History of Theatre Royal Stratford East: 1953 - 1979

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In May 1955 at the Theatre Hebertot, the Workshops productions of "Volpone" and "Arden of Faversham" took Paris by storm. Money had to be found for the company’s return fares but they arrived back at Stratford in glory.

England and the Arts Council became aware of this internationally famed company resident at Stratford-atte-Bowe, and so – gradually – did the critics.

Six Theatre Workshop productions were to be shown at the Paris Festival in the coming years, culminating in the Award of the Grande Prix du Festival for "Oh, What A Lovely War" in 1963.

Financial aid was beginning to arrive from the Arts Council and the surrounding local boroughs, but the amounts although welcome were very small.

The attempt to stimulate a contemporary dramaturgy led to the “Quare Fellow” (1957) and the “Hostage” (1958) both by Brendan Behan; “You Won’t Always Be On Top” (1957) by Henry Chapman; “A Taste of Honey” (1958) by Shelagh Delaney; “Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’be” (1959) by Frank Norman, music by Lionel Bart; “Sparrers Can’t Sing” (1960) by Stephen Lewis; and “Oh, What a Lovely War” (1963) which after the Paris Festival and a year long run in the West End of London went onto Broadway, New York. “Mrs Wilson’s Diary” (1967) by John Wells and Richard Ingrams followed into the West End. 

However, each of these shows took an entire trained company. When these companies transferred to the West End or Broadway this dissipated the strength and nucleus of talent responsible for their previous success. <     Next page>>