Arena Theatre Company - Revision history

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg (1955-1956) */

2026-05-22T16:40:24Z

Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg (1955-1956)

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town */

2026-05-22T16:07:15Z

Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town

Darryl: /* Productons */

2026-05-22T16:06:49Z

Productons

Darryl: /* Productons */

2026-05-22T16:05:54Z

Productons

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town */

2026-05-22T16:04:06Z

Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town

Darryl at 16:03, 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T16:03:28Z

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, PACT */

2026-05-22T15:58:35Z

Arena Theatre Company, PACT

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg */

2026-05-22T15:58:04Z

Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg */

2026-05-22T15:57:44Z

Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg

Darryl at 15:44, 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T15:44:47Z

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 == Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg (1955-1956)==
-The Arena Theatre Company was a short-lived theatrical group that was launched to produce “plays of real merit”.  Its first production was [[John Whiting]]’s ''[[Marching Song]]'', which was staged at the [[ATKV]] Hall on 26 December 1955.  This was followed by [[Jean Anouilh]]’s ''[[The Lark]]'', which had its first night at the Chelsea Palate in Berea on 16 April 1956, after which it lost its venue because of a strict application of the Liquor Act.  It went on a short tour of the Rand and reopened on 9 May at the [[Windmill Theatre]].
+The Arena Theatre Company was a short-lived theatrical group that was launched to produce “plays of real merit”.  Its first production was John Whiting’s ''[[Marching Song]]'', which was staged at the [[ATKV]] Hall on 26 December 1955.  This was followed by [[Jean Anouilh]]’s ''[[The Lark]]'', which had its first night at the Chelsea Palate in Berea on 16 April 1956, after which it lost its venue because of a strict application of the Liquor Act.  It went on a short tour of the Rand and reopened on 9 May at the [[Windmill Theatre]].
 Christopher Fry’s ''[[The Lady's not for Burning]]'' (19 September 1956) and Anouilh’s ''[[Antigone]]'' (7 November 1956) were both staged at the [[Intimate Theatre]] at the [[YMCA]], but by that time a lack of support from the theatre-going public meant that the company was in serious financial trouble.  A planned production of Wycherley’s ''[[The Country Wife]]'' never took place and by the end of the year the group gave up the unequal struggle.  Whereas ''[[Marching Song]]'' was directed by visiting producer [[Clifford Williams]], the other three productions were directed by [[Will Jamieson]].

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==The Arena Company, PACT ==
-== Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town ==
+== Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town (1997-?) ==
 Founded in 1997 by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Chris Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]].

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 ''[[Noises Off]]'' (200*-)
 ''[[Pick Ups]]'' (200*-)
@@ Line 35: / Line 33: @@
 : ''[[Lovborg's Women]]''
 : ''[[Lovborg's Women]]''

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ''[[Elizabeth]]'' (200*-)
-''[[Lovborg's Women]]'' (200*-)
+: ''[[Lovborg's Women]]''
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 == Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town ==
-Founded in 1997 by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Chris Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]]. Productions include
+Founded in 1997 by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Chris Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]].
 ''[[Noises Off]]'' (200*-)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-. A theatre company founded in the 1950's and based in Johannesburg.
+There have been three Arena Theatre Companies:
-Productions include Christopher Fry's ''[[The Lady's not for Burning]]'' (the [[Arena Theatre Company]], Johannesburg, 1956);
+. A short-lived theatre company founded in the 1950's and based in Johannesburg.
-. A Cape Town based company founded by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Christopher Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]] in 1997.  '''See''' [[Arena Theatre]] Company, Cape Town.
+. A Cape Town-based company established in 1997.
 == Arena Theatre Company, Cape Town ==
-ARENA THEATRE COMPANY, The, Cape Town.  Founded in 1997 by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Chris Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]]. Productions include ''[[Noises Off]]'' (200*-), ''[[Skyf]]'' (200*-), ''[[Pick Ups]]'' (200*-), ''[[Elizabeth]]'' (200*-),  ''[[Lovborg's Women]]'' (200*-), **
+Founded in 1997 by [[Jason Ralph]], [[Chris Weare]], [[Jocelyn Hughes]], [[Mark Dymond]], [[Keren Tahor]]. Productions include
-== Arena Theatre Company, Johannesburg ==
+''[[Noises Off]]'' (200*-)
-The Arena Theatre Company was a short-lived theatrical group that was launched to produce “plays of real merit”.  Its first production was [[John Whiting]]’s ''[[Marching Song]]'', which was staged at the [[ATKV]] Hall on 26 December 1955.  This was followed by [[Jean Anouilh]]’s ''[[The Lark]]'', which had its first night at the Chelsea Palate in Berea on 16 April 1956, after which it lost its venue because of a strict application of the Liquor Act.  It went on a short tour of the Rand and reopened on 9 May at the [[Windmill Theatre]].  [[Christopher Fry]]’s ''[[The Lady's not for Burning]]'' (19 September 1956) and Anouilh’s ''[[Antigone]]'' (7 November 1956) were both staged at the [[Intimate Theatre]] at the [[YMCA]], but by that time a lack of support from the theatre-going public meant that the company was in serious financial trouble.  A planned production of Wycherley’s ''[[The Country Wife]]'' never took place and by the end of the year the group gave up the unequal struggle.  Whereas ''[[Marching Song]]'' was directed by visiting producer [[Clifford Williams]], the other three productions were directed by [[Will Jamieson]].  Performers involved over this period included [[Ricky Arden]], [[Lee Bolon]], [[Violet Brady]], [[Bodil Brink]], [[Richard Clark]], [[Felix Cooper]], [[Lorna Cowell]], [[June Davidson]], [[Rigby Foster]], [[Beryl Gordon]], [[Jennie Gratus]], [[Arthur Hall]],  [[Laurence Hall]], [[Alan Hean]], [[Mervyn John]], [[Rita Kay]], [[Robert Lang]], [[Michael Laschinger]], [[Valerie Philip]], [[Robin Parker]], [[Stanley Raphael]], [[George Sears]], [[Simon Swindell]], [[Barbara Thompson]], [[Jeremy Wallace]], [[Ewald Williamson]] and [[Robert Wilson]].
+''[[Skyf]]'' (200*-)
-==The Arena Company, PACT ==
+''[[Pick Ups]]'' (200*-)
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 The Arena Theatre Company was a short-lived theatrical group that was launched to produce “plays of real merit”.  Its first production was [[John Whiting]]’s ''[[Marching Song]]'', which was staged at the [[ATKV]] Hall on 26 December 1955.  This was followed by [[Jean Anouilh]]’s ''[[The Lark]]'', which had its first night at the Chelsea Palate in Berea on 16 April 1956, after which it lost its venue because of a strict application of the Liquor Act.  It went on a short tour of the Rand and reopened on 9 May at the [[Windmill Theatre]].  [[Christopher Fry]]’s ''[[The Lady's not for Burning]]'' (19 September 1956) and Anouilh’s ''[[Antigone]]'' (7 November 1956) were both staged at the [[Intimate Theatre]] at the [[YMCA]], but by that time a lack of support from the theatre-going public meant that the company was in serious financial trouble.  A planned production of Wycherley’s ''[[The Country Wife]]'' never took place and by the end of the year the group gave up the unequal struggle.  Whereas ''[[Marching Song]]'' was directed by visiting producer [[Clifford Williams]], the other three productions were directed by [[Will Jamieson]].  Performers involved over this period included [[Ricky Arden]], [[Lee Bolon]], [[Violet Brady]], [[Bodil Brink]], [[Richard Clark]], [[Felix Cooper]], [[Lorna Cowell]], [[June Davidson]], [[Rigby Foster]], [[Beryl Gordon]], [[Jennie Gratus]], [[Arthur Hall]],  [[Laurence Hall]], [[Alan Hean]], [[Mervyn John]], [[Rita Kay]], [[Robert Lang]], [[Michael Laschinger]], [[Valerie Philip]], [[Robin Parker]], [[Stanley Raphael]], [[George Sears]], [[Simon Swindell]], [[Barbara Thompson]], [[Jeremy Wallace]], [[Ewald Williamson]] and [[Robert Wilson]].
-===Arena Theatre Company, PACT ===
+==Arena Theatre Company, PACT ==
 == Sources ==