Stephen Joseph Theatre

The Stephen Joseph Theatre stands in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, on the site of a former Odeon cinema. It occupies a converted building that once showed films to the town. The theatre was named after its founder, Stephen Joseph, who opened the first British theatre in the round in 1955. After years in temporary spaces, the current home opened in 1996. It contains two auditoria: The Round, seating 404, and The McCarthy, seating 165. A restaurant, shop, and full facilities serve visitors inside the building. The theatre is worth the journey for its role in British theatre history. Stephen Joseph pioneered the theatre-in-the-round movement here. Alan Ayckbourn, long-time artistic director, led the campaign to create the permanent home. A £4 million appeal funded the conversion of the old cinema. The Round features a stage lift for quick set changes and a Canadian trampoline for lighting access. The building also provided the cover image for Richard Hawley’s album *Coles Corner*. Visitors find two distinct performance spaces inside the converted cinema. The Round seats 404 in a circular arrangement around the stage. The McCarthy seats 165 for end-on productions and film screenings. A restaurant and shop welcome guests beyond the auditoria. The building’s former life as a cinema is still visible in parts of its structure. The theatre remains a key cultural venue in Scarborough.