The Plays: Year-by-Year (1960)
This page contains productions details for all plays produced by Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, during 1960. All information on this page has been researched and compiled by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. from programmes, brochures and newspaper articles.Summer 1960
All plays were performed in-the-round in the Concert Room at Scarborough Library. The season ran from 15 June to 10 September 1960.'Prentice Pillar
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Ruth Dixon
No
15 June 1960
15 June 1960
22 June 1960
Stephen Joseph (TBC)
No
15 June 1960
15 June 1960
22 June 1960
Stephen Joseph (TBC)
Character
Dick
Essie
Prentice
Martha
Master Mason
The Tub
Dick
Essie
Prentice
Martha
Master Mason
The Tub
Actor
David Campton
Hazel Burt
Alan Ayckbourn
Anita Robinson
David Glover
Faynia Jeffery
David Campton
Hazel Burt
Alan Ayckbourn
Anita Robinson
David Glover
Faynia Jeffery
Wuthering Heights
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Jurneman Winch (Joan Winch)
No
23 June 1960
23 June 1960
31 August 1960
Julian Herington
No
23 June 1960
23 June 1960
31 August 1960
Julian Herington
Character
Joseph
Nellie
Robert Earnshaw
Heathcliff
Cathy
Edgar Linton
Joseph
Nellie
Robert Earnshaw
Heathcliff
Cathy
Edgar Linton
Actor
David Campton
Faynia Jeffery
Derrick Gilbert
Alan Ayckbourn
Hazel Anne Lee
David Glover
David Campton
Faynia Jeffery
Derrick Gilbert
Alan Ayckbourn
Hazel Anne Lee
David Glover
Love After All
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Roland Allen (Alan Ayckbourn)
No
30 June 1960
30 June 1960
3 August 1960
Julian Herington
No
30 June 1960
30 June 1960
3 August 1960
Julian Herington
Character
Walter Bagwell
Ida, his maid
Angela, his daughter
Peter Jones
Rupert Hodge
Undertaker
Lo Chin
Walter Bagwell
Ida, his maid
Angela, his daughter
Peter Jones
Rupert Hodge
Undertaker
Lo Chin
Actor
David Campton
Faynia Jeffery
Hazel Ann Lee
Alan Ayckbourn
David Glover
Derrick Gilbert
Derrick Gilbert
David Campton
Faynia Jeffery
Hazel Ann Lee
Alan Ayckbourn
David Glover
Derrick Gilbert
Derrick Gilbert
The Ark
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
James Saunders
No
21 July 1960
21 July 1960
17 August 1960
Stephen Joseph (TBC)
No
21 July 1960
21 July 1960
17 August 1960
Stephen Joseph (TBC)
Character
Noah
Ham
Shem
Shem's wife
Japheth
Japheth's wife
Noah
Ham
Shem
Shem's wife
Japheth
Japheth's wife
Actor
David Campton
Derrick Gilbert
David Glover
Hazel Anne Lee
Alan Ayckbourn
Faynia Jeffery
David Campton
Derrick Gilbert
David Glover
Hazel Anne Lee
Alan Ayckbourn
Faynia Jeffery
A View From The Brink
A View From The Brink was the name given to an evening of three short plays by David Campton. For full details of the individual plays, visit the pages for Out Of The Flying Pan, Soldier From The Wars Returning and Mutatis Mutandis.Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
David Campton
Yes
4 August 1960
4 August 1960
10 September 1960
Stephen Joseph
Yes
4 August 1960
4 August 1960
10 September 1960
Stephen Joseph
Actors
Alan Ayckbourn
David Campton
Derrick Gilbert
David Glover
Faynia Jeffrey
Hazel Ann Lee
Alan Ayckbourn
David Campton
Derrick Gilbert
David Glover
Faynia Jeffrey
Hazel Ann Lee
Plays
SWR
OFP
SWR
OFP / MM
SWR / MM
MM
SWR
OFP
SWR
OFP / MM
SWR / MM
MM
Winter 1960
The 1960 winter season was performed in-the-round at the Concert Room at Scarborough Library. The season ran from 12 to 31 December 1960. It was the shortest of the winter seasons at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre and consisted of only two productions.Five Finger Exercise
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Design:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Design:
Peter Shaffer
No
12 December 1960
12 December 1960
17 December 1960
Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph
No
12 December 1960
12 December 1960
17 December 1960
Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph
Character
Stanley Harrington
Louise Harrington
Clive
Pamela
Walter Langer
Stanley Harrington
Louise Harrington
Clive
Pamela
Walter Langer
Actor
Stanley Page
Hazel Burt
David Jarrett
Rosamund Dickson
Alan Ayckbourn
Stanley Page
Hazel Burt
David Jarrett
Rosamund Dickson
Alan Ayckbourn
Dad's Tale
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Choreographer:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Choreographer:
Roland Allen (Alan Ayckbourn)
Yes
19 December 1960
19 December 1960
31 December 1960
Clifford Williams
Gerard Bagley
Yes
19 December 1960
19 December 1960
31 December 1960
Clifford Williams
Gerard Bagley
Note: A co-production with Mimic Dance Theatre.
Character
Martin
Auntie
Dad
Jenny
Various roles
Removal Man / Policeman
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Martin
Auntie
Dad
Jenny
Various roles
Removal Man / Policeman
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Dancer
Actor
David Jarrett
Rosamund Dickson
Stanley Page
Hazel Burt
Alan Ayckbourn
Philip Clifford
Tonya Burcka
Brenda Elder
Frances Harper
Robert Horobin
Jennifer Wright
David Jarrett
Rosamund Dickson
Stanley Page
Hazel Burt
Alan Ayckbourn
Philip Clifford
Tonya Burcka
Brenda Elder
Frances Harper
Robert Horobin
Jennifer Wright
1960 Production Notes
○ A fascinating yet little know piece of the Library Theatre’s history is Harold Pinter made his directorial debut with the Studio Theatre company directing only the second professional production of his play The Birthday Party with Alan Ayckbourn playing Stanley.
○ Despite its significance as Pinter’s directorial debut, this production of The Birthday Party is often over-looked. It rehearsed in Scarborough in the Library' Concert Room during the 1958 winter season but was never performed in Scarborough. It was part of the company’s subsequent winter tour and performed for a week at Birmingham Theatre Centre from 12 - 17 January and for a week at the Vaughan College, Leicester, from 9 - 14 March.
○ Bell, Book & Candle was programmed to tie in with Scarborough's Dutch Week (of which, sadly, no other details are forthcoming in the programme) and was chosen because the author was of Dutch descent.
○ Bell, Book & Candle features a cat, Pyewacket, which is credited in the programme as "Joanna appears courtesy of Mr. Eric Mason."
○ Alas, Poor Fred and Halfway to Heaven were presented in a double bill, although this was not the original intention nor how it was originally advertised. After Stephen Joseph made extensive cuts to Alas, Poor Fred, substantially reducing its running time, a second play - Halfway to Heaven - was added to the evening.
○ The Square Cat was Alan Ayckbourn's first full-length, commissioned play. It was written under the pseudonym of Roland Allen - misspelt in the programme as Roland Allan.
○ Frankenstein was originally intended to run for three weeks in repertory. However, the final week (27 August - 2 September) was replaced by Alan Ayckbourn's The Square Cat due to the popularity of the latter.
○ The role of The Creature in Frankenstein was uncredited in the programme, but was actually played by the company's Artistic Director Stephen Joseph.
○ Colin Wilson, who wrote Viennese Interlude, was - at the time - a noted author due to the success of his philosophical book, The Outsider. Although he had written several plays previously, this was his first to be produced. The company's Artistic Director Stephen Joseph believed an association with Wilson would provide good publicity and a higher profile, particularly if presented in London.
○ The original programme for Viennese Interlude credits Alan Ayckbourn in the part of the waiter Franz. However, the role was actually played by Paul Levy due to Alan Ayckbourn being called up for (a short-lived) National Service. He would later play the role in London in March 1960.
○ Miss Julia is not a spelling error. All advertising, press notices and characters names reflected the title as Peter Watts translation of the play was originally published as Miss Julia, before being later altered to Miss Julie.
○ Love After All was written by Alan Ayckbourn with the intention he would play the lead role. However he was called up for (a short-lived) National Service and was unable to take on the role. He would later perform it in a revival of the play in Scarborough in 1960.
○ The majority of productions in 1960 were performed without an interval.
○ Despite its significance as Pinter’s directorial debut, this production of The Birthday Party is often over-looked. It rehearsed in Scarborough in the Library' Concert Room during the 1958 winter season but was never performed in Scarborough. It was part of the company’s subsequent winter tour and performed for a week at Birmingham Theatre Centre from 12 - 17 January and for a week at the Vaughan College, Leicester, from 9 - 14 March.
○ Bell, Book & Candle was programmed to tie in with Scarborough's Dutch Week (of which, sadly, no other details are forthcoming in the programme) and was chosen because the author was of Dutch descent.
○ Bell, Book & Candle features a cat, Pyewacket, which is credited in the programme as "Joanna appears courtesy of Mr. Eric Mason."
○ Alas, Poor Fred and Halfway to Heaven were presented in a double bill, although this was not the original intention nor how it was originally advertised. After Stephen Joseph made extensive cuts to Alas, Poor Fred, substantially reducing its running time, a second play - Halfway to Heaven - was added to the evening.
○ The Square Cat was Alan Ayckbourn's first full-length, commissioned play. It was written under the pseudonym of Roland Allen - misspelt in the programme as Roland Allan.
○ Frankenstein was originally intended to run for three weeks in repertory. However, the final week (27 August - 2 September) was replaced by Alan Ayckbourn's The Square Cat due to the popularity of the latter.
○ The role of The Creature in Frankenstein was uncredited in the programme, but was actually played by the company's Artistic Director Stephen Joseph.
○ Colin Wilson, who wrote Viennese Interlude, was - at the time - a noted author due to the success of his philosophical book, The Outsider. Although he had written several plays previously, this was his first to be produced. The company's Artistic Director Stephen Joseph believed an association with Wilson would provide good publicity and a higher profile, particularly if presented in London.
○ The original programme for Viennese Interlude credits Alan Ayckbourn in the part of the waiter Franz. However, the role was actually played by Paul Levy due to Alan Ayckbourn being called up for (a short-lived) National Service. He would later play the role in London in March 1960.
○ Miss Julia is not a spelling error. All advertising, press notices and characters names reflected the title as Peter Watts translation of the play was originally published as Miss Julia, before being later altered to Miss Julie.
○ Love After All was written by Alan Ayckbourn with the intention he would play the lead role. However he was called up for (a short-lived) National Service and was unable to take on the role. He would later perform it in a revival of the play in Scarborough in 1960.
○ The majority of productions in 1960 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).