The Society for Theatre Research: Annual Lecture Series

The Society of Theatre Research are thrilled to announce the programme for the 2022-2023 STR Annual Lecture Series, which ranges from 19th century operetta to neurodiversity in theatre training. You can browse the full programme on the website and click on individual lectures for more information about speakers and abstracts.

Bob Scott arrived in Manchester in 1968 as the Administrator of 69 Theatre Company at the University Theatre. 6 years later 69 built a temporary theatre in the Royal Exchange and 2 years later the Royal Exchange Theatre proper opened as a permanent new home for the Company. Despite an IRA bomb the theatre still thrives. In 1977 Bob crossed Manchester to take over the Palace Theatre which after massive refurbishment re-opened in 1981 and became the highest earning theatre outside London. In 1984 the same Trust rescued the Opera House from a Bingo Hall existence and Bob ran them together. Finally, the Chairman, Raymond Slater, the main investor, needed his money back and the two great theatres were sold to Apollo Leisure. The golden days were over. The Royal Opera never returned. In 1995 Bob, by now Sir Bob, moved to London.

In his theatre life in Manchester Bob encountered and worked with many great names – Pavarotti, Nureyev, Olivier, Rex Harrison, Topol, Michael Crawford, Albert Finney, Mia Farrow, Vanessa Redgrave, Tom Courtenay, Brian Cox, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh – and his talk will include hilarious anecdotes of backstage life and financial crises. And for 8 of his Manchester years he combined running the two great theatres with bidding for the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.

He describes his action packed life in his new memoir, Win a Few, Lose a Few.

Speaker: Sir Bob Scott

All lectures will be held at St Anne’s, 55 Dean Street, London W1D 6AF as well as online. Details will be published on the website.