A Round Town

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1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

• Spring: Stephen Joseph decides to stop the playing of the National Anthem at every performance; although a common practise in London theatre, Stephen believes Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre is the first regional theatre in the UK to do this.
• 19 June: The summer season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre opens with Who Cares? by Leo Lehman. The national anthem is played that night, but not on subsequent evenings.
• 23 June: The first in a series of letters is published in the Scarborough Evening News condemning Stephen Joseph's decision to stop playing the national anthem at every performance. The author, Streater Ellis, asserts he was "seething with rage about the insult" and that Mr Joseph's "lame excuses" were "(1) he did not think the patrons wished it, (2) it was no good unless it was played by an orchestra, and (3) it would be played at the last performance of the season…."
• 24 June: Theatre Manager Rodney Wood responds by saying only two people have remarked about the anthem not being played.
• 24 - 26 June: Although Stephen Joseph did not officially respond to the furore, he was notorious for writing inflammatory correspondence under pseudonyms and it's seems likely he was the author of letters between "Republican" and "Roundhead" which, in one instance, includes the memorable comment: "I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre from saving us from the hideous noise, the supreme embarrassment and the maudlin sentimentalism occasioned by the playing of that barbaric and jarring thing (I refuse to call it a tune). The sooner all theatres do this the better."
• 3 July: The Stage newspaper reports on the controversy with a short paragraph under the title 'National Anthem.'
• 15 December: The winter season at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre opens with Martine by Jean Jacques Bernard. Again, the national anthem is played for the first night only with Stephen Joseph confirming it will only be played on first and final nights of the season. He responds to the criticism by noting "I feel that those people who objected in the summer were a bit eccentric, or they were people who did not often visit theatre or just happened to be feeling cross.”

1959

• 12 January: The Treasurer of Scarborough Theatre Guild, Maurice Plows, asks the Guild if it can make a recommendation to Stephen Joseph to have the national anthem restored as he several people have complained to him about it. The Guild - unconnected to Studio Theatre Ltd - agrees no recommendation can be made.
• 12 January: Later that day, at a meeting of the Guild's General Purposes Committee, Plows again raises the issue noting the local MP, Sir Alexander Spearman, has been approached about the issue intimating that Spearman has now contacted him. He notes the issue is now "affecting his [Plows'] private life." The committee rules it cannot take action but individual members could approach Stephen Joseph.
• 27 January: Plows offer his resignation as Treasurer of the Guild due to the issue of the national anthem. The Guild responds: "As a guild we were in no way officially connected with Studio Theatre Ltd, and had not the right to dictate to them as how they should run their theatre." Plows intimates if the Guild accepts his resignation, he will make a public statement to the press about the situation generating unnecessary publicity - alternatively, the Guild can decline his resignation and make a public statement severing its connection with Studio Theatre Ltd. Having been, essentially, blackmailed, a majority vote accepts the resignation, prepared to deal with any negative publicity should it appear.
• 29 January: It is reported Plows has resigned as Treasurer of Scarborough Theatre Guild "as a matter of principal" due to Studio Theatre Ltd not playing the national anthem at every performance. He notes "I have been approached by a well-known figure in Scarborough who asked me if I could do something about it." Presumably the mystery figure - never identified - is Sir Alexander Spearman MP. "If there is sufficient local demand - and there is - for the national anthem, then they should play it - or otherwise lose patrons.... If they [the patrons] are going to stay away because they think we [the Guild] are not playing the national anthem, then we are going to lose money.” Having spoken extensively about the subject, Plows ended the interview with: "The whole thing is so trivial, it is not worth talking about"!
• 30 January: Despite pressure to restore the national anthem as a legal requirement, an enquiry confirms there is no legal requirement to do so. The Lord Chamberlain's Office comments "There is no regulation on this. We are completely indifferent to it, and would never contemplate issuing any order or advice."
• 12 February: In a letter to the Director of Libraries, Mervin Edwards, Stephen Joseph writes: "I hope you have not been anxious about the brouhaha over the national anthem. I have carefully consulted the Lord Chamberlain's office over this matter, and my directors are by no means decided on the best course of action. But I have recommended to them that we should be wary of taking any step resulting from the push of a small but voluble pressure group - this is my interpretation of the fuss in Scarborough. If the susceptibilities of reasonable or common people are upset by anything we do, I am prepared to take notice. But I do not think the reservation of the national anthem for times of special importance could be taken as an insult to anyone by anyone, except a few over-patriotic people - and those who have complained so far have used a language so exaggerated, and accused us of motives so clearly not ours, that I cannot bring myself to take them seriously. There was an article in the Church Times (a respectable voice, surely) which puts my thoughts on the matter fairly fully, including the question: "Is it too much to hope that the use o the Anthem could be restricted without suspicion of disloyalty?"
• 19 February: The Stage newspaper reports on the national anthem issue and the resignation of Plows; the latter noting there was "quite a controversy arose' during the summer of 1958."
• 26 February: Theatre Manager Rodney Wood contracts Maurice Plows statements and notes "there has been no widespread demand for the national anthem and only five people, two for, three against, have mentioned it in any serious manner."
• 27 February: Rodney Wood clarifies his earlier statement to note four people had complained about the national anthem, two of which had never attended the theatre.
• 2 March: An extensive letter by Plows suggests he has been misrepresented and his issue is that, by dint of association, people will think Scarborough Theatre Guild is also not playing the national anthem and will boycott the Guild's activities as a result. He asserts the number of people not attending The Library Theatre now ran "into three figures", this is despite the fact that between 3 January and 17 June, there are no professional performances at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre! He also accuses the Scarborough Evening News of not supporting him and that if the anthem is not restored, he fears for the success of the Yorkshire Drama Festival being organised b y the Guild and adjudicated by Stephen Joseph.
• 4 March: An Emergency Committee Meeting is called by Scarborough Theatre Guild. It is decided "no further action of any kind be taken" and the subject be discussed at the Annual General Meeting; there is no record it was discussed at that meeting. It is also noted Plows has refused to hand over Guild correspondence following his resignation.
• 6 March: Rodney Wood is reported as saying "no interest was reflected in attendances" whether the anthem was played or not. Soon after, he announces a poll will be held for patrons during the summer season to express support - or not - for the playing of the national anthem.
• 9 March: Scarborough's Mayor is reported to have mentioned the controversy in a speech at the Scarborough Business and and Professional Women's Club annual dinner and candle ceremony. Criticising Studio Theatre Ltd, he said he had "received many letters asking them if I could persuade them to play the national anthem." He then announced, without evidence, 75% - 90% of Scarborough's population "wants" the anthem restored. At this point, the Scarborough Evening News notes it has received just two letters in support of restoring the National Anthem.
• 12 March: A Vox pop by The Scarborough Mercury of 56 people about the controversy reveals 34 think the anthem should be restored, 20 not and 2 did not know. Only 6 responders said they would stop attending the theatre if the anthem was not restored.
• 14 March: Plows asserts the poll will be too late as those who support the national anthem will have stopped going to the theatre anyway and it will be too late to stop the damage inflicted on the Yorkshire Drama Festival He demands the anthem be restored without debate so "everyone will be happy."
• 19 March: In correspondence, Stephen Joseph notes the company has been "distressed by the amount of publicity over the national anthem." He nots most of the letters ignore the fact the company never stopped playing the anthem at least once a week.
• 20 March: Edwards writes: "Various eminent and not so eminent personalities have been rather vocal about the national anthem, but my chairman agrees that we should not "take notice: unless something happens to being the committee in as landlords. Your interpretation of the fuss as coming from a small pressure group is accurate, I should say, though I suppose the wrong publicity is never welcome."
• 14 May: Reporting on the Yorkshire Drama Festival, Stephen Joseph ironically notes, "After the festival prize-giving, with Lady Derwent on my right, they [Scarborough Theatre Guild] went and played the national anthem at the wrong speed! Worse - I don't think she even noticed…"

• 16 May: A letter to the Scarborough Evening News from David Mann notes: “The matter is of little importance, quite divorced from the question of attendance at the theatre, and that the national a`nthem is incongruous in such a place.... If, as Mr Plow foretells, we all stay away rather than go and record our vote next summer, then perhaps it would be better if the theatre went elsewhere, rather than depend upon a public which puts petty trifles before art.”
• 16 June: Ironically the first night of the season opens with two national anthems. For the Civic night of John van Druten's Bell, Book & Candle - which coincides with the town's Dutch week - both the British and Dutch national anthems are played.
• 22 - 26 June: A referendum, open to the public, is taken at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre allowing people to vote whether they would like the anthem restored.
• The indifferent response to the poll leads Rodney Wood to quietly drop the subject without the poll result being announced and for Stephen Joseph to confirm the national anthem will not be restored on a daily basis.

1969

• 7 December: At the Annual General Meeting of Scarborough Theatre Trust, it is noted a letter has been received regarding the national anthem not being played. Board members Miss Ida Slarke - future mayor of the town (1972) - seconded by Maurice Plows, proposes "That the national anthem be played." The ensuing vote is lost four votes to three with an agreement the national anthem would be played at the beginning and end of the season and when there a Civic Night.