Stories on stage

A resource pack

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 Bringing Stories to Life

Feedback from educators, during the development of these resources, repeatedly asked for access
to archive material for productions based on a small number of key curriculum texts. This resource
aims to share this material.

The following plays and novels are represented in the Cambridge Arts Theatre archive:

Sheelagh Delaney, A Taste of Honey

J B Priestley, An Inspector Calls
George Orwell, Animal Farm
Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman
Harold Brighouse, Hobson’s Choice
Harold Pinter, The Birthday Party
Nikolai Gogol, The Government Inspector
Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
Susan Hill, The Woman in Black

In this resource pack you will find some basic information about the frequency of these productions
on the stage at Cambridge Arts Theatre from 1936 – 2002, a representative selection of original
archive material, and an activity designed to support a visit to the Theatre to watch a production of a
familiar play or text.

In 2021, we asked a group of work experience students at the Theatre, aged 14-18, to review this resource
and devise a series of activities to encourage a greater engagement with the historic archive material. You
will see these symbols:

Something to Something to Something to make

discuss do

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Curriculum books and plays – material from Cambridge Arts Theatre Archive

Author/ Producing Box

Playwright Production Dates Company Director Archive holdings no Content
H.S.L. Ltd by
arrangement
with
Donmar
Sheelagh A Taste of 4 -9 April Productions Derek programme, settlement, box office receipts, publicity
Delaney Honey 1960 Ltd Benfield THM/258/5/3/497 201 statement, letters, publicity requirements, contract
The
3 – 14 Cambridge Bound
February Theatre Robert programme
1976 Company Lang collection n/a programme

The
22 Guildford
JB An Inspector September Theatre John
Priestley Calls 1952 Company Arnatt THM/258/5/3/176 180 reviews, letters, publicity statement
17 -22
June 1968 David Kirk David Kirk THM/258/5/3/824 228 letters concerning programming to Blackmore
31
October - The
15 Cambridge Bound
November Theatre programme
1977 Company collection n/a programme
6 -11 National programme, photos, slides, press release, letters, bsl
September Theatre Stephan synopsis, marketing information pack, press release,
1999 Production Daldry THM/258/5/4/113 249 ticket prices

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 programme, photos, press release, reviews,
George 7-11 Oct Northern Alan marketing spending, poster markup, poster
Orwell Animal Farm 1997 Stage Lyddiard THM/258/5/4/22 238 (Newcastle), production confirmation, meeting notes

The
3-14 Cambridge Bound
February Theatre programme
1976 Company collection n/a

letters concerning programming, telegram

14-19 concerning advertisement, reviews, publicity
Arthur Death of a March Robin statement, box office receipts, telegrams concerning
Miller Salesman 1955 ADC Theatre Midgley THM/258/5/3/268 186 royalties
6 - 11 The Oxford Bound
October Playhouse Anton programme
1975 Company Rodgers collection n/a

Harold Hobson's 20 -25 The Touring Jonathan

Brighouse Choice May 2002 Consortium Church THM/258/5/4/254 263

Talbot
Productions
Ltd and
Michael
28th April Codron
Harold The Birthday - 3rd May Limited Peter
Pinter Party 1958 presentation Wood THM/258/5/3/407 194
The
11-22 Cambridge Bound
November Theatre Robert programme
1975 Company Lang collection n/a programme

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 The Oxford
Nikolai Government 24 -29 Repertory
Gogol Inspector May 1954 Players Peter Hall THM/258/5/3/231 183 contract, letters, box office receipts, reviews
Combined
6 -10 April Amateurs of brochure proof, letters concerning programming, box
1971 Cambridge THM/258/5/3/890 233 office receipts

The The
Importance 18 Gateway
Oscar of Being November Theatre letter concerning rights, licence, contracts, expenses,
Wilde Ernest 1950 Company THM/258/5/3/83 176 publicity statement, carriage merchandise, letters
16-21 Prospect
November Productions Tony settlement, reviews, contract, brochure copy, stage
1964 Limited. Robertson THM/258/5/3/664 212 wages, running times, box office receipts
The Oxford
and
Cambridge Bound
10-15 July Shakespeare Hugh programme
1972 Company Thomas collection n/a programme
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October - The
8 Cambridge Bound
November Theatre Robert programme
1975 Company Lang collection n/a programme
20-28 The Oxford Bound
January Playhouse Richard programme
1986 Company Williams collection n/a programme
13-18 programme, 4 photos, tour information, press
September Bill release, letter to schools, brochure copy, print
1999 Kenwright Val May THM/258/5/4/114 249 information form

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 Mobil
Touring
Company in
association
25 - 30 with P.W.
The Woman March Productions
Susan Hill in Black 1991 Ltd THM/258/5/4/91 246 photos

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A Taste of Honey
Programme, A Taste of Honey, 1960

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Programme, A Taste of Honey, 1976

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An Inspector Calls

Right: Letter A. D. Peters

to Norman Higgins,
granting the rights to
produce An Inspector
Calls, 1952

Below: Cambridge Arts

Theatre Marketing Spend
An Inspector Calls, 1952

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Reviews, An Inspector Calls, 1952

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Left: Cast list, programme draft, An Inspector Calls,
1952
Below: Letter from actor Peg Sweeney requesting
dig list, 1952
Botton: Extract from programme, An Inspector
Calls, 1952

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Programme, An Inspector Calls, 1977

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Programme, An Inspector Calls,
1999

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Programme extract, An Inspector
Calls, 1999

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Production photos, An Inspector
Calls, 1999

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Animal Farm

Programme, Animal Farm, 1997

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Above left: Programme extracts,
Animal Farm, 1997
Above right: Production photos,
Animal Farm, 1997

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Above left: Press Release, Animal
Farm, 1997
Right: Marketing Release, Animal
Farm, 1997

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Death of a Salesman

Reviews, Death of a Salesman, 1955

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Programme, Death of a Salesman, 1975

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21
Hobson’s Choice

Programme extracts, Hobson’s

Choice, 2002

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The Birthday Party

Left: Production notes for programme, The

Birthday Party, 1958
Above: Review, The Birthday Party, 1958

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Reviews, The Birthday Party, 1958

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Complaint letter to Cambridge Arts
Theatre following the premiere of
The Birthday Party, 1958
Response from Cambridge Arts
Theatre, 1958

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Programme, The Birthday Party,
1978
Photo, Jack Hedley as Goldberg and
Roger Rees as Stanley in The
Birthday Party, 1978

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The Government Inspector

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Reviews, The Government
Inspector, 1954

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Draft programme, The Birthday Party, 1971

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Extracts from contract, The Importance of Being Ernest, 1964

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Above: Extracts from draft programme, The Importance
of Being Ernest, 1964

Programme, The Importance of Being Ernest, 1972

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Programme, The Importance of Being Ernest, 1975

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Programme, The Importance of Being Ernest, 1986

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Programme, The Importance of Being
Ernest, 1999

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Women in Black

Programme, Woman in
Black, 1991

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Theatre Reviews
A review is a subjective but educated response to a piece of theatre. A review gives a potential
audience member context for a production. Most people want to know if they should spend their
hard-earned money on a ticket.

Read some of these reviews (taken from the Theatre’s archive)

Identify what the writer liked and did not like about each performance – which reviews
do you think the cast and company would be happy with?

In a review, opinions must always be justified, find an example where the reviewer expresses and
justifies an opinion.

Most reviews follow a similar structure, identify some things which reviews always contain.

Write your own theatre review.

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Writing a theatre review

Introduction

• Research the background to the production – what is the title of the play? what is the genre? Who
are the main actors?
• When and where was the play first performed?
• Which company/ producer has created this performance? What are their reasons for staging or
restaging it now? What are they aiming to achieve with the production.
Plot

• A brief detail of the plot of the show, what happens (but no spoilers!)

Staging

• Consider the use of set/ costume/ lighting/ music and sound

• What style was it? Minimalist/ historic/ realistic
• What is your impression of it? Does it remind you of anything you have seen before?
• What effect is the director trying to create (symbolism)? How successful was this?
• How did the set and staging work with the Theatre you saw the play in?
Writing (the play)

• Where did the play originate? Who was the writer?

• Is it based on a book or poem or was it always a script? How far does the script deviate from the
original source of the story?
• What is the style and tone of the language?
Performance (the production)

• Identify the main characters in the show. How has the characterisation been approached?
• How was the characterisation achieved?
• Was the characterisation successful and why? Was it sustained throughout the performance?
Summing up

• Did you enjoy the play?

• Did this play make you feel anything? What?
• Did you feel the play had something to say?
• Did you learn anything?
• What was the best/worst aspect of the play?
• Would you recommend the play to others? Where can they see it?

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We welcome your feedback
High resolution scans of all the archive material found in this pack are available for teaching and
other non-commercial uses. Please note the number next to the image you wish to use and email
requests to: [email protected]

These resources were produced with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of a
project exploring the theatre’s archive called ‘Behind the Scenes’. We would like to express our
thanks to the teachers and students who piloted activities and content in this pack.

We continue to welcome further feedback from users on the email above.

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