The Plays: Year-by-Year (1962)
This page contains productions details for all plays produced by Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, during 1962. All information on this page has been researched and compiled by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. from programmes, brochures and newspaper articles.Summer 1962
All plays were performed in-the-round in the Concert Room at Scarborough Library. The season ran from 12 June to 9 September 1962.A Thief in Time
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Joan Macalpine
Yes
12 June 1962
12 June 1962
12 September 1962
Alan Ayckbourn
Yes
12 June 1962
12 June 1962
12 September 1962
Alan Ayckbourn
Character
Mr Timmins
Mrs Timmins
Mr Lidgett
Dr Elyot
Sarah Wilson
Squintle
Policeman
Mr Timmins
Mrs Timmins
Mr Lidgett
Dr Elyot
Sarah Wilson
Squintle
Policeman
Actor
Stanley Page
Marie Adams
Peter King
Richard Gill
Elizabeth Bell
David Wehner
Arnold Beck
Stanley Page
Marie Adams
Peter King
Richard Gill
Elizabeth Bell
David Wehner
Arnold Beck
The Man of Destiny
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
George Bernard Shaw
No
21 June 1962
21 June 1962
15 August 1962
Peter Cheeseman
No
21 June 1962
21 June 1962
15 August 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Character
Napoleon
Giuseppe
Lieutenant
Strange Lady
Napoleon
Giuseppe
Lieutenant
Strange Lady
Actor
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Note: The Man of Destiny was performed in a double-bill with O'Flaherty V.C..
O'Flaherty V.C.
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
George Bernard Shaw
No
21 June 1962
21 June 1962
15 August 1962
Peter Cheeseman
No
21 June 1962
21 June 1962
15 August 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Character
Private O'Flaherty V.C.
General Sir Pearce Madigan
Mrs O'Flaherty
Teresa Driscoll
Private O'Flaherty V.C.
General Sir Pearce Madigan
Mrs O'Flaherty
Teresa Driscoll
Actor
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Elizabeth Bell
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Elizabeth Bell
Note: O'Flaherty V.C. was performed in a double-bill with The Man of Destiny.
Usher
Author:
Adaptation:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Adaptation:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
David Campton
Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher
Yes
28 June 1962
28 June 1962
29 August 1962
David Campton
Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher
Yes
28 June 1962
28 June 1962
29 August 1962
David Campton
Character
Roderick Usher
Madeline Usher
Edwin Allen
Lucy
Doctor
Oliver
Finn
Roderick Usher
Madeline Usher
Edwin Allen
Lucy
Doctor
Oliver
Finn
Actor
Alan Ayckbourn
Elizabeth Bell
Peter King
Marie Adams
Stanley Page
Arnold Beck
Richard Gill
Alan Ayckbourn
Elizabeth Bell
Peter King
Marie Adams
Stanley Page
Arnold Beck
Richard Gill
Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
William Norfolk
Yes
5 July 1962
5 July 1962
11 July 1962
Yes
5 July 1962
5 July 1962
11 July 1962
Director:
Character
Madame
Millie
Simon Porter
Character
Madame
Millie
Simon Porter
Peter Cheeseman
Actor
Marie Adams
Heather Stoney
Richard Gill
Actor
Marie Adams
Heather Stoney
Richard Gill
Note: Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine was performed in a double-bill with The Birds And The Well-Wishers.
The Birds And The Well-Wishers
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
William Norfolk
Yes
5 July 1962
5 July 1962
11 July 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Yes
5 July 1962
5 July 1962
11 July 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Character
Mrs Trigger
Vi
Maisie
Fred
Bob
Stage Manager
Mrs Trigger
Vi
Maisie
Fred
Bob
Stage Manager
Actor
Heather Stoney
Marie Adams
Elizabeth Bell
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Arnold Beck
Heather Stoney
Marie Adams
Elizabeth Bell
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Arnold Beck
Note: The Birds and the Well-Wishers was performed in a double-bill with Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine.
The Station People
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Richard Gill
Yes
19 July 1962
19 July 1962
25 July 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Yes
19 July 1962
19 July 1962
25 July 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Character
Stationmaster
Porter
Young Man
Young Woman
Jabe
Jean
Julian's father
Jan's father
Danny
Tom
Stationmaster
Porter
Young Man
Young Woman
Jabe
Jean
Julian's father
Jan's father
Danny
Tom
Actor
Stanley Page
Mellan Mitchell
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Mellan Mitchell
Elizabeth Bell
Stanley Page
Stanley Page
Mellan Mitchell
Peter King
Stanley Page
Mellan Mitchell
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Mellan Mitchell
Elizabeth Bell
Stanley Page
Stanley Page
Mellan Mitchell
Peter King
The Caretaker
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Harold Pinter
No
16 August 1962
16 August 1962
22 August 1962
No
16 August 1962
16 August 1962
22 August 1962
Director:
Character
Mick
Aston
Davies
Character
Mick
Aston
Davies
Alan Ayckbourn
Actor
Peter King
Richard Gill
Stanley Page
Actor
Peter King
Richard Gill
Stanley Page
The Rainmaker
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
Richard Nash
No
30 August 1962
30 August 1962
5 September 1962
Arnold Beck
No
30 August 1962
30 August 1962
5 September 1962
Arnold Beck
Character
Noah Curry
H.C. Curry
Jim Curry
Lizzie Curry
File
Sheriff Thomas
Bill Starbuck
Noah Curry
H.C. Curry
Jim Curry
Lizzie Curry
File
Sheriff Thomas
Bill Starbuck
Actor
David Wehner
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Peter King
Arnold Beck
Alan Ayckbourn
David Wehner
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Peter King
Arnold Beck
Alan Ayckbourn
Death At The New Year
Author:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
New Play:
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
Director:
R.G. Gregory
Yes
13 September 1962
13 September 1962
15 September 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Yes
13 September 1962
13 September 1962
15 September 1962
Peter Cheeseman
Character
Martin
Catherine
Narrator
Pop Singer
Martin's Mother
Martin's Stepfather
Officer
Catherine's Father
Medium
Vicar
Crowd
Martin
Catherine
Narrator
Pop Singer
Martin's Mother
Martin's Stepfather
Officer
Catherine's Father
Medium
Vicar
Crowd
Actor
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Alan Ayckbourn
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Stanley Page
Marie Adams / Richard Gill
Christine Roland / Stanley Page
Peter King
Elizabeth Bell
Alan Ayckbourn
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Alan Ayckbourn
Stanley Page
Richard Gill
Marie Adams
Stanley Page
Marie Adams / Richard Gill
Christine Roland / Stanley Page
1962 Production Notes
○ 1962 marked the final year Theatre in the Round was run by Studio Theatre Ltd. In October 1962, the company moved to Stoke-on-Trent where Stephen Joseph had opened the Victoria Theatre.
○ The director Peter Cheeseman joined the Studio Theatre Ltd company for the Scarborough 1962 summer season before moving with the company to its first permanent home at the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, in the autumn. He would go on to become the long-running Artistic Director of the Victoria (later the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme) from 1964 - 1998.
○ The Man Of Destiny was initially advertised without an accompanying play, but was later altered to a double-bill with O'Flaherty V.C..
○ Usher marked the directorial debut of David Campton, the company's first writer-in-residence.
○ Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine marked the acting debut in Scarborough of Heather Stoney. The actress, who would enjoy success on stage, screen and radio, became Alan Ayckbourn's long-term partner during the 1970s before the pair married in 1997. The Birds and the Well-Wishers marked the first time she would act opposite Alan Ayckbourn.
○ The Birds And The Well-Wishers was initially advertised without an accompanying play, but was later altered to a double-bill with Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine.
○ The Station People was written by Richard Gill, an actor with the Studio Theatre Ltd company, again demonstrating Stephen Joseph's desire to nurture writing talent within the company.
○ The Caretaker marked the second production of a Pinter play by the Studio Theatre Ltd company. The first, The Birthday Party, was actually directed by Harold Pinter himself in Scarborough in 1958 and was only the second professional production of the play following its original disastrous London production. The Birthday Party was only performed on tour, so The Caretaker marked the first time a Pinter play had been professionally produced and seen in Scarborough.
○ The Rainmaker was a late replacement for the advertised production of The Ginger Man, which could not be performed by the company due to royalty issues.
○ Death In The New Year marked the final performance by Studio Theatre Ltd in Scarborough before the company moved to its new home at the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, in autumn 1962. Not wishing to close the Library Theatre, Stephen Joseph ran the theatre under his company Theatre In The Round Ltd for two years before incorporating a new company, Scarborough Theatre Trust, in 1964.
○ Death In The New Year marked the final time Alan Ayckbourn would act professionally with the Scarborough company. He would also not be a permanent member of the company again until he returned as Director of Productions in 1969; although he would contribute the plays Relatively Speaking (then known as Meet My Father) and The Sparrow - which he also directed - in the interim.
○ The majority of productions in 1962 were performed without an interval.
○ The director Peter Cheeseman joined the Studio Theatre Ltd company for the Scarborough 1962 summer season before moving with the company to its first permanent home at the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, in the autumn. He would go on to become the long-running Artistic Director of the Victoria (later the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme) from 1964 - 1998.
○ The Man Of Destiny was initially advertised without an accompanying play, but was later altered to a double-bill with O'Flaherty V.C..
○ Usher marked the directorial debut of David Campton, the company's first writer-in-residence.
○ Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine marked the acting debut in Scarborough of Heather Stoney. The actress, who would enjoy success on stage, screen and radio, became Alan Ayckbourn's long-term partner during the 1970s before the pair married in 1997. The Birds and the Well-Wishers marked the first time she would act opposite Alan Ayckbourn.
○ The Birds And The Well-Wishers was initially advertised without an accompanying play, but was later altered to a double-bill with Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine.
○ The Station People was written by Richard Gill, an actor with the Studio Theatre Ltd company, again demonstrating Stephen Joseph's desire to nurture writing talent within the company.
○ The Caretaker marked the second production of a Pinter play by the Studio Theatre Ltd company. The first, The Birthday Party, was actually directed by Harold Pinter himself in Scarborough in 1958 and was only the second professional production of the play following its original disastrous London production. The Birthday Party was only performed on tour, so The Caretaker marked the first time a Pinter play had been professionally produced and seen in Scarborough.
○ The Rainmaker was a late replacement for the advertised production of The Ginger Man, which could not be performed by the company due to royalty issues.
○ Death In The New Year marked the final performance by Studio Theatre Ltd in Scarborough before the company moved to its new home at the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, in autumn 1962. Not wishing to close the Library Theatre, Stephen Joseph ran the theatre under his company Theatre In The Round Ltd for two years before incorporating a new company, Scarborough Theatre Trust, in 1964.
○ Death In The New Year marked the final time Alan Ayckbourn would act professionally with the Scarborough company. He would also not be a permanent member of the company again until he returned as Director of Productions in 1969; although he would contribute the plays Relatively Speaking (then known as Meet My Father) and The Sparrow - which he also directed - in the interim.
○ The majority of productions in 1962 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).