Theatre Workshop is a theatre group whose long-serving director was Joan Littlewood . Many actors of the 1950s and 1960s received their training and first exposure with the company, many of its productions were transferred to theatres in the West End , and some, such as Oh, What a Lovely War! and A Taste of Honey , were made into films.
60-650: Joan Littlewood and Ewan MacColl met and married in 1934, while both were working with the Theatre of Action. They started their own collaboration developing radio plays for the BBC , taking scripts and cast from local workers. However, both MI5 and the Special Branch maintained a watch on the couple because of their support for the Communist Party of Great Britain . Littlewood was precluded from working for
120-460: A capella rendition another decade later on "The Long Harvest" (1967). Over the years MacColl recorded and produced upwards of a hundred albums, many with English folk song collector and singer A. L. Lloyd . The pair released an ambitious series of eight LP albums of some 70 of the 305 Child Ballads . MacColl produced a number of LPs with Irish singer songwriter Dominic Behan , a brother of Irish playwright Brendan Behan . In 1956, MacColl caused
180-456: A musical career, albeit in a different genre. She died in a boating accident in Mexico in 2000. His son with Peggy Seeger, Neill MacColl, is the long-standing guitarist for Mancunian musician David Gray . His grandson Jamie MacColl has also developed a musical career of his own with the band Bombay Bicycle Club . (* Mixture of documentary, drama and song: broadcast on BBC radio) My function
240-576: A name for themselves. During this period MacColl's enthusiasm for folk music grew. Inspired by the example of Alan Lomax , who had arrived in Britain and Ireland in 1950, and had done extensive fieldwork there, MacColl also began to collect and perform traditional ballads . His long involvement with Topic Records started in 1950 with his release of a single, "The Asphalter's Song", on that label. When, in 1953 Theatre Workshop decided to move to Stratford , London, MacColl, who had opposed that move, left
300-448: A political review of the previous year. As the theatre group's importance grew, members more interested in singing left. The productions ran until the winter of 1972–73. Members' differences with MacColl's vision of a full-time touring company led to the group's breakup. The offshoot group became Combine Theatre, with a club of their own mixing traditional and original folksongs and theatrical performances based on contemporary events, into
360-432: A sample of the old politics, which viewed the earth as mere clay out of which man fashions a world for man and (2) as a sample of his early work, highly dogmatic and low on finesse. It exhibits a lack of economy, an excess of cliches and filler lines, many awkward terms and an errant chronological flow. It has many of the characteristics of political songs of its time and is virtually a political credo set into verse and put to
420-516: A scandal when he fell in love with 21-year-old Peggy Seeger , who had come to Britain to transcribe the music for Alan Lomax 's anthology Folk Songs of North America (published in 1961). At the time MacColl, who was twenty years older than Peggy, was still married to his second wife. Seeger and MacColl recorded several albums of searing political commentary songs. MacColl himself wrote over 300 songs, some of which have been recorded by artists (in addition to those mentioned above) such as Planxty ,
480-473: A short biography of his work in the accompanying book of the Topic Records 70-year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten . Five of his recordings, three of them solo, appear in the boxed set: MacColl was one of the main composers of British protest songs during the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s. In the early 1950s he penned "The Ballad of Ho Chi Minh " and "The Ballad of Stalin " for
540-507: A son Hamish (1950–2024), and a daughter, the singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl (1959–2000); and to American folksinger Peggy Seeger (b. 1935) in 1977, with whom he had three children, Neill, Calum, and Kitty. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre, and with Seeger in folk music. In 1931, with other unemployed members of the Clarion Players he formed an agit-prop theatre group, the "Red Megaphones". During 1934 they changed
600-812: A steadfast communist throughout his life and engaged in political activism. MacColl was born as James Henry Miller at 4 Andrew Street, in Broughton , Salford , England, to Scottish parents, William Miller and Betsy (née Henry), both socialists . William Miller was an iron moulder and trade unionist who had moved to Salford with his wife, a charwoman , to look for work after being blacklisted in almost every foundry in Scotland . Betsy Miller knew many traditional folk songs such as " Lord Randall " and " My Bonnie Laddie's Lang A-growing ", of which her son later created written and audio recordings; he later recorded an album of traditional songs with her. James Miller
660-546: A tune. It is just that. – The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook , Appendix IV. p. 388 (quoted in Mudcat Cafe ) East 15 Acting School East 15 Acting School , sometimes known simply as East 15, is a drama school based in Essex , England. The School provides vocational conservatoire training in acting, specialist performance disciplines, theatre directing , stage management and creative producing. The School
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#1732781068593720-644: Is a plaque dedicated to MacColl in Russell Square in London. The inscription includes: "Presented by his communist friends 25.1.1990 ... Folk Laureate – Singer – Dramatist – Marxist ... in recognition of strength and singleness of purpose of this fighter for Peace and Socialism". In 1991 he was awarded a posthumous honorary degree by the University of Salford . His daughter from his second marriage, Kirsty MacColl , followed him into
780-484: Is known as one of the instigators of the 1960s folk revival as well as for writing such songs as " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face " and " Dirty Old Town ". MacColl collected hundreds of traditional folk songs, including the version of " Scarborough Fair " later popularised by Simon & Garfunkel , and released dozens of albums with A.L. Lloyd , Peggy Seeger and others, mostly of traditional folk songs. He also wrote many left-wing political songs , remained
840-403: Is not to reassure people. I want to make them uncomfortable. To send them out of the place arguing and talking. Ewan wrote a number of songs like this in his early years, alongside more subtle texts like "Dirty Old Town" and "Stalinvarosh." There is no doubt that Joseph Stalin was a brilliant wartime leader and that many of his reforms ... were correct and productive. Idolisation of Stalin by
900-508: Is to bring London's new communities to the stage, and portray their experiences as second- and third-generation emigrants. Michael has upheld the theatre’s commitment to develop new work and to provide a platform for those voices underrepresented in the ever-changing communities of East London. In 2007 the theatre was nominated for an Olivier Award for "presenting a powerful season of provocative work that reaches new audiences". Its hip-hop dance production of Boy Blue’s Pied Piper won an Oliver in
960-649: The Centre Pompidou in Paris. Another project conceived in the 1960s was the formation of an acting school associated with Theatre Workshop to inspire a new generation of actors with the ideas and techniques of Littlewood. Although Littlewood herself strongly disapproved, believing that acting was an unteachable skill, the East 15 Acting School became successful. It is now based in its own premises in Loughton . In 2000
1020-500: The Communist Party's factory papers. He was an activist in the unemployed workers' campaigns and the mass trespasses of the early 1930s. One of his best-known songs, " The Manchester Rambler ", was written just before the pivotal mass trespass of Kinder Scout . He was responsible for publicity in the planning of the trespass. In 1932 the British intelligence service, MI5 , opened a file on MacColl, after local police asserted that he
1080-758: The Great Depression and, joining the ranks of the unemployed, began a lifelong programme of self-education whilst keeping warm in Manchester Central Library . During this period he found intermittent work in a number of jobs and also made money as a street singer. He joined the Young Communist League and a socialist amateur theatre troupe, the Clarion Players. He began his career as a writer helping produce and contributing humorous verse and skits to some of
1140-555: The What’s On Stage Best Musical; and John Adam's song play I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky . Michael is Chair of Stratford Cultural Forum, a board member of Stratford Renaissance Partnership, a trustee of Discover, which provides creative, play and learning opportunities for children and their carers in Stratford, and a member of UK Equity’s International Committee for Artists' Freedom. In 2018 he
1200-412: The improvisational theatre techniques used by Littlewood to develop plays for performance. She was twice prosecuted and fined for allowing the company to improvise in performance. The Fun Palace was an ambitious multi-arts project conceived by Littlewood and the company in conjunction with the architect Cedric Price . The project was never built, but the concept may have influenced later projects such
1260-574: The 1980s. After many years of poor health (in 1979 he suffered the first of many heart attacks), MacColl died on 22 October 1989, in the Brompton Hospital , in London, after complications following heart surgery. His autobiography Journeyman was published the following year. The lifetime archive of his work with Peggy Seeger and others was passed on to Ruskin College in Oxford . There
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#17327810685931320-584: The BBC as a children's programme presenter and some of MacColl's work was banned from broadcast. In the late 1930s Littlewood and MacColl formed an acting troupe called the Theatre Union. This was dissolved in 1940, but in 1945 many of its former members joined Joan Littlewood's new venture, the Theatre Workshop. In 1948 the company toured Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Touring was not successful for
1380-576: The British Communist Party. Joe Stalin was a mighty man and a mighty man was he He led the Soviet people on the road to victory. When asked about the song in a 1985 interview, he said that it was "a very good song" and that "it dealt with some of the positive things that Stalin did". In 1992, after his death, Peggy Seeger included it as an annex in her Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook , saying that she had originally planned to exclude
1440-628: The Committee Success came following an invitation from Claude Planson, the director of the Paris International Festival of Theatre, to represent England at the festival in 1955. The company travelled to Paris with costumes in their suitcases and scenery under their arms. In May 1955 Theatre Workshop presented acclaimed productions of Volpone and Arden of Faversham at the Théâtre Hébertot , though
1500-581: The Communist Party but left because he felt that the Soviet Union was "not communist or socialist enough". MacColl had been a radio actor since 1933. By the late 1930s he was writing scripts as well. In 1957 producer Charles Parker asked MacColl to collaborate in the creation of a feature programme about the heroic death of train driver John Axon . Normal procedure would have been to use the recorded field interviews only as source for writing
1560-602: The Dubliners , Dick Gaughan , Phil Ochs , the Clancy Brothers , Elvis Presley , Weddings Parties Anything , The Pogues and Johnny Cash . In 2001, The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook was published, which includes the words and music to 200 of his songs. Dick Gaughan , Dave Burland and Tony Capstick collaborated in The Songs of Ewan MacColl (1978; 1985). Many of MacColl's best-known songs were written for
1620-574: The King's Regiment, owing to his political views, and that the records show that, rather than being discharged, he was declared a deserter on 18 December 1940. In 1946, members of Theatre Union and others formed Theatre Workshop and spent the next few years touring, mostly in the north of England. In 1945, Miller changed his name to Ewan MacColl (influenced by the Lallans movement in Scotland). In
1680-521: The Pharmacists (2003), Frank Black (2006) and Bettye LaVette (2012). MacColl's song " The Shoals of Herring ", based on the life of Norfolk fisherman and folk singer Sam Larner was recorded by the Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers, the Corries and more. Other popular songs written and performed by MacColl include " The Manchester Rambler ", "The Moving-On Song" and "The Joy of Living". Ewan has
1740-527: The Singers' Club where MacColl, Seeger and Lloyd were featured artists and theatre productions. Members who became performing folk singers in their own right included Frankie Armstrong , John Faulkner, Sandra Kerr , Dennis Turner , Terry Yarnell, Bob Blair, Jim Carroll, Brian Pearson and Jack Warshaw . Other members, including Michael Rosen , joined primarily for theatre productions, the Festival of Fools,
1800-470: The Theatre Union roles had been shared, but now, in Theatre Workshop, they were more formalised. Littlewood was the sole producer and MacColl the dramaturge , art director and resident dramatist. The techniques that had been developed in the Theatre Union now were refined, producing the distinctive form of theatre that was the hallmark of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, as the troupe was later known. They were an impoverished travelling troupe, but were making
1860-677: The University of Essex), was ranked fourth in the UK in The Guardian ' s University Guide rankings for Drama and Dance. It is a member of the Federation of Drama Schools . East 15 Acting School was founded in 1961 by Margaret Bury. East 15 draws its origins from the work of Joan Littlewood 's Theatre Workshop . Margaret Bury was part of the Theatre Workshop for fourteen years before starting East 15 Acting School in 1961. She drew on
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1920-508: The centre of a building site. In 1975 Gerry Raffles died of diabetes and in 1979 Littlewood moved to France, and ceased to direct. Many well-regarded television and stage actors began their professional careers at Theatre Workshop under Littlewood's tutelage. They included Yootha Joyce , Glynn Edwards , Harry H. Corbett , George A. Cooper , Richard Harris , Stephen Lewis , Howard Goorney , Brian Murphy , Murray Melvin , Nigel Hawthorne and Barbara Windsor . The last three were cast by
1980-617: The company and changed the focus of his career from acting and playwriting to singing and composing folk and topical songs. In 1947, MacColl visited a retired lead-miner named Mark Anderson (1874–1953) in Middleton-in-Teesdale , County Durham, England, who performed to him a song called " Scarborough Fair "; MacColl recorded the lyrics and melody in a book of Teesdale folk songs, and later included it on his and Peggy Seeger 's The Singing Island (1960). Martin Carthy learnt
2040-534: The company had to beg their fares home. The Arts Council and critics became aware of the company, and they returned to Paris with six more productions. In 1963 they won the Award of the Grande Prix du Festival for Oh, What a Lovely War! . In 1955 Littlewood directed, and took the leading role in, the London premiere of Bertolt Brecht 's Mother Courage and Her Children . Finances continued to be tight, but
2100-630: The company was kept afloat with transfers of many successful plays to the West End stage and later, film productions. This workload put a severe strain on resources, as these transfers meant that experienced cast members were tied up for long periods and had to be replaced in the repertory . Until 1968, the Theatres Act 1843 required scripts to be submitted for approval by the Lord Chamberlain's Office . This caused conflicts because of
2160-628: The company, and in 1953 Joan Littlewood took the gamble of taking a lease on a permanent base at the Theatre Royal Stratford East , London . The theatre was derelict, no funds were available for renovation, and the actors cleaned and painted the auditorium between rehearsals. To save money the cast and crew slept in the dressing rooms (while Littlewood went back to her home in Blackheath). The theatre opened on 2 February 1953 with Twelfth Night . MacColl had not supported
2220-440: The director Ken Russell to appear in the film version of The Boy Friend (1971) with Twiggy . Philip Hedley had worked as an assistant to Joan Littlewood for some years, and took over the artistic directorship on her departure from the theatre. He continued her educational work, and engaged with new Asian and Black audiences as the local demographic changed. The theatre continued Littlewood's agenda of portraying and expressing
2280-680: The experience of local people in East London. In 1999 Hedley began the Musical Theatre Initiatives scheme to encourage new writing in musical theatre. In 2004, after 25 years as artistic director, he retired. Kerry Michael is a second-generation Greek Cypriot who was born and brought up in North London. He joined Stratford East in 1997, as an associate director. He became director in September 2004. His manifesto
2340-536: The left wing the world over continued until the 20th Congress of the Russian Communist Party (1956), when he was posthumously denounced by Khrushchev for his "personality cult" and his human rights crimes. Disillusioned and subsequently turning to China for political role models, Ewan stopped singing this song or even referring to it. He would not have included it in the main body of such a book as this unless it were for reasons similar to mine: (1) as
2400-461: The less aggressive songs have featured on other compilations. At MacColl's 70th birthday party, he was presented by Arthur Scargill with a miner's lamp to show appreciation for his support. In his last interview in August 1988, MacColl stated that he still believed in a socialist revolution and that the communist parties of the west had become too moderate. He stated that he had been a member of
2460-445: The lifestyle of Gypsies in his 1964 album The Travelling People . Many of the songs spoke against the prejudice against Roma Gypsies , although some also contained derogatory remarks about " tinkers ", which is a word for Irish Travellers . He wrote "The Ballad of Tim Evans" (also known as "Go Down You Murderer") a song protesting against capital punishment , based on an infamous murder case in which an innocent man, Timothy Evans ,
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2520-495: The many tasks associated with running and maintaining a theatre, and with a duty roster for "chef of the week". In April 1953, a request for funds was met with The Finance Committee at their last meeting was unable to recommend any grant for the purposes you have in mind. However, the Committee indicated that they would be prepared to assist, where possible in the matter of publicity, providing this could be done without cost to
2580-405: The move to London, and left the company to concentrate on folk music . With Littlewood, as director, Gerry Raffles (1928–1975) as manager and John Bury as designer, the Theatre Workshop continued to present a mixed programme of classics and modern plays with contemporary themes. The cast and crew (again excluding Littlewood, who was then living with Raffles) lived and worked as a commune, sharing
2640-480: The name to "Theatre of Action" and not long after were introduced to a young actress recently moved up from London. This was Joan Littlewood who became MacColl's wife and work partner. In 1936, after a failed attempt to move to London, the couple returned to Manchester , and formed the Theatre Union. In 1940 a performance of The Last Edition – a 'living newspaper' – was halted by the police and MacColl and Littlewood were bound over for two years for breach of
2700-590: The peace. The necessities of wartime brought an end to Theatre Union. MacColl enlisted in the British Army during July 1940, but deserted in December. Why he did so, and why he was not prosecuted after the war, remain a mystery. In an interview in June 1987, he said that he was expelled for "anti-fascist activity". Allan Moore and Giovanni Vacca wrote that MacColl had been subject to Special Observation whilst in
2760-521: The same year. In the following year Kerry’s production of Cinderella was also nominated for an Olivier. Michael has numerous directing credits. Highlights include new plays by Cosh Omar, The Battle of Green Lanes and The Great Extension ; Jamaica House by Paul Sirett, which had a site-specific performance on the top floor of a tower block in Stepney; new musicals such as Make Some Noise and One Dance Will Do ; Ray Davies’s Come Dancing , winner of
2820-424: The school became part of the University of Essex . By the end of the 1960s both the company and the theatre were under threat. The Theatre Workshop presented revivals of its own productions and a campaign was begun to save the theatre from redevelopment as part of a new shopping centre planned to transform the centre of Stratford. Audiences mounted a campaign to save the theatre and for many years it remained open in
2880-420: The script. MacColl produced a script that incorporated the actual voices and so created a new form that they called the radio ballad . Between 1957 and 1964, eight of these were broadcast by the BBC , all created by the team of MacColl and Parker together with Peggy Seeger who handled musical direction, conducted a great many field interviews, and wrote songs, either together with MacColl or alone. MacColl wrote
2940-483: The scripts and songs, as well as, with the others, collecting the field recordings which were the heart of the productions. In 1965 Ewan and Peggy formed the Critics Group from a number of young followers, with Charles Parker in attendance, frequently recording the group's weekly sessions at MacColl and Seeger's home. The initial aim of improving musical skills soon broadened to performing at political events,
3000-542: The song from MacColl's book, before teaching it to Paul Simon ; Simon & Garfunkel released the song as "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" on their album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme , popularising the obscure and unique folk tune. Ewan MacColl, a decade after collecting the song, released his own version accompanied by Peggy Seeger on guitar in 1957 on the LP "Matching Songs of the British Isles and America" and an
3060-525: The song on the grounds that Ewan would not have wanted it included, but decided to include it as an example of his work in his early career. The B-side of the record, Sovietland (Land of Freedom) was not included in the songbook. MacColl sang and composed numerous protest and topical songs for the nuclear disarmament movement , for example "Against the Atom Bomb", The Vandals , Nightmare , and Nuclear Means Jobs . MacColl dedicated an entire album to
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#17327810685933120-636: The song was on one of them. This song, which was recorded by Roberta Flack for her debut album, First Take , which was issued by Atlantic records in June 1969, had become a No. 1 hit in 1972 and had won MacColl a Grammy Award for Song of the Year , while Flack received a Grammy Award for Record of the Year . In 1959, MacColl began releasing LP albums on Folkways Records , including several collaborative albums with Peggy Seeger. His song " Dirty Old Town ", inspired by his home town of Salford in Lancashire,
3180-479: The teaching methods and philosophies of the Theatre Workshop. In 2000, East 15 found established its partnership with the University of Essex . At its inception, Essex's founding Vice-Chancellor, Sir Albert Sloman, emphasised that "radical innovation" would be at the heart of its approach, including new specialist performance courses and the creation of new facilities, including the Clifftown Theatre and
3240-482: The theatre. For example, he wrote " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face " very quickly at the request of Seeger, who needed it for use in a play she was appearing in. He taught it to her by long-distance telephone, while she was on tour in the United States (from where MacColl had been barred because of his Communist past). Seeger said that MacColl used to send her tapes to listen to whilst they were apart and that
3300-610: Was "a communist with very extreme views" who needed "special attention". For a time the Special Branch kept a watch on the Manchester home that he shared with his first wife, Joan Littlewood . MI5 caused some of MacColl's songs to be rejected by the BBC , and prevented the employment of Littlewood as a BBC children's programme presenter (see: "Christmas tree" files ). He was married three times: to theatre director Joan Littlewood (1914–2002) from 1934 to 1950; to Jean Mary Newlove (1923–2017) in 1949, with whom he had two children,
3360-726: Was awarded a Freedom of the City of London and made a Member of the Order of the Empire for services to the Arts in the Queen's Birthday honours. Ewan MacColl James Henry Miller (25 January 1915 – 22 October 1989), better known by his stage name Ewan MacColl , was a British folk singer-songwriter, folk song collector, labour activist and actor. Born in England to Scottish parents, he
3420-514: Was condemned and executed, before the real culprit was discovered. MacColl was very active during the miners' strike of 1984–85 in distributing free cassettes of songs supportive of the National Union of Mineworkers , entitled Daddy, what did you do in the strike? The title song was unusually aggressive in its language towards the strikebreakers . This collection was only released on cassette and remaining copies are rare, but some of
3480-453: Was established in 1961 by Margaret Bury, a member of Joan Littlewood 's Theatre Workshop . Theatre Workshop's guiding principles continue to inform East 15's teaching and productions today. East 15 offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across two campuses, located in Loughton and Southend-on-Sea . Its degrees are awarded by the University of Essex , with which it merged on 1 September 2000. In 2024, East 15 (as part of
3540-547: Was the youngest and only surviving child in the family of three sons and one daughter (one of each sex was stillborn and one son died at the age of four). They lived amongst a group of Scots and Jimmy was brought up in an atmosphere of fierce political debate interspersed with the large repertoire of songs and stories his parents had brought from Scotland. He was educated at North Grecian Street Junior School in Broughton. He left school in 1930 after an elementary education, during
3600-600: Was written for the play Landscape with Chimneys (1949) produced by Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop . It went on to become a folk-revival staple and was recorded by the Spinners (1964), Donovan (1964), Roger Whittaker (1968), Julie Felix (1968), the Dubliners (1968), Rod Stewart (1969), the Clancy Brothers (1970), the Pogues (1985), the Mountain Goats (2002), Simple Minds (2003), Ted Leo and
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