World Theatre Season
Encyclopedia
The World Theatre Season was a festival of foreign plays held annually at the Royal Shakespeare Company
's Aldwych Theatre
in London from 1964 to 1973, with a final season in 1975. It originated as a one-off celebration in 1964 organised by Peter Daubeny
and the Royal Shakespeare Company as part of the celebrations for William Shakespeare
's quatercentenary. In the 1950s, Peter Daubeny had presented foreign theatre companies, which gave him a knowledge of foreign theatre and served as a prelude to the World Theatre Seasons. Seven companies appeared at this initial World Theatre Season: Comédie Française; Schiller-Theater; Peppino de Filippo
's Italian Theatre; Abbey Theatre
; Polish Contemporary Theatre; Greek Art Theatre; and Moscow Art Theatre
.
The season's success led to it becoming an annual event, with more than forty theatre companies appearing in total. Nevertheless, the seasons continued to be organised by Peter Daubeny without support from the Arts Council
or any other official body. Theatrical companies visited from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including evenings dedicated to Japanese nō
and kabuki
. Appearances at the World Theatre Season sometimes led to little-known plays achieving international acclaim, as was notably the case with Welcome Msomi's Umubatha, a Zulu version of Shakespeare's Macbeth
, which was presented in 1972. Peter Daubeny's involvement in the World Theatre Seasons led to him winning the Evening Standard
special award in 1972.
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
's Aldwych Theatre
Aldwych Theatre
The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Aldwych in the City of Westminster. The theatre was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200.-Origins:...
in London from 1964 to 1973, with a final season in 1975. It originated as a one-off celebration in 1964 organised by Peter Daubeny
Peter Daubeny
Sir Peter Lauderdale Daubeny was a German-born British theatre impresario.Daubeny trained with Michel Saint-Denis and began his career under actor-manager William Armstrong at the Liverpool Playhouse...
and the Royal Shakespeare Company as part of the celebrations for William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's quatercentenary. In the 1950s, Peter Daubeny had presented foreign theatre companies, which gave him a knowledge of foreign theatre and served as a prelude to the World Theatre Seasons. Seven companies appeared at this initial World Theatre Season: Comédie Française; Schiller-Theater; Peppino de Filippo
Peppino De Filippo
Peppino De Filippo was an Italian actor.De Filippo was born in Naples, brother of actor and playwright Eduardo De Filippo and of Titina. He made his stage debut at the age of six. He played in several movies such as Rome-Paris-Rome, Variety Lights, A Day in Court, Ferdinand I, King of Naples and...
's Italian Theatre; Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
; Polish Contemporary Theatre; Greek Art Theatre; and Moscow Art Theatre
Moscow Art Theatre
The Moscow Art Theatre is a theatre company in Moscow that the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Constantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright and director Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded in 1898. It was conceived as a venue for naturalistic theatre, in contrast to the melodramas...
.
The season's success led to it becoming an annual event, with more than forty theatre companies appearing in total. Nevertheless, the seasons continued to be organised by Peter Daubeny without support from the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
or any other official body. Theatrical companies visited from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including evenings dedicated to Japanese nō
NO
NO, N.O., No, or No. may refer to:* One of a pair of English words, yes and no, which signal confirmation or a negative response respectively.- Geographical locations :* Norway, ISO 3166-1 country code* Lake No, Sudan...
and kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
. Appearances at the World Theatre Season sometimes led to little-known plays achieving international acclaim, as was notably the case with Welcome Msomi's Umubatha, a Zulu version of Shakespeare's Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, which was presented in 1972. Peter Daubeny's involvement in the World Theatre Seasons led to him winning the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
special award in 1972.