The Joint Stock Theatre Company was founded in London 1974 by David Hare, Max Stafford-Clark Paul Kember and David Aukin. The director William Gaskill was also part of the company. It was primarily a company which presented new plays.
Joint Stock created a style of working with writers using company research to inspire workshops. From these workshops writers such as David Hare, Howard Brenton and Caryl Churchill would gather material to inspire a writing phase before rehearsals began. This methodology is sometimes referred to as The Joint Stock Method. Significant productions include Hare's Fanshen, Brenton's Epsom Downs, Stephen Lowe'sRagged Trousered Philanthropists and Churchill's Cloud Nine.
The company ceased to be active in 1989. In 1993 Max Stafford-Clark founded the touring company Out of Joint which shares some working practices with Joint Stock.
Productions
Production
Writer
Venue
Year
The Speakers
adapted by the company from Heathcote Williams 'the speaker'
Birmingham Repertory Studio and tour
1974
Shivvers
by Stanley Eveling
Traverse Theatre and Theatre Upstairs
1974
X
by Barry Reckord
Theatre Upstairs and Royal Court
1974
Fourth Day Like Four
Long Months of Absence
by Colin Bennett
Traverse Theatre and Theatre Upstairs
1974
Doomduckers Ball
a company adaptation based on
an idea by Neil Johnston
Oval House and Theatre Upstairs
1975
Fanshen
by David Hare, adapted from
William Hinton
Crucible Studio Theatre and Sheffield
1975
Yesterday’s News
Company devised
West End Centre and Theatre Upstairs
1976
Light Shining in
Buckinghamshire
Caryl Churchill
Traverse Theatre and Theatre Upstairs
1976
The Speakers (revival)
adapted by the company from Heathcote Williams 'the speaker'
International tour
1976
Devil’s Island
Tony Bicât
Sherman Theatre and Royal Court
1977
A Thought in Three Parts
Wallace Shawn
ICA
1977
A Mad World, My Masters
Barrie Keeffe
Young Vic and Roundhouse
1977
Epsom Downs
Howard Brenton
Roundhouse
1977
The Glad Hand
Snoo Wilson
Royal Court Theatre
1978
The Ragged Trousered
Philanthropists
Stephen Lowe, based on the book by Robert Tressell
Plymouth Arts Centre and Riverside Studios
1978
Cloud Nine
Caryl Churchill
Dartington College of the Arts
1979
The House
David Halliwell
Dartington Hall
1979
An Optimistic Thrust
Company devised
Nuffield Studio Theatre
1980
Cloud Nine (revival)
Caryl Churchill
Royal Court
1980
Say Your Prayers
Nick Darke
College of St. Mark and St. John
1981
Borderline
Hanif Kureishi
Jackson’s Lane Community Centre and Royal Court Theatre
Ritchie, R. (ed.) (1987), The Joint Stock Book: Making of a Theatre Collective, London: Methuen, ISBN0-413-41030-7
Stafford-Clark, M., and P. Roberts (2007), Taking Stock: The Theatre of Max Stafford-Clark, London: Nick Hern Books, ISBN1-85459-840-6
Baz Kershaw, "Building an unstable pyramid - the fragmentation of British alternative theatre", in New Theatre Quarterly, Volume XI, no. 36, November 1993; pp. 348-356.