The Plays: Year-by-Year (1956)

This page contains productions details for all plays produced by Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, during 1956. All information on this page has been researched and compiled by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. from programmes, brochures and newspaper articles.

Summer 1956

All plays performed in-the-round in the Concert Room at Scarborough Library. The season ran from 12 July to 7 September 1956.

Father Matthew

Author:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
Aubrey Colin
Yes

12 July 1956
12 July 1956
15 August 1956

David de Keyser
Character
Joan Adamson
Ann, her daughter
Clive, her son
Robert Loudon
Doreen, his wife
Mrs Charworth
Matthew Adamson
Paul Christy
Actor
Betty Cardno
Shirley Jacobs
Peter Bridgmont
Walter Hall
Joan Cibber
Margaret Rubel
Harry Hancock
John Rees

Triple Bill: The Disguises of Arlecchino

Author:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
Clifford Williams
Yes

19 July 1956
19 July 1956
22 August 1956

Clifford Williams
Character
Pantalone, a miser
Arlecchino, his servant
Clarice, an ugly widow
Columbina, her maid
Actor
Harry Hancock
Peter Bridgmont
Margaret Rubel
Shirley Jacobs
Note: The Disguises pf Arlecchino, Call The Selkie Home and Office of Information were presented as a triple-bill.

Triple Bill: Call The Selkie Home

Author:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
Eleanor D Glaser
Yes

19 July 1956
19 July 1956
22 August 1956

Clifford Williams
Character
Brigid Polwheel
Gideon Polwheel
Lorntie
Nancy Treppis
District Nurse
Actor
Betty Cardno
Walter Hall
Shirley Jacobs
Joan Cibber
Margaret Rubel
Note: The Disguises pf Arlecchino, Call The Selkie Home and Office of Information were presented as a triple-bill.

Triple Bill: Office of Information

Author:
Translation:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Jean Tardieu
Jonathan Vickers
No

19 July 1956
19 July 1956
22 August 1956
Director:

Character
Official
Client
Harry Hancock

Actor
John Rees
Walter Hall
Note: The Disguises pf Arlecchino, Call The Selkie Home and Office of Information were presented as a triple-bill.

Wuthering Heights

Author:
Adaptation:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
Jurneman Winch (Joan Winch)
Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights
Yes

L26 July 1956
26 July 1956
29 August 1956

Stephen Joseph
Character
Joseph
Nellie
Earnshaw
Heathcliff
Catherine
Edgar Linton
Actor
Harry Hancock
Berry Cardno
Walter Hall
John Rees
Shirley Jacobs
Peter Bridgmont

Idol In The Sky

Author:
New Play:

First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:

Director:
David Campton
Yes

2 August 1956
2 August 1956
7 September 1956

Stephen Joseph
Character
Joyce Hewitt
Alan
Fossie
Wing Commander Dorning
Leonard Hewitt
Christine
Hubert Raeburn-Smith
Actor
Margaret Rubel
John Rees
Betty Cardno
Harry Hancock
Peter Bridgmont
Shirley Jacobs
Walter Hall

1956 Production Notes

○ Father Matthew actually had its first performance in London on 8 July 1956. The company performed it as part of Stephen Joseph's weekly Studio Theatre Club performances at the Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall in Fitzroy Square, London. However, this is regarded as a preview performance with the play's actual opening being considered as during the same week at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough.
○ The triple bill of The Disguises Of Arlecchino, Office Of Information and Call The Selkie Home were presented as Three One Act Plays. The evening was originally advertised as a double-bill with Office Of Information being a late addition to the programme.
○ Wuthering Heights was the first adaptation of an existing work to be presented at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre - Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights. In 1960, Wuthering Heights would be revived with Alan Ayckbourn playing the role of Heathcliff.
○ Although Idol In The Sky is credited to David Campton in the programme, 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 notes the play was re-arranged by David Campton for Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre.
○ The Director of Productions (Artistic Director) for the 1956 season is credited as Milos Volkanis in the Idol in the Sky programme (but nowhere else) with Stephen Joseph credited as Manager. This is slightly unusual as there is no record of what Milos Volkanis did during the season as he directed no plays and the choice of plays is generally credited to Stephen Joseph.
○ All productions in the season 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).