Swan Theatre, Worcester

The Swan Theatre is a theatre currently run by the Worcester Live Charitable Trust in Worcester, England. It is the official residence of the Worcester Repertory Company, Swan Youth Theatre and Young Rep. It stages drama, music, dance and spoken word as well as being hired out to local, regional and national amateur groups. It was built in 1965 and was designed by Henry Gorst. The Swan Theatre was built a decade after the demolition of the Worcester Theatre Royal, which was condemned due to fire damage.[1]

Swan Theatre
Swan Theatre, Worcester
AddressThe Swan Theatre
The Moors
Worcester
WR1 3ED
United Kingdom
OwnerWorcester Live Charitable Trust & Worcester Repertory Company
TypeProscenium arch
Capacity350
Construction
Opened1965
ArchitectHenry Gorst
Website
worcester-rep.co.uk/swantheatre

The theatre has undergone two major refurbishments since it was built. One in the late 1970s which added a studio theatre, office spaces and workshop space and another in 2009. The 2009 refurbishment installed air-handling in the theatre's main house as well as the removal of asbestos and the inclusion of a public balcony in the bar and foyer area.[2] In addition to the 350 seat main house auditorium the theatre has a 50 seat studio space, The Vesta Tilley Studio,[3] named after Music Hall star and Worcester born performer, Vesta Tilley.

Directors

Since the opening of the theatre there have been nine directors. Since the founding of the Worcester Repertory Company in 1967 the Artistic Director of the WRC has been the de facto Director of the Swan Theatre, serving both as the Administrative and Artistic head of the company.

Artistic Director Starting Year Ending Year
Sara Knight MBE* 1965 1967
John Hole** 1967 1974
Michael Winter 1974 1977
Patrick Masefield OBE 1977 1982
John Doyle 1982 1985
John Ginman 1985 1988
Pat Trueman 1988 1994
Jenny Stephens 1994 2002
Chris Jaeger MBE 2003 2019
Ben Humphrey 2019 Present

* Director of the Swan Theatre only.

** Founding Director of the Worcester Repertory Company.

The theatre has had many Associate and Assistant Directors which have included Phyllida Lloyd CBE, David Wood OBE, Richard Digby Day, Paul Clarkson, and Sam Walters.

Patrons

There have been four Patrons of the theatre since its opening.

Dame Peggy Ashcroft, John Doyle, Lord Faulkner of Worcester and its current patron, Imelda Staunton CBE. Imelda Staunton's professional debut was at the Swan Theatre with the Worcester Repertory Company and she became the Patron during the Golden Anniversary of the theatre in 2015.[4]

Rufus Norris, the current Director of the National Theatre serves as the Swan Youth Theatre and Young Rep's patron. Rufus Norris was a member of the Swan Youth Theatre[5] before making his professional debut with the Worcester Repertory Company, appearing in John Doyle's production of Cabaret.[6]

gollark: You can change English grammar, iff it's in a cool way.
gollark: English grammar is intensely horrifying.
gollark: They cannot use full words, due to length constraints.
gollark: Neopronouns use existing characters.
gollark: I see.

References
  1. Winspear, Suz (1998). Worcester's Lost Theatre. Parkbarn. ISBN 9781898097037.
  2. Jaeger, Chris (2014). The Swan Theatre, Worcester. pp. 19–23. ISBN 9780957608696.
  3. "Box Office | Worcester Live - Home to Swan Theatre and Huntingdon Hall". www.worcesterlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
  4. "Actress Imelda Staunton delighted to become Swan Theatre's patron". Worcester News. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  5. Cooke, Rachel (2016-07-31). "Rufus Norris: 'I'm not a visionary. I don't have to have all the ideas'". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  6. "www.worcester-rep.co.uk/youngrep". Worcester Repertory Company. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

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