The unity name is one of the last reminders of a national theatre movement that once played an important role in the theatrical and political life of the country. The unity Theatre movement included 250 groups before the war, loosely linked in the Left Book Club Theatre Guild.
After the war 50 branches were closely organised within the unity Theatre Society Limited. The movement was largely amateur (there were just two professional companies in London and Glasgow) and sought to serve the broad labour movement. unity Theatres aimed to make theatre accessible to 'the great mass of the people' both through production, acting, writing and as audience and to use theatre as a political instrument to bring 'new strength to the progressive struggle'.
Merseyside Left Theatre was formed in the 1930s and became Merseyside unity Theatre in 1944. From the start the company was radical and experimental 'not for the sake of experimentation but because what we have to say and where we have to say it demands new forms'. However, unlike many unity Theatres, the Merseyside group staged classics alongside contemporary left wing theatre and did a great deal to make theatre accessible to the working class.
The unity Theatres movement grew as a direct response to the theatre censorship being exercised as directed by the Lord Chamberlain. The theatres were in fact clubs which formed in large numbers all over the country. Plays had to be licensed and Merseyside Unity Theatre fell foul of the Lord Chamberlain more than once - on one occasion the performance of an unlicensed version of 'Waiting for Leftie' in Chester by the Merseyside Unity Theatre led to questions in Parliament. The Unity Theatre movement, along with many theatre clubs, started to disappear with the abolition of licensing in the 1960s as mainstream theatres were more able to meet the demand for radical theatre. Merseyside Unity Theatre survived into the early 1980s.
One of the last initiatives of Merseyside Unity Theatre was the development of the current unity Theatre on Hope Place. The building was acquired on a lease from the Council and work was undertaken to convert the former synagogue from a photographic studio to a theatre. In order to be eligible for grants from the Council the group set up the Hope Place Community Association (HOPCA) to develop and manage the building. HOPCA was set up without political objectives so that it could obtain charitable status, whilst Merseyside Unity Theatre concentrated on performance within building.
Merseyside Unity Theatre ended in the mid 1980s. The theatre was already well established under HOPCA's management and it continued to expand as a base for professional touring theatre. The legacy of Merseyside Unity Theatre lives on in name and in the desire to make theatre accessible to the majority of people. Another link is Graham Frood who joined Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s and still sits on Unity's Board.
unitytheatre today
unity Theatre today is one of the best loved theatres in Liverpool. It has a reputation for staging innovative, high quality work in a friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere. Many people will go to performances at unity that they have never heard of because they trust its judgement. In this way the theatre has built up a committed and loyal audience.
It has an excellent track record in encouraging new writing and supporting new companies at a time when many theatres are relying upon the classics to guarantee audiences. Many writers whose work was originally promoted by unity are now writing for mainstream theatre in both Liverpool and elsewhere. Many of the companies who started at unity are now touring nationally and many actors, technicians and designers who got their first experience at Unity are now in full time theatre employment.
The theatre operates an open access policy making professional facilities available to local community theatre companies. Whilst not operating as a community theatre, it does provide unparalleled access to locally based companies and is the venue that most reflects the diverse communities in Liverpool.
Furthermore, Unity has managed to combine an adventurous artistic policy and an open access policy with financial success. The theatre raised its earned income from 4% of its budget to 48% between 1989-1993 which is almost unique for a theatre of its kind. This was recognised with the Granada Television Flying Start Award for achievement in creative business. Artistically and financially Unity Theatre is therefore a success by any measure.
Since 1994 unitytheatre has received a three year funding package from the Arts Council of England for development, the Foundation for Sport and the Arts award of £20,000 to upgrade technical and office equipment and £1.6m from the Arts Council of England Lottery panel and the Government Office of Merseyside for major refurbishment commencing in May 1997. The refurbishment was completed in August 1998 with a major re-launch in September.