| AdminHistory | John English was born in 1911. He was of an artistic and creative disposition but felt that it was his responsibility to work professionally in industry. English gained his business sensibilities from his father, who was managing director of a tailoring firm. It was while working at a glass firm in late teens that his English’s interest in theatre began to blossom.
John English’s involvement in what would become the Highbury Players and later the Highbury Little Theatre had its origins in the Arts Group affiliated with the socialist Independent Labour Party. In 1924 the group first met and began reading plays, including the works of John Drinkwater. By the spring of 1925 English, together with Peta English (his first wife), Agnes Holt and John Bishop decided to stage their first amateur public production. This event, held on the 5th of March marked the beginning of what would become the Highbury Players.
Throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s English and his colleagues staged a number of productions at Folk House and Church House in Erdington. Some of these early performances included ‘The Skin Game’, ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ and ‘Othello’. During this period English demonstrated his skill at adaptation, translation and play writing. In 1932 he collaborated with Henry Reed to translate Moliere’s 17th century comedy ‘L’Avare’ (The Miser) into English. The name adopted by the group, the Highbury Players, originated from Highbury House where the group conducted its first rehearsals.
By the mid 1930s it was apparent to English that a dedicated theatre space was required to progress the work of the Players. A Building Fund was set up in 1935 and a suitable site on the Sheffield Road in Sutton Coldfield was identified in 1937. This property had belonged to Rhoda Anstey, the founder of Anstey Physical Training College. The property was purchased for just over £200 though an acute lack of funds impeded the pace of construction on the site.
By pooling their money and what meagre resources could be found in the Building Fund, English and his fellow actors undertook the phased construction of the theatre with their own hands. A series of stages were envisioned beginning with essentials and moving along to discretionary improvements as funds became available. Intermittent improvements and repairs have continued on the theatre ever since its construction began in 1937.
By May 1942 works on the Highbury Little Theatre were sufficiently advanced to allow the Players to stage their first play in the new venue. For this opening performance English, acting as producer, selected ‘Arms and the Man’ by George Bernard Shaw. The cast was led by Peta English as Raina Petkof who also doubled as Designer. Though working mainly behind the scenes John English himself played the part of Captain Bluntschli in three evening performances of Shaw’s comedy.
According to the institutional history written by English and colleagues in 1947 and subsequently revised in 1963 the purpose of the Highbury Players was:
To interest the public in good drama and all matters connected with the Art Theatre.
(a) By the presentation of productions of educational and artistic value.
(b) By the study and teaching of all branches of dramatic art and theatre-craft, such as elocution, movement and dancing, costume and scenic design, make-up, music and all forms of stage technique.
The organizational structure of the Highbury Players revolved around the Trustees (those who built the theatre), the General Committee and the membership. Membership was divided between two thousand two hundred and fifty theatre members and two hundred and fifty members of the operating company, the Highbury Players. Membership of the General Committee was drawn from the corporate membership, up to fifty of whom were selected from the operating company membership.
The relationship between Trustees and the General Committee is also explained in the institutional history:
The Trustees bestow on the General Committee of the Highbury Players the right and responsibility to operate the theatre jointly with themselves. The general committee consists of a Chairman Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, House Manager, Publicity Secretary, Membership Secretary, three Committee Members (representing the Corporate Members not otherwise holding office) the Arts Director, Directors of group activities and representatives of the Student Members, Associate Members and Theatre Members.
To ensure continuity in artistic policy, the Trustees appoint an Arts Director for a period of three years. The Arts Director makes appointments to technical positions, such as that of Stage Director and the heads of technical departments-lighting, sound wardrobe and design.
English viewed the Highbury Little Theatre as more than just a theatre venue. He advocated the creation of the Student Group, a Film Group and the Sunday Club. The Student Group was aimed at bringing young people into the theatre. The Film Group provided viewers with regular Sunday showings of films and documentaries. As an example : the programme for 14 January 1945 (see MS 2790/2/2/4/2) began with a Ministry of Information documentary entitled ‘Crofters’, followed by a film recording of Toscanini and finally a showing of G.W. Pabst’s ‘L’Atlantide’. Between 1942 and 1956, the Sunday Club operated at the theatre, and many well-known musicians and broadcasters came to perform or give talks. The most famous of these visitors was Kathleen Ferrier, who gave two recitals at the theatre in 1948.
In May 1947 English, ever interested in the works of small theatres, invited the Dutch amateur theatre group ‘De Plankeniers’ to England to perform at the Highbury Little Theatre for the Highbury Players (see MS 2790/2/1/2/2). The Dutch performers lodged with their English hosts and performed in the Dutch language. A week after the Dutch company returned to the continent the Highbury Players traveled to Holland for the same purpose. English described the exchange as occurring:
'…on a basis of common interest in a more durable aspect of civilized living. Such exchanges are, we think, the sort of work which UNESCO should foster, but rather than wait and see what that organisation will bring forth, we think it would be helpful to have a concrete example to talk about and to work on for the future.'
Despite enjoying considerable success at the Highbury Little Theatre English recognised the limitations of the venue due to its size and traditional format. He wished to bring actors and audience closer together and this aspiration led to the formation of the Intimate Theatre Group and the Arena Theatre.
The Intimate Theatre Group was formed by the Highbury Theatre Centre at the end of 1947 and consisted of a small group of professional actors, artists and technical specialists. The Group worked under the general direction of English and was assisted by an advisory panel that included, among others, Sir Barry Jackson. The Group described the purpose of their project in a 1948 programme:
'The Group has been charged with the task of experimenting with methods of theatrical presentation. The object is to seek a form most suited to the requirements of the day. A study is being made of the present position of the living theatre in relation to its kindred arts, the Cinema and the Radio. The Group will concentrate on those things which seem to be the essence of the living theatre and remain the living theatre’s special field.
The first requirement of the Intimate Theatre Group project has been the design of an experimental theatre arrangement. In undertaking this design an attempt has been made to embody principles which appear to be fundamental. One of these principles we believe, is to place the audience sufficiently near to the playing space so that the actor may perform with the degree of subtlety that a sensitive audience now requires. Another fundamental is, we believe, to arrange the theatre is such a way that the audience more fully embraces the actor and by this means to ensure that the essential personal quality of the living theatre may be developed to its fullest.'
In order to realise the artistic vision articulated above and to ensure that British theatre construction did not stagnate and fall behind developments in Russia and the United States English advocated the construction of a new theatre. He was of the opinion that the proscenium stage in use at the Highbury Little Theatre was not conducive to the work of the Intimate Theatre Group and that a more flexible arrangement was required.
To this end, English and the officers of the Highbury Theatre Centre enlisted architect Reginald Dixon to create a portable theatre design that could be readily assembled either inside an existing structure or in an open space such as a park. A circus tent could be erected over the theatre for outdoor productions and to expand seating capacity. The stage layout could also be modified to suit each performance. Regardless of circumstance the visual and auditory experience for the audience was considered to be greatly improved.
The first production staged at the new Arena Theatre was ‘The Little Foxes’ by Lillian Hellman. This production occurred at Pype Hayes Park on 09 August 1948. The play was performed by the Intimate Theatre Group under the direction of English. Further performances followed, including regular appearances at the Birmingham Summer Theatre Festival and at various locations across the UK including Cardiff, Cambridge and Weston-super-Mare. On one outing to the latter location the circus tent blew down in high winds.
English assumed the post of Governing Director of the Arena Theatre Company Ltd., in addition to his existing role as Artistic Director of the Highbury Little Theatre, a post had held since 1942. The Arena Theatre Company was setup as a non-profit trust with the support of the Arts Council for England and the Birmingham Corporation. By July 1961 the Arena Theatre had staged over one hundred productions. At its peak during this period the theatre employed three separate companies, though this was reduced to one by 1956.
During the 1950s the success of the Arena Theatre was not equalled by the Highbury Little Theatre (setup as a Trust in 1949) which saw a gradual reduction in public interest leading to the wrapping up of the Sunday Group and the Student Group in 1956 and the Film Group in 1960. The number of performances also declined though new plays continued to be staged including ‘A Pride of Geese’ by English.
Towards the end of the 1950s English began looking to a more ambitious project aimed at fostering an interest in theatre and the arts among young people. Together with his second wife Alicia ‘Mollie’ Randle and council leader Sir Frank Price, English set about planning the creation of a new permanent youth arts centre, to be one of the first of its kind in the country.
In 1961 Royal Assent was granted to the Parliamentary Bill allowing for the construction of the Midlands Art Centre for Young People (now the Midlands Arts Centre) in Cannon Hill Park. The site had for some years been the home of the Arena Theatre Company when not on tour. With the onset of the MAC the activities of the company were either wound up or amalgamated into the new project.
The project was envisioned to take ten years to complete at a cost of one million pounds. The first stage was to be completed by 1965. Birmingham City Council actively supported the new scheme financially and through the allocation of 8.6 acres of parkland to the project. Work proceeded quickly and two theatres were operational by the mid 1960s including a resident professional troupe and the Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre. On 30 May 1963 English resigned from his position at the Highbury Little Theatre in order to devote his energies to the role of Director of the Cannon Hill Trust. Despite his resignation English continued to maintain a close relationship with the Highbury Little Theatre, directing or co-directing many plays and later serving as theatre president and trustee.
English retained the directorship of the MAC throughout the 1960s. During this period it was the scene of vast creativity and innovation. In addition to staging plays for children and young people the MAC served as a venue for cultural exchange – in 1967 the arts centre was visited by Konstantin Chakh-Azizov director of the Moscow Central Children’s Theatre. A number of august actors and directors passed through the MAC including Mike Leigh and Bob Peck.
In 1976 English retired, passing his office to Robert Atkins. This shift in leadership marked a significant change in direction for the MAC from the idealistic to the pragmatic. The full time professional puppet theatre that English had championed continued to operate until the mid 1990s and the centre continues to operate to the present day.
In 1968 English was awarded an OBE for his services to the theatre. In 1972 he was appointed to the United Kingdom Commission for UNESCO where he served a three year term on the Cultural Advisory Committee. In 1981 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Birmingham Civic Society. English died in December 1998 at the age of 87. A year later, his wife Mollie Randle was awarded in MBE for services to the community.
This history was drawn in part from the Highbury Theatre Centre website at http://highburytheatre.co.uk/ahlt/hlthistory.html, Birmingham newspapers and the contents of the John English Archive. |