History of Theatre Royal Stratford East: 1953 - 1979

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The late Sixties saw the start of the regeneration of Stratford, which would include the demolition of the surrounding area including Angel Lane, Salway Road and the Theatre Royal itself.

As the bulldozers made their way along Angel Lane, Gerry Raffles organised and obtained a provisional Grade II Preservation Order on the Theatre. The Department of the Environment definition of Grade II listing stated:

"These are buildings of special interest which warrant every effort being made to preserve them"

Nevertheless, there were persistent attempts by developers to have the theatre demolished. Gerry Raffles was on constant guard, tearing down barriers erected by builders next to the theatre and making sure a bulldozer never ‘accidentally’ knocked down one of the supporting walls. Gerry’s determined efforts saved the Theatre Royal from the town planners and for the future.

Meanwhile, Joan Littlewood with the help of volunteers cleared rubble next to the theatre and started an Adventure Playground. Traditionally Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal had been involved in local activities for the young. Classes arranged in local schools from their early days involved imaginative game play. Now the present group turned into The Nutters who were allowed to perform their own shows in the theatre on Sundays. This was an early start to Theatre in Education, regular groups were formed, and the young people went on to train and work in the theatre – a policy that has continued ever since. Many of today’s Actors, Directors, Technicians and Administrators started in the Youth groups of the Theatre Royal.

Productions continued in the theatre, and in 1975 Gerry Raffles at last obtained sufficient support from the Funding bodies to start a season of plays with a nucleus of the old company members on proper salaries, and without the need to transfer plays to the West End to survive.

Tragically, at this highpoint came the sudden death of Gerry Raffles on the 11th April 1975, aged fifty one. The square next to the Theatre, which in former days had been the junction of Angel Lane and Salway Road is named in his honour and memory.

Joan Littlewood, in grief, left the theatre never to return.

This era of the Theatre Royal came gradually to an end with a short period led by Joan and Gerry’s close collaborator Ken Hill, and then Maxwell Shaw who had been a company member since the early fifties.

In 1978 Clare Venables took over as Artistic Director and remained for a two and a half year period.

Philip Hedley became the Artistic Director in 1979, and has led the Theatre Royal from 1979 – 2004.  <

 

Further Reading :

The Theatre Workshop Story by Howard Goorney, Oxford University Press

The Royal: 100 years of Stratford East by Michael Green, Quartet Books Ltd, 1984. ISBN 0-7043 2474-1

Joan’s Book by Joan Littlewood, Methuen, London, l994. ISBN 0-413-64070-1