Margaret Boden (Box Office)
Veronica Pemberton-Billing (Catering)
Winter 1958 / 1959
All plays were performed in-the-round in the Concert Room on the first floor of Scarborough Library. The season ran from 15 December 1958 - 3 January 1959. The winter season plays were performed consecutively - not in rep - with a change of programme on Mondays.Advertised Programme
15 - 21 December
22 - 28 December
29 December - 3 January
22 - 28 December
29 December - 3 January
Actual Programme / Alterations
There was no performance on Christmas Day with two performances each on Boxing Day and Saturday 27 December.
Creatives
Stephen Joseph (Artistic Director)Rodney Wood (Director)
David Campton (Writer)
Actors
Alan AyckbournHarold Goodwin
Faynia Jeffery
Dona Martyn
Actors
Ann SummersDavid Sutton
Rodney Wood
Other Staff
Rodney Wood (Theatre Manager)Ann Hughesdon (Stage Manager)
Ann Summers (ASM)
Ken Boden (Local Secretary)
Margaret Boden (Box Office)
Veronica Pemberton-Billing (Catering)
1958 Production Notes
○ Phedre was - essentially - an experiment by Stephen Joseph to take an in-the-round production on tour with a star name; in this case Margaret Rawlings. It toured to London, Leicester, Birmingham and Scarborough during spring 1958.
○ The production of Who Cares? was first seen by the public on 13 June 1958 when, prior to it opening in Scarborough, an open rehearsal was held in the Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, under the auspices of the Studio Theatre Club - this marked the final event held by the 'club'.
○ Love & Chance was not originally intended to be presented as part of a double-bill and was advertised as just one play. However, when it was realised the running time was just 70 minutes, a decision to add a second play - The Man With A Flower in his Mouth - for the evening was made.
○ A Sense Of Loss was the only new play of the summer 1958 season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough.
○ 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 (1959). For many years, Alan named the offending play as Bell, Book & Candle (1959) so as not to offend his friend, David Campton.
○ The Squaring The Circle programme makes mention of the fact Harold Pinter was rehearsing his play The Birthday Party at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre as part of Studio Theatre Ltd’s winter tour.
○ The majority of productions in 1958 were performed without an interval.
○ The production of Who Cares? was first seen by the public on 13 June 1958 when, prior to it opening in Scarborough, an open rehearsal was held in the Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, under the auspices of the Studio Theatre Club - this marked the final event held by the 'club'.
○ Love & Chance was not originally intended to be presented as part of a double-bill and was advertised as just one play. However, when it was realised the running time was just 70 minutes, a decision to add a second play - The Man With A Flower in his Mouth - for the evening was made.
○ A Sense Of Loss was the only new play of the summer 1958 season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough.
○ 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 (1959). For many years, Alan named the offending play as Bell, Book & Candle (1959) so as not to offend his friend, David Campton.
○ The Squaring The Circle programme makes mention of the fact Harold Pinter was rehearsing his play The Birthday Party at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre as part of Studio Theatre Ltd’s winter tour.
○ The majority of productions in 1958 were performed without an interval.
All information for this page has been researched and compiled by Simon Murgatroyd and should not be reproduced without permission. Any approved reproduction of information from this page should always credit 'A Round Town (www.theatre-in-the-round.co.uk).