Books about Theatre Royal Stratford East

The Theatre Royal: A History of the Building

The Theatre Royal building in Stratford-Atte-Bowe has had an extraordinary history - surviving major fire, Word War II bombing and 1970s town planning bulldozers – culminating in its present Grade II* Listed status.
Built in 1884, renovated by Frank Matcham, and home to Joan Littlewood’s world-famous Theatre Workshop Company, Murray Melvin (A Member of that Company and now Theatre Royal’s voluntary Archivist) tells the story of a much-loved building in the heart of Stratford.

Published by Oberon Books 2009.

Copies are £6, including UK P&P. Order online

The Art of the Theatre Workshop

A book compiled and introduced by Murray Melvin

In 1953 a small company of actors led by Joan Littlewood arrived in London's East End for a six week season at the vacant Theatre Royal. The company's commitment to theatre for all still thrives at Theatre Royal Stratford East over half a century later.

The Theatre Workshop's influence on post-war British theatre is now legendary. Among the highlights were The Quare Fellow, A Taste of Honey, The Hostage, Fings Ain't Wot They Used T' Be and Oh What a Lovely War.

Much less well known is Theatre Workshop's equally strong dedication to design and production values, influenced by giants of European theatre such as Meyerhold and Piscator.

The Art of the Theatre Workshop is a collection of images by people working closely with the company in the early years. Over fifty photographs by John Spinner form the centre-piece of this collection, along with costume designs by Una Collins for Oh What a Lovely War and the innovative lantern slides for The Good Soldier Schweik by Ernest Brooks.

Murray Melvin, a leading member of Theatre Workshop, has created this precious archive from scattered sources and gives us an insider's view of a legend in the making.

Published by Oberon Books 2007.

Copies are £23, including UK P&P. Order online

International Delivery

International delivery is available on any of our publications.

For further details, please email tickets@stratfordeast.com or phone 0044 20 8534 0310.

theatreVOICE interviews MURRAY MELVIN

Veteran actor Murray Melvin, who worked with the legendary Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in the late 1950s and 1960s. He talks to theatreVOICE co-editor Aleks Sierz about classic stagings such as A Taste of Honey, The Hostage and Oh What a Lovely War, as well as his new book, The Art of the Theatre Workshop (Oberon Books).

We thank Theatre Voice and Aleks Sierz for allowing us to feature Murray's interview on our web site.
© Murray Melvin 2007