Oxford Playhouse

Coordinates: 51°45′17″N 1°15′39″W / 51.75472°N 1.26083°W / 51.75472; -1.26083
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Burton Taylor Theater
)

Oxford Playhouse
the Playhouse
The theatre entrance on Beaumont Street.
Map
AddressBeaumont Street
LocationOxford
Coordinates51°45′17″N 1°15′39″W / 51.75472°N 1.26083°W / 51.75472; -1.26083
Public transitGloucester Green, Oxford railway station
OwnerSt John's College
OperatorThe Oxford Playhouse Trust
TypeTheatre
Capacity663
Construction
Built1938
ArchitectEdward Maufe (exterior)
F. G. M. Chancellor (interior)
Website
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameThe Playhouse[1]
Designated12 January 1954[1]
Reference no.1185150[1]

Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by

F.G.M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum
.

History

Inside the auditorium

The Playhouse was founded as The Red Barn at 12

J.B. Fagan.[2] The early history of the theatre is documented by the theatre director, Norman Marshall in his 1947 book, The Other Theatre.[3] Don Chapman also provided a comprehensive study of the theatre in the 2008 book, Oxford Playhouse: High and Low Drama in a University City.[4]

The exterior design of the theatre building on the south side of Beaumont Street was by Sir

F.G.M. Chancellor;[5] the building was completed in 1938.[6] It is faced with stone, in keeping with the early 19th century Regency
buildings in the street.

Actors who have appeared on the stage at the Playhouse include

Quartet. The journalist and writer Christopher Hitchens worked as a stagehand at the Playhouse during his time as an undergraduate at Balliol College, Oxford.[7]

The Oxford Playhouse was the base from which Prospect Theatre Company was created by manager Elizabeth Sweeting and resident stage manager Iain Mackintosh in 1961. Between 1963 and 1976, the Prospect Theatre Company toured 75 productions to 125 theatres in 21 countries.[citation needed]

The Greek theatre director

Madwoman of Chaillot.[8]

Present

A charitable trust runs the Playhouse as a theatre for the local community, through a professional management and direction team. The freehold of the building is owned by St John's College.[9] The theatre was closed for some years for lack of funding, but is now refurbished with a 663-seat capacity in the main auditorium.

Burton Taylor Studio

The entrance to the Burton Taylor Studio theatre

Oxford Playhouse has close relations with the

studio theatre in Gloucester Street
, close to the Oxford Playhouse. It originated in 1966, when Richard Burton donated money towards the creation of a rehearsal space, also occasionally used for performance, named the Burton Rooms.

A couple of decades later, students from the Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) established the current tradition of the venue as a home for regular student productions.[10] The Burton Taylor Studio programmes a mix of student and professional productions throughout the year.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Playhouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Scheme
    . Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  3. .
  4. ^
  5. ^ History of Oxford Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse website, accessed 24 January 2022.
  6. .
  7. ^ Charlie Rose: Greenroom - Christopher Hitchens, 29 February 2008
  8. ^ Chapman (2008, pages 184, 186, 196–197) and The New York Times obituary for Volanakis.
  9. ^ "St John's College | Must see Oxford University Colleges | Things to See & do in Oxford".
  10. ^ a b "Oxford Playhouse: Burton Taylor Studio". Oxford Playhouse. Retrieved 5 February 2015.[full citation needed]

Sources

External links