On 16 January 1963 the General Manager announced, with some regret, higher prices for tickets. The most expensive seat would now be 6 Shillings 6 Pence (less than one US Dollar.) Prices for London plays would have been about twice these amounts. Click the thumbnail on the left for the full text of the announcement, including an unfortunate rise in ice cream prices.
The Ipswich Arts Theatre was in Tower Street in the centre of the small market town. Three Victorian cottages had been converted into a lecture hall, where Charles Dickens had performed extracts from his novels. Then it became a flea-pit cinema and during the War was a welcome club for troops. In 1948, it was turned into a theatre holding 360 customers.
“People walk past this building without noticing it” I told the Ipswich Evening Star (27 June 1962): and of the plans to replace it with a custom-built theatre – 'I’d rather see this theatre so full every night that they can’t squeeze anyone else in. Ipswich only needs a new building when this one is packed out every night. I can’t see any point just building a theatre for the sake of it. The play isn’t any better because it is in a new building.'
Perhaps I was being romantic about the inadequacies of
our theatre because I enjoyed the contrast between the dusty confusion
backstage and the brightly-lit fun and games onstage.
— Ian McKellen, 2001
| Year | Place | Title/Writer | Director/Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
BECKET
Jean Anouilh, translated by Lucienne Hill |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Gilbert Folliot, Bishop of London / First Baron |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE GAZEBO
Alec Coppell |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Elliot Nash |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
CASTE
T W Robertson |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Sam Gerridge |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE BIG KILLING
Philip Mackie |
DIRECTOR: Donald MacKechnie ROLE: Gavin Cole |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE AMOROUS PRAWN
Anthony Kimmins |
DIRECTOR: Alan Gray ROLE: Larry Hoffman |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE KEEP (1962)
Gwyn Thomas |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
DAVID COPPERFIELD (1962)
Joan MacAlpine (from Charles Dickens' novel) |
ROLE: David |
| 1962 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
ALADDIN & HIS WONDERFUL LAMP
Henry Marshall |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn and Donald Mackechnie ROLE: Tee Vee |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
HOW DARE WE!
|
ROLE: various (singing, dancing, clowning) |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
HENRY V (1963)
William Shakespeare |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: King Henry |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
UNDER MILK WOOD
Dylan Thomas |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Mr Waldo, Cherry Owen, No-good Boyo, and First Drowned |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE
Joseph Kesselring |
DIRECTOR: Alan Gray ROLE: Mortimer Brewster |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
LUTHER
John Osborne |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Martin Luther |
| 1963 |
Belgrade Theatre Coventry |
THE BIG CONTRACT
Barry England |
DIRECTOR: Anthony Richardson ROLE: Robin Green |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
Eugene O'Neill |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Edmund Tyrone |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
TO DOROTHY A SON
Roger McDougall |
ROLE: voices off |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
I, JOHN BROWN
John Hall |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Andrew Acre |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
SALAD DAYS
Julian Slade & Dorothy Reynolds |
DIRECTOR: Alan Gray ROLE: Fosdyke/Nigel |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE CORN IS GREEN
Emlyn Williams |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Morgan Evans |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
THE PUBLIC EYE
Peter Shaffer |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Julian Christoforou |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
SERJEANT MUSGRAVE'S DANCE
John Arden |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Private Sparky |
| 1963 |
Arts Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk |
ALL IN GOOD TIME
Bill Naughton |
DIRECTOR: Robert Chetwyn ROLE: Arthur Fitton |