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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

Joan Littlewood - Stratford plaque

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

Read More

Joan Littlewood - Stratford statue

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Sean O'Casey

Sean O'Casey

Playwright. Born John Casey in Dublin. He was a strong supporter of the Irish Nationalist cause, changing his name to Seán Ó Cathasaigh. His first play, 'The Shadow of a Gunman', was performed at t...

Person, Theatre, Ireland

1 memorial
Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh

Born Darjeeling, India.  She and her husband Laurence Olivier, managed the St James's Theatre from 1950 to its closure in 1957. She led a vigorous but unsuccessful campaign to try and save it.  Die...

Person, Cinema, Theatre

4 memorials
Peckham Shed

Peckham Shed

A theatre company run for children and young people aged five to seventeen years old. Originally set up by Chicken Shed, a similar theatre company based in Cockfosters.

Group, Art, Community / Clubs, Dance, Theatre

1 memorial
Sir Ben Kingsley

Sir Ben Kingsley

Actor. Born Krishna Pandit Bhanji in Snaiton, Yorkshire to an English mother and an Indian Kenyan father. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and also performed with the Royal National Theatre....

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Gatti family

Gatti family

Swiss-Italian family.  Restaurateurs, music hall, theatre and electricity supply entrepreneurs. Four generations of note, all born in Dongio, Val di Blenio, Ticino, Switzerland: Carlo; Agostino (18...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink, Theatre, Switzerland

1 memorial