Editing Repertory theatre (section)

==United Kingdom==
[[Annie Horniman]] founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing her support from the [[Abbey Theatre]] in Dublin. Horniman's [[Gaiety Theatre, Manchester|Gaiety Theatre]] opened its first season in September 1908.<ref name=":02" /><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjrswNCaUw | title=Before the Beatles: The Birth of British Rock | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> The opening of the Gaiety was followed by the [[Citizens' Theatre]] in [[Glasgow]], the [[Liverpool Repertory Theatre]] and the [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]].<ref name=":02" /> Previously, regional theatre relied on mostly London touring ensembles.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite book|last=Rowell|first=George|title=The Repertory Movement: A History of Regional Theatre in Great Britain|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1984|isbn=9780521319195|pages=1}}</ref> During the time the theatre was being run by Annie Horniman, a wide variety of types of plays were produced. Horniman encouraged local writers who became known as the [[Manchester School (writers)|Manchester School]] of playwrights.<ref>Harding, John, Staging Life: The Story of the Manchester Playwrights (Greenwich Exchange 2018) https://greenex.co.uk/</ref> They included [[Allan Monkhouse]], [[Harold Brighouse]]—writer of ''[[Hobson's Choice (play)|Hobson's Choice]]''—and [[William Stanley Houghton|Stanley Houghton]], who wrote ''[[Hindle Wakes (play)|Hindle Wakes]]''. Actors who performed at the Gaiety early in their careers included [[Sybil Thorndike]] and [[Basil Dean]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/10/22/221008_annie_horniman_feature.shtml |title= Annie Horniman |last= Murphy |first= Michelle |access-date=14 November 2008 |work= History features |publisher= [[BBC Radio Manchester|BBC Manchester]] }}</ref> 

From the 1930s to the 1960s, two impresarios dominated the field of British rep, mostly in the North. They were Harry Hanson and his Court players, and Frank H. Fortescue's Famous Players, with the [[Arthur Brough]] Players in [[Folkestone]] in the South. When an actor joined one of their companies, it could mean "twice-nightly" shows, and a new play to learn every week. Actress [[Rosemary Harris]] has told of her 50 consecutive weeks of doing that at [[Bedford]] rep. However, this is no longer possible, owing to restrictions from [[Equity (trade union)|British Equity]], which came to mandate just eight shows a week, including perhaps two matinées.

The practice of repertory ("rep") is still seen in large cities. Actors now have the luxury of at least three weeks of [[rehearsal]], however. Repertory can still be found in the UK in a variation of guises: in [[Sidmouth]] (12 plays), [[Wolverhampton]] (eight), and [[Burslem]] and [[Taunton]] (four each). The [[Sheringham Little Theatre]] produces an in-house repertory season each summer, running from June until September. Weekly repertory theatre is also produced by the Summer Theatre season at [[Frinton-on-Sea]].