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The Festival Theatre, now known as Malvern Theatres, is a theatre complex on Grange Road in
Malvern, Worcestershire Malvern is a spa town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England. It lies at the foot of the Malvern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The centre of Malvern, Great Malvern, is a historic conservation area, which grew dra ...
, England. Malvern Theatres, housed in the Winter Gardens complex in the town centre of
Great Malvern Great Malvern is an area of the spa town of Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It lies at the foot of the Malvern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the eastern flanks of the Worcestershire Beacon and North Hill, and is ...
, has been a provincial centre for the arts since 1885. The theatre became known for its
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
productions in the 1930s and from 1977 onwards, along with the works of
Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...
. Up until 1965, 19 different plays of Shaw were produced at the Malvern Festival Theatre, and six premiered here, including ''
The Apple Cart ''The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza'' is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. The plot follows the fictional ...
'' at the opening Malvern Festival in 1929, '' Geneva, a Fancied Page of History in Three Acts'' in August 1938 and ''
In Good King Charles's Golden Days ''In Good King Charles's Golden Days'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw, subtitled ''A True History that Never Happened''. It was written in 1938-39 as an "educational history film" for film director Gabriel Pascal in the aftermath of '' Pygmalio ...
'' in August 1939. Over its history the theatre and festival has closed several times, including during World War II, in the early 1960s, in the early 1970s, and in the late 1990s when a new complex was built with an 850-seat Festival Theatre, a Forum Theatre, a 400-seat cinema, and a bar and restaurant.


History


Early history

In 1883, a bid was put in for the land in Malvern, then known as the Promenade Gardens, with the idea of building a centre of the arts in the town. Funding was raised by a company dedicated to building the theatre, and 200 shares amounting to £5 each were allotted. The foundation stone of the assembly rooms of the theatre was laid down by the
Earl Beauchamp Earl Beauchamp () was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The peerage was created in 1815 for William Lygon, 1st Baron Beauchamp, along with the subsidiary title Viscount Elmley, in the County of Worcester. He had already been creat ...
on 6 July 1884, attended by
Jenny Lind Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and a ...
,
Lady Emily Foley Lady Emily Foley (23 June 1805 – 1 January 1900) was a major landowner and benefactress in nineteenth-century England. She was born Lady Emily Graham, the daughter of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose in 1805. In 1832, she married The Hon. ...
and Dr. W. T. Fernie. The theatre was inaugurated on 1 July 1885.


1929–1964

The Festival Theatre of Malvern became known for its
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
productions in the 1930s. Michael W. Pharand considers the friendship and artistic relationship between Bernard Shaw and
Barry Vincent Jackson Sir Barry Vincent Jackson (6 September 1879 – 3 April 1961) was an English theatre director, entrepreneur and the founder of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and, alongside George Bernard Shaw, the Malvern Festival. Early life Jackson was ...
to have "probably had its greatest flowering with the Malvern Festival". Shaw, a resident of Malvern. also regularly enjoyed watching theatrical productions by other playwrights for pleasure. The first Malvern Drama Festival took place for a fortnight from 19 August 1929, and was organised by Jackson and dedicated to Bernard Shaw. The English première of ''
The Apple Cart ''The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza'' is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. The plot follows the fictional ...
'' took place at this festival and was performed four times, and Shaw's ''
Back to Methuselah ''Back to Methuselah (A Metabiological Pentateuch)'' by George Bernard Shaw consists of a preface (''The Infidel Half Century'') and a series of five plays: ''In the Beginning: B.C. 4004 (In the Garden of Eden)'', ''The Gospel of the Brothers Bar ...
'', ''
Heartbreak House ''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in November 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cul ...
'' and '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' were also shown. ''The Apple Cart'', starring Julian d'Albie and Rita John, went on to appear at the New Theatre, Cambridge, in May 1930. Shaw's '' Geneva, a Fancied Page of History in Three Acts'', a satire on European political ideologies, was first performed at Malvern on 1 August 1938 by Roy Limbert, and after four runs, productions were put on at the
Saville SAVILLE is a classified NSA Type 1 encryption algorithm, developed in the late 1960s, jointly by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in the UK and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the US. It is used broadly, often for voice e ...
and St. James Theatres in London. A year later, Shaw's ''
In Good King Charles's Golden Days ''In Good King Charles's Golden Days'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw, subtitled ''A True History that Never Happened''. It was written in 1938-39 as an "educational history film" for film director Gabriel Pascal in the aftermath of '' Pygmalio ...
'', his last before World War II, premiered at Malvern on 12 August 1939 and was performed six times before moving to Streatham Hill Theatre and the New Theatre in 1940.
James Bridie James Bridie (3 January 1888 in Glasgow – 29 January 1951 in Edinburgh) was the pseudonym of a Scottish playwright, screenwriter and physician whose real name was Osborne Henry Mavor.Daniel Leary (1982) ''Dictionary of Literary Biography: ...
's A ''Sleeping Clergyman'' in two acts was performed at the theatre from 29 July 1933. A summer Malvern festival production of ''
Volpone ''Volpone'' (, Italian for "sly fox") is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605–1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-perform ...
'' in 1935 received much greater acclaim here than it had at previous theatres such as
Birmingham Repertory Theatre Birmingham Repertory Theatre, commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a producing theatre based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. Founded by Barry Jackson, it is the longest-established of Britain's building-based theatre c ...
. The Malvern Festival collapsed during World War II, and in the late 1940s, the theatre closed for renovation. A letter dated to 1948 remarks that the funding of the renovation caused considerable dispute among the Malvern District Council, and that Bernard Shaw would be delighted to learn that there would be a Malvern Festival in 1949. In 1956 Malvern held a Shaw centenary week. However, for a few years up until 1965, the festival theatre lapsed.


1965–1997

In February 1965 a Malvern Festival Theatre Trust was set up, and extensive refurbishment was undertaken.
J. B. Priestley John Boynton Priestley (; 13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984) was an English novelist, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator. His Yorkshire background is reflected in much of his fiction, notably in ''The Good Compa ...
presided over the opening ceremony of the first summer season, and under director John Ridley, the Festival opened on 8 July and ran until 2 October. A production of Priestley's ''
An Inspector Calls ''An Inspector Calls'' is a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and at the New Theatre in London the following year. It is one of Priestley's best-known works for the stage and is con ...
'', starring
Anne Kristen Anne Kristen (7 March 1937 – 7 August 1996) was a Scottish actress, best known for portraying Olive Rowe in '' Coronation Street''. Her longest-lasting role was as Miss Meiklejohn in ''Hamish Macbeth''. She also appeared in ''Wings'' as Moll ...
,
Julian Curry Julian Burnlee Curry (8 December 1937 – 27 June 2020) was an English actor best known for playing Claude Erskine-Browne in ITV's legal comedy-drama '' Rumpole of the Bailey''. Early life The son of William Burnlee Curry (1900-1962), headmast ...
,
Daphne Heard Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard (21 August 1904 – 22 June 1983) was an English actress and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth, Devon. She appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and TV series. But was perhaps best known in latter years a ...
and William Roderick was produced. In February 1966, a successful production of Shakespeare's ''
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
'' was produced at Malvern Theatre, causing initial controversy when
Rudolph Walker Rudolph Malcolm Walker (born 28 September 1939) is a Trinidadian-British actor, known for his sitcom roles as Bill Reynolds in ''Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and Constable Frank Gladstone in '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96). Since 2001, ...
, in his first professional role, portrayed Othello, being a black man. In May of that year, fans of
The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
, angered that the group's van had broken down before they were due to play a gig at the Winter Gardens in Malvern, smashed the windows of the theatre. The theatre closed in the early 1970s but reopened in 1977, seeking to "revive the festival idea by creating an intriguing dual focus on Shaw and
Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...
". The theatre was relaunched on 24 May 1977 with a
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
production of ''
Man and Superman ''Man and Superman'' is a four-act drama written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903. The series was written in response to a call for Shaw to write a play based on the Don Juan theme. ''Man and Superman'' opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London ...
''. In 1986, Elgar's music still formed a major part of the annual music festival, with venues aside from the then 800-seat festival theatre being Malvern Winter Gardens (900 seats), Great Malvern Priory (600 seats), Martin Rogers Theatre (450 seats), and
Malvern College Malvern College is an Independent school (United Kingdom), independent coeducational day and boarding school in Malvern, Worcestershire, Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It is a public school (United Kingdom), public school in the British sen ...
.


1998 – present

In 1998, a further £7.2 million major redesign and refurbishment took place with the help of contributions from the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF), administered by the government Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The complex now has an 850-seat Festival Theatre, a Forum Theatre, a 400-seat cinema, and a bar and restaurant. " Killing Castro", featuring Robin Hood's
Michael Praed Michael Praed ( ; born 1 April 1960), birth name Michael David Prince, is a British actor and narrator, probably best remembered for his role as Robin of Loxley in the British television series ''Robin of Sherwood'', which attained cult status ...
and
Clive Mantle Clive Andrew Mantle (born 3 June 1957) is an English actor. He played general surgeon Mike Barratt in the BBC hospital drama series ''Casualty'' and '' Holby City'' in the 1990s, and Little John in the 1980s fantasy series ''Robin of Sherwood' ...
, was performed here in June 2006, and was described by the ''
Birmingham Mail The ''Birmingham Mail'' (branded the ''Black Country Mail'' in the Black Country) is a tabloid newspaper based in Birmingham, England but distributed around Birmingham, the Black Country, and Solihull and parts of Warwickshire, Worcestershire ...
'' as an "acclaimed comedy" which "chronicles the more bizarre of America's attempts to kill the Cuban leader
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...
– including filling his shoes with poison and inventing an exploding cigar."


References

;Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Official website
{{coord, 52, 6, 37, N, 2, 19, 37, W, display=title Theatres in Worcestershire Buildings and structures in Malvern, Worcestershire Malvern, Worcestershire