Person    | Female  Born 6/10/1914  Died 20/9/2002

Joan Littlewood

Categories: Theatre

Countries: France

Theatre director. Born Stockwell. 1945 set up the Theatre Workshop which moved into the Stratford Theatre Royal in 1953, many of the company living on site while it was being restored. 1963 created the stage production "Oh, What a Lovely War!" which was recreated as a film, as was her 1958 "A Taste of Honey". In 1965 she directed Twang!! which is remembered as "the most expensive flop" in West End history up to that time, though she did manage to resign before it opened.

Married to Ewan MacColl, 1934-1950, and then had a relationship with Gerry Raffles until his death in 1975. After that she worked in France for a time. Died in the London flat of Peter Rankin, a friend and co-worker for 40 years.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Joan Littlewood

Commemorated ati

East 15 Acting School

Margaret Walker (1922 - 2013) founder of East 15 Acting School and Theatre Wo...

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Joan Littlewood - Stratford plaque

Joan Littlewood, 1914 - 2002, theatre director. The sculpture by Philip Jacks...

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Joan Littlewood - Stratford statue

This bronze statue, called The Mother of Modern Theatre, is based on an iconi...

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Other Subjects

Society of West End Theatre/London Theatre

Society of West End Theatre/London Theatre

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Sir Derek Jacobi

Sir Derek Jacobi

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Red Bull Playhouse

Red Bull Playhouse

The inn's owner converted the inn-yard into the theatre. Parliament banned theatres in 1642 but some carried on and the Red Bull was successfully raided in 1649 and in 1655. The 1660 Restoration al...

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1 memorial
Zippos Circus

Zippos Circus

Founded by Martin Burton, who formerly performed as a circus clown called Zippo.

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1 memorial
St Martin's Theatre

St Martin's Theatre

Designed by Sprague, this theatre is one of a pair (the other being the Ambassadors next door) commissioned by Richard Verney Lord Willoughby de Broke, an aristocrat and politician with an interest...

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