The Complete Plays: The Dresser (1984)

Production Details
Title:
Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:
The Dresser
Ronald Harwood
No

Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round
Main house (Round)
Round
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
23 May 1984
23 May 1984
1 August 1984
Company Details
Director:
Lighting:
Sound:
Design:

Stage Manager:
Stage Manager:
Deputy Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Malcolm Hebden
Francis Lynch
Francis Lynch
John Hallé

Baz Edmonds
Eric Lumsden
Maggie Nottage
Jackie Hurd
Drew Scott
Kathryn-Anne Woodward
Character
Norman
Her Ladyship
Madge
Sir
Irene
Geoffrey Thornton
Mr Oxenby
Gloucester
Kent
Actor
Lennox Greaves
Carol Gillies
Judy Bridgland
Russell Dixon
Jane Hollowood
Alan Thompson
Mark Jax
Robert Cotton
Daniel Flynn
Why is this play significant?
This marked the first production of this famed play in-the-round since its world premiere at the Manchester Royal Exchange in 1980. (and - to this day - one of the few significant in-the-round productions of the play). Given it is a play set squarely in the realm of proscenium arch theatres, Alan Ayckbourn was not convinced it would work, but was happy to be proved wrong!

It is worth noting that subsequent to 2016 much attention has been given to the Stephen Joseph Theatre producing the first in-the-round productions of notable plays, yet this has been the case for most of the company's existence. Essentially most of the productions at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre were 'in-the-round premieres' as there were so few other theatre in the round venues in the country. The same can be said of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round; The Dresser is notable is because it is so obviously designed for a proscenium arch theatre but worked well in the round (which, arguably, cannot be said for a few other proscenium specific shows produced subsequently by the company).
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Image copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust