A rare opportunity to hear Frome Festival founder and president Martin Bax talk about his experimental work with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford is coming to the Merlin Theatre on Sunday 6th July.
This event begins with a documentary film by multi-award-winning director Andrew Smith describing Martin’s work in Stratford, where he organised an experimental season of plays, reviews, films, poetry readings and concerts with members of the RSC. This led eventually to the second permanent theatrical space in Stratford called The Other Place.
Martin converted the 18th -century building, listed by Historic England as ‘Summerhouse in Avonbank Garden’, into a fully functional experimental theatre. He called it the Roundhouse Stratford, as the company was also involved with experimental work in the Roundhouse in London.
This forgotten experimental theatre saw performances from acting greats including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Ben Kingsley and Sir Patrick Stewart. It has been brought back into the spotlight thanks to new research by Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall, senior lecturer in Shakespeare and Theatre at the University of Birmingham’s Shakespeare Institute.
After the film show, Abigail will interview Martin on the stage of the Merlin Theatre.
Abigail’s research detailing the history of the forgotten Stratford Roundhouse has been published in the journal Theatre Notebook. Copies of the Theatre Notebook will be available at Frome Library in the reference section and also for loan.
Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall said, “Credited by some as the direct predecessor for the RSC’s The Other Place, this ambitious experimental project has been largely forgotten by RSC historians and the general public. But the Stratford Roundhouse really packed a punch considering its short history.”
Martin said, “I am delighted that, after all these years and thanks to Abigail, the truth about the Roundhouse has finally been told.”
Dr Rokison-Woodall added, “The Stratford Roundhouse played a vital role in not just the history of the RSC and theatre in the Midlands, but experimental theatre in Britain. Celebrated actors graced that small and unassuming stage.”
The event will run from 11am.
