Stephen Joseph
Encyclopedia
Stephen Joseph was an English stage director and pioneer of "theatre in the round".
and the publisher Michael Joseph (whose name survives as an imprint of the Penguin Group
). He was educated at Clayesmore School
in Dorset. At the age of 16 he became a student of the Central School of Speech and Drama
, where he graduated two years later. From 1941 to 1946 he served as an officer in the Royal Navy
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
.
After the war he studied English Literature at Jesus College, Cambridge
, leading to the award of an MA degree. While at Cambridge he joined Footlights
and both wrote and directed La Vie Cambridgienne, a revue broadcast by the BBC
in July 1948.
In November 1948 he joined the Lowestoft
Repertory Theatre as director, then moved on to manage the Summer Theatre season at Frinton-on-Sea
. While there he saw a production by Jack Mitchley of the Christopher Fry
play A Phoenix too Frequent, staged in the round, which caused him to experience “a bee beginning to buzz at the back of my mind.” He returned to the Central School of Speech and Drama as a tutor, then in 1951 was granted leave of absence to study for a degree in playwriting at the University of Iowa
.
This succeeded in 1962, when they found a disused cinema in Hartshill
, Stoke-on-Trent
, which became the Victoria Theatre, with Peter Cheeseman
in charge. Meanwhile Joseph was appointed as fellow, and subsequently lecturer in the Department of Drama at the University of Manchester
.
He refounded the theatre in Scarborough as the Scarborough Theatre Trust, which by 1967 was beginning to be successful with the assistance of new playwrights such as Alan Ayckbourn
. His work was brought to an untimely end, however, by his death in Scarborough from cancer in 1967.
The Scarborough Theatre developed and became the Stephen Joseph Theatre
. The Victoria Theatre in Stoke eventually relocated and became the New Vic Theatre
. The Stephen Joseph Studio
at Manchester is named in his honour. Alan Ayckbourn
wrote
Stephen Joseph died at the young age of 46, on Wednesday 4 October 1967, at his home in Scarborough. He had been working practically until the last, when cancer claimed his life. His legacy and name live on though in the theatres he created - the Stephen Joseph Theatre and the New Vic Theatre - and also through the playwrights he encouraged and inspired such as Alan Ayckbourn, Harold Pinter James Saunders and Alan Plater.
, and in 1964 th Society of Theatre Consultants. He wrote the following books:
Life
Stephen Joseph was born in London, the son of Hermione GingoldHermione Gingold
Hermione Gingold was an English actress known for her sharp-tongued, eccentric persona, an image enhanced by her sharp nose and chin, as well as her deepening voice, a result of vocal nodes which her mother reportedly encouraged her not to remove. She starred on stage, on radio, in films, on...
and the publisher Michael Joseph (whose name survives as an imprint of the Penguin Group
Penguin Group
The Penguin Group is a trade book publisher, the largest in the world , having overtaken Random House in 2009. The Penguin Group is the name of the incorporated division of parent Pearson PLC that oversees these publishing operations...
). He was educated at Clayesmore School
Clayesmore School
Clayesmore School is an independent school for boys and girls of the English public school tradition in the village of Iwerne Minster, Dorset, England. It is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference ....
in Dorset. At the age of 16 he became a student of the Central School of Speech and Drama
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...
, where he graduated two years later. From 1941 to 1946 he served as an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
.
After the war he studied English Literature at Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, leading to the award of an MA degree. While at Cambridge he joined Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
and both wrote and directed La Vie Cambridgienne, a revue broadcast by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in July 1948.
In November 1948 he joined the Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
Repertory Theatre as director, then moved on to manage the Summer Theatre season at Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
. While there he saw a production by Jack Mitchley of the Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry was an English playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, notably The Lady's Not for Burning, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
play A Phoenix too Frequent, staged in the round, which caused him to experience “a bee beginning to buzz at the back of my mind.” He returned to the Central School of Speech and Drama as a tutor, then in 1951 was granted leave of absence to study for a degree in playwriting at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
Theatres in the round
On his return he set up a company, Studio Theatre Ltd, devoted to productions in the round. After many difficulties and frustrations in finding suitable venues in London, a chance meeting led in 1955 to his using the concert room in the Central Library at Scarborough, on the Yorkshire coast. Initially the company did a summer season in Scarborough, and in winter toured other towns, partly with a view to finding a more permanent home for the company.This succeeded in 1962, when they found a disused cinema in Hartshill
Hartshill, Staffordshire
Hartshill is a township within Stoke-upon-Trent in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the English county of Staffordshire.Hartshill was developed by Herbert Minton as a dormitory suburb of Stoke. The ecclesiastical parish was created out of the parish of Stoke in 1842 when Holy Trinity church was built...
, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, which became the Victoria Theatre, with Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman, CBE was a British theatre director who is credited with having pioneered "theatre in the round".-Career:...
in charge. Meanwhile Joseph was appointed as fellow, and subsequently lecturer in the Department of Drama at the University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
.
He refounded the theatre in Scarborough as the Scarborough Theatre Trust, which by 1967 was beginning to be successful with the assistance of new playwrights such as Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
. His work was brought to an untimely end, however, by his death in Scarborough from cancer in 1967.
The Scarborough Theatre developed and became the Stephen Joseph Theatre
Stephen Joseph Theatre
The Stephen Joseph Theatre is a theatre in the round in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England that was founded by Stephen Joseph and was the first theatre in the round in Britain....
. The Victoria Theatre in Stoke eventually relocated and became the New Vic Theatre
New Vic Theatre
The New Vic Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.-History:...
. The Stephen Joseph Studio
Stephen Joseph Studio
The Stephen Joseph Studio, also known as the German Protestant Church, Greenheys, is part of the University of Manchester, and is in the old district of Greenheys, Manchester, England. It used to lie on Wright Street , a street which no longer exists . It is located at grid reference . It was...
at Manchester is named in his honour. Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
wrote
He knew more than any person I’ve ever known about playwriting, when it came to talking about it, and he knew more about directing than any living person, and I suspect he knew an awful lot about acting: he certainly managed to talk about it very lucidly and entertainingly and interestingly, although he must have been the World’s worst actor.
Stephen Joseph died at the young age of 46, on Wednesday 4 October 1967, at his home in Scarborough. He had been working practically until the last, when cancer claimed his life. His legacy and name live on though in the theatres he created - the Stephen Joseph Theatre and the New Vic Theatre - and also through the playwrights he encouraged and inspired such as Alan Ayckbourn, Harold Pinter James Saunders and Alan Plater.
Books and profesional societies
In 1961 he helped to found the Association of British Theatre TechniciansAssociation of British Theatre Technicians
The Association of British Theatre Technicians or ABTT is a British trade association representing technical staff working within theatre.-History:...
, and in 1964 th Society of Theatre Consultants. He wrote the following books: