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a
Shakespeare play of their own. He thought about it for some time, and finally decided to try it out, but not just for the Alleyn's boys. His rather vague vision, as he put it later, was "...to bring young actors together in their school holiday to take part in serious productions in the hope of encouraging young people in general to take more interest in the theatre. Even more vaguely, I hoped that the Youth Theatre, as I was already calling it in my mind, would develop a real sense of community by bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds to work in a group where even the humblest mattered. I hoped too that the work would encourage them to look upon the theatre as being as much part of their lives as football or dancing, instead of something reserved for the precious or privileged few."
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premises, no equipment and no money, save a small production profit and a few donations from people who had even more faith in the venture than I did myself. I now sought support from many sources. For six months I went down on my knees to industrial firms, charity trusts, and cultural and youth welfare bodies – and trod the well-worn but friendless path familiar to many who have endeavoured to raise money for a cultural cause. Then, in 1958, help came from an unexpected quarter. The King George's
Jubilee Trust, which was run by two fiery old generals with no known interest in the arts, and could have easily regarded the Youth Theatre as yet another 'arty' or hare-brained venture, came up with a grant of £500 a year. The show was still on the road." Subsequently, the
475:(in 1977) about his ambition to be a writer, Croft ruefully admitted that the only writing he did by then was in the form of begging letters, pleading letters, or letters attacking the Arts Council. He also said that, by then, the National Youth Theatre had probably put on between 100 and 120 plays, and that applications to join it were running at about 3000 a year.
579:, among others. Furthermore, there are few British towns nowadays which do not have some sort of youth theatre of their own which is not to a large extent based upon his original version. In 2009, an award-winning 350-seat theatre and concert hall was built in Alleyn's School, in the heart of Dulwich, and named the Michael Croft Theatre in his honour.
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could inspire such devotion and friendship should die alone on a
Saturday night in 1986." An instruction in his will nevertheless provided a party for hundreds of his friends, "at which the food shall be wholesome and the drink shall not be allowed to run out". In a similar vein, the luxury item which he had selected for his
442:, a part of the St. Pancras library. The company would perform mainly in the summer months, and a professional group – The Dolphin Theatre Company, of which Croft was also the Director – use it for the rest of the year. The latter was to put on some 6 or 7 plays a year, mainly for younger audiences, early ventures including
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Upset that such an enjoyable experience would no longer be available to them, a group of Alleyn's boys – some of whom were still at the school, some also leaving that year, and some who had already left by then – asked him if it might be possible for them to reunite over the summer holidays to put on
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doing so. The Cadet Force, the football and cricket teams, and the "bad boys" were the ones he targeted. He estimated that eventually about half of the school was involved in the production itself in some way and, as a fellow-teacher said of him, "Michael could get the most extraordinary response and
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in 1940, becoming a sergeant-pilot. Despite taking part in daylight bombing raids over occupied France, however, he apparently lacked the manual dexterity demanded in flying, and he was offered the option of a discharge. There followed a period in which he tried various casual jobs – as a repertory
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As David Weston put it, Croft "enjoyed an increasingly expansive lifestyle, which he shared generously with his vast circle of friends and acquaintances. He had a great appetite for life, food and drink. He has been described as a
Falstaff with a thousand Prince Hals. It is tragic that a man who
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was for the single production only, and any plans for a permanent and possibly expanding Youth
Theatre would depend upon Croft's ability to find continuing financial support. This was a problem which would dog him for the rest of his life. Here is how Croft himself described it: "I still had no
199:, and were widely regarded as places for non-academically inclined children to be contained until they reached the school-leaving age. Croft was concerned by the sometimes quite brutal methods employed in them, and his experiences there would later inform his largely autobiographical novel
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who, writing of the last of these in
December 1955, wrote: "...it would be hard to imagine a finer presentation of Shakespeare on a school stage" and "the man responsible was Mr Michael Croft. He has succeeded in instilling in the minds of his actors a feeling for the stress and rhythm of
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wrote glowingly about it, saying: "I have seldom been more alarmed and affected by a new novel than I have by 'Spare the Rod'. This is the first novel which shows a sense of narration and form, and with an absence of over-writing altogether admirable."
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on the school playing fields, using the School's Cadet Force." Croft had found the existing dramatic society rather "dreary", and occupied mainly by boys who were already interested in acting. What he wanted was to use the play to get those who would
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This was to be his last production for Alleyn's, however. The revenue from his novel and from the film rights allowed him to think of achieving his dream to become a full-time writer, so he decided to leave at the end of the 1955–56 school year.
183:(Balliol). He read English but, as he put it, he did not do much "reading", and graduated with a modest BA Honours degree (3rd class). It nevertheless gave him the opportunity to indulge his love of literature, theatre, writing and sport.
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Shortly after the founding of the Youth
Theatre, Croft had been invited to join an international Youth Delegation to China. His report on the escorted tour via Russia to Peking, Manchuria, Shanghai, and Canton was published as the book
435:; and by 1970 Croft was able to claim, "We have three companies touring in Europe, four in London, and one in the north-east of England – the whole being run by a full-time staff of four, with a handful of voluntary helpers."
330:, appeared at the Toynbee Hall in the East End of London for the week beginning 10 September 1956. By this time, Croft had managed, at the eleventh hour and thanks to W. A. Darlington, to obtain sponsorship from
110:, where he would remain from 1933 to 1940. While at Burnage, he developed a love of poetry which was to last all his life, but the fondness for classical music which took him fairly often to concerts by
515:, or a British film or television series that does not contain someone whom he has influenced, directly or indirectly. The list of famous actors who started out with the National Youth Theatre includes
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Today's
National Youth Theatre puts on around six productions a year and has "more than 3,500 members from around the UK and from all backgrounds, faiths and communities". There is hardly a play at the
482:. In the early 1980s, the National Youth Theatre was again in financial difficulty. They moved out of the Shaw in 1981, the company's future being in doubt, and the Dolphin Theatre Group disbanded.
74:(8 March 1922 – 15 November 1986) was an English actor, schoolteacher, and writer. Based upon his own experience of supply teaching in tough secondary schools, he wrote the controversial 1954 anti-
246:, one of those most influenced by Croft, put it: "Michael, who had taken part in open-air productions in the college gardens at Oxford, hit upon the idea of an epic modern dress production of
191:
Following his graduation, Croft did occasional work in journalism, broadcasting, and acting, but worked mainly as a private tutor and a supply teacher in what he described as "tough"
195:. He spent most of 1950 doing teacher training at a secondary school in North Oxford. These were schools for those who, at that time, were not rated as bright enough to go to a
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To begin with, however, such expansion necessarily had to be kept within certain bounds. He therefore used his familiarity with the acting of the boys at another local school,
159:. Because of the backlog caused by the war it was a remarkably talented and relatively mature intake at university, and he counted among his friends there such people as
405:(at the Old Vic). Pupils from more and more other schools, including girls, were now included, however, and modern plays (such as those specially written for them by
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Before doing this, however, Croft had started a process which was to change not only his own life, but those of thousands of others affected by it. As
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Despite Croft's reputation as an internationally respected director, the NYTGB always struggled against inadequate funding. When asked on
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Croft would not live long enough to see the
National Youth Theatre saved by a commercial sponsorship deal in 1987. He died of a
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419:) became a regular feature. There were also live television performances and tours abroad, representing Great Britain at the
342:(whose own Old Vic costume as Henry V was sported by Richard Hampton). A Gala Matinée at the end of the week was attended by
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fire guard messenger, a credit salesman and even a lumberjack – but he returned to the services in 1943, this time with the
102:). His mother, Constance Croft, was unmarried, and at an early age he and an older sister went to be fostered by an aunt in
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In 1946, Croft, along with many other ex-servicemen, obtained a grant to take a short-course university degree. His was at
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and the
Department of Education and Science provided support. There was a long and fairly acrimonious battle with the
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was not to last to a similar extent. His ambitions at that time were either to become a writer or to play cricket for
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683:, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007
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In 1971, Croft was appointed an OBE, and in the same year the NYTGB acquired a permanent theatrical base in the
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David Weston, 'Who Was Who in Dulwich: Michael Croft, Founder of the National Youth Theatre',
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David Weston, 'Who Was Who in Dulwich: Michael Croft, Founder of the National Youth Theatre',
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On 24 July 1961, the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain was incorporated as a
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before any funding was secured, only for it to be withdrawn after a few years.
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Shakespeare's verse that would have done credit to a Stratford performance."
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http://www.dulwichsociety.com/newsletters/42-summer-2006/228-michael-croft
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641:, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2008;
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338:, who had agreed to become the Youth Theatre's first President, and
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as the sexually ambivalent schoolteacher." Reviewing the book for
286:, all of which attracted audiences from well outside the school.
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ended any chance of a career in cricket, and Croft joined the
645:, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007, accessed 8 January 2013.
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On 15 February 1978, Croft was a subject of the TV programme
326:, as its Production Manager, the Youth Theatre's first play,
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The reviews were very positive, but the sponsorship by the
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Geoffrey Sykes, 'Croft, (John) Michael (1922–1986)', rev.
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normally be interested in such things to take part and to
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British actor, schoolteacher, writer and theatre director
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was enthusiastic, as was an anonymous correspondent of
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Geoffrey Sykes, 'Croft, (John) Michael (1922–1986).
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362:, and many of his old acquaintances from Oxford.
897:'National Youth Theatre of Great Britain', in
393:saw other productions of Shakespeare, such as
260:performances out of the most unlikely boys."
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1111:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
899:The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre
649:The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre
613:http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/39928
427:The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
206:In 1950 Croft joined the teaching staff of
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694:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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609:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
494:at the age of 64, alone at his home in
217:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
1131:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
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1141:Royal Navy personnel of World War II
322:With another teacher from Alleyn's,
266:was followed in quick succession by
1091:Military personnel from Shropshire
423:in Paris and the Berlin Festival.
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611:, Oxford University Press, 2004 (
708:, BBC Radio 4, 17 September 1977
389:The years immediately following
1101:Alumni of Keble College, Oxford
696:, Oxford University Press, 2004
498:, London, on 15 November 1986.
334:. At this performance were Sir
1121:National Youth Theatre members
1029:See the Michael Croft Theatre
888:, Longmans Green, London, 1958
669:The Dulwich Society Newsletter
620:The Dulwich Society Newsletter
116:Lancashire County Cricket Club
1:
615:, accessed 26 December 2012.)
401:(in London and on tour), and
397:(at the Edinburgh Festival),
222:British Board of Film Censors
433:company limited by guarantee
626:accessed 26 December 2012.)
94:Croft was born in Hengoed,
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635:accessed 26 December 2012.
224:, was filmed in 1961 with
54:15 November 1986 (aged 64)
1106:English theatre directors
589:had been a whisky still.
513:Royal Shakespeare Company
193:secondary modern schools
139:actor in Lancashire, an
84:later released as a film
464:The Taming of the Shrew
179:(St. Edmund Hall), and
1126:Royal Air Force airmen
108:Burnage Grammar School
157:Keble College, Oxford
1096:People from Oswestry
403:Antony and Cleopatra
395:Troilus and Cressida
276:Antony and Cleopatra
1068:Desert Island Discs
1036:31 May 2014 at the
985:Over the Footlights
973:Desert Island Discs
951:Over the Footlights
911:Desert Island Discs
885:Red Carpet to China
844:Desert Island Discs
796:Desert Island Discs
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745:Desert Island Discs
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633:– 17 September 1977
631:Desert Island Discs
472:Desert Island Discs
421:Théâtre des Nations
384:Red Carpet to China
332:The Daily Telegraph
292:The Daily Telegraph
231:The Daily Telegraph
171:(all at Magdalen),
112:The Hallé orchestra
76:corporal punishment
1136:Royal Navy sailors
1007:Virgin moneygiving
68:John Michael Croft
35:John Michael Croft
1005:Statement on the
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549:Dame Helen Mirren
480:This is Your Life
307:The Youth Theatre
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735:Sykes, 2004
717:Sykes, 2004
681:Who Was Who
639:Who Was Who
553:Diana Quick
458:(1972) and
1080:Categories
656:References
643:online edn
573:Simon Ward
557:Matt Smith
511:or by the
452:Mia Farrow
409:including
360:Alan Badel
151:University
145:Royal Navy
104:Manchester
96:Shropshire
90:Early life
43:Shropshire
456:Mary Rose
386:in 1958.
367:Telegraph
296:The Times
177:Robin Day
45:, England
41:Hengoed,
1034:Archived
593:See also
466:(1974).
450:(1971),
208:Alleyn's
187:Teaching
100:Oswestry
1031:website
1010:website
391:Henry V
328:Henry V
280:Henry V
272:Macbeth
212:Dulwich
127:Wartime
1070:, 1977
975:, 1977
953:p. S14
913:, 1977
846:, 1977
798:, 1977
768:, 1977
747:, 1977
575:, and
502:Legacy
399:Hamlet
268:Hamlet
122:Career
98:(near
78:novel
987:, S14
486:Death
257:enjoy
603:IMDb
282:and
167:and
51:Died
31:Born
601:at
462:in
454:in
446:in
290:of
253:not
141:ARP
136:RAF
72:OBE
1082::
571:,
567:,
563:,
559:,
555:,
551:,
547:,
543:,
539:,
535:,
531:,
527:,
523:,
519:,
358:,
354:,
350:,
346:,
278:,
274:,
270:,
234:,
203:.
163:,
118:.
86:.
70:,
1040:.
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