This month the Theatre Royal Stratford is 140 years old. It’s a lovely building by Frank Matcham who also designed the London Palladium and the Coliseum and many other beautiful theatres in the UK. It’s on a smaller scale and has 460 seats on three levels.
Believe it or not, I happened to be at the 100th birthday celebration. It was held in the morning and BBC Radio broadcast live from the stage. At the time I was a local drama teacher and had a couple of my school productions performed at the theatre. From the first time I walked into the building I liked it – it had some magic about it.
It holds a special place in the history of British theatre particularly for the legendary Joan Littlewood who in the 50s and 60s launched the Theatre Workshop company of performers who made such an impact with productions Like Fings Ain’t What They Used to Be and Oh What a Lovely War! Barbara Windsor and Shelia Hancock started their careers there. It was different and new and challenged audiences with its unique ways of working and connecting with the audience.
Our Musical Director Robert Hyman has worked with the theatre for 26 years and composes the music for the panto every year. Over that time Robert reckons he has composed 300 songs for the theatre – most were used, some were not. I think he can claim to be a bit of a fixture at the theatre.
It’s a lovely old-fashioned Victorian playhouse with a couple of boxes and fancy scrolled paintwork. Like its namesake in Drury Lane, it has a deep stage and a steep rake. There is a special connection between the stage and the audience so that everyone feels very close wherever they sit. A couple of years ago I watched Sir Ian McKellan do his one-man show. We were practically in the back row but you still felt close to the action. You also feel very close to the rest of the audience. That makes for a special atmosphere when the House Full signs are up.
It’s a grade II listed building and I don’t see it having any problem reaching its 200th year milestone – but I won’t be along to that one though.
