Oxford University Dramatic Society

"OUDS" redirects here. OUDS may also refer to Otago University Debating Society.

The Oxford University Dramatic Society

Founded	1885
Home Page	OUDS
Officers 2010-2011
President	Sarah Perry, Oriel College
Treasurer	Stephen Poole, St Anne's College
Secretary	Mary Flanigan, Somerville College

The Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) is the principal funding body and provider of theatrical services to the many independent student productions put on by students in Oxford, England. Not all student productions at Oxford University are awarded funding from the society; however it is rare, for example, for any student production at the Oxford Playhouse not to receive substantial funding from the society. The society funds many types of show, mostly at the Oxford Playhouse, Burton Taylor Theatre, and the individual college theatres such as the Moser Theatre at Wadham and the O'Reilly Theatre at Keble. All productions put on by Oxford University students can use the society's services, such as the website, the wardrobe, and advice from the committee.

The Society supports a competition for Freshers (Cuppers), held in Michaelmas Term and a New Writing Festival in Hilary Term. OUDS also supports an annual National UK Tour, which culminates in a long run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe^[1] and, jointly with Thelma Holt, a Shakespeare production which tours Japan, with preview performances in the UK.^[2]

The society was founded in 1885 by Alec MacKinnon.

Alumni

Many famous actors have participated in OUDS productions. For example, in 1907 professional actresses Lily Brayton and her sister Agnes appeared as Katherine and Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew;^[3] John Gielgud made his directing debut at OUDS in 1932 with a production of Romeo and Juliet in which he enlisted professional actresses Peggy Ashcroft to play Juliet and Edith Evans to play the Nurse.^[4] Another notable production was when Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor appeared in a production of Dr. Faustus in 1966 with undergraduates in the supporting cast.^{[citation needed]}

Past members and people associated with OUDS productions include:

• Paul Almond
• Pierre Audi
• Rowan Atkinson
• Helen Atkinson-Wood
• Peter Bayley
• John Betjeman
• Will Bowen^[5]
• Gyles Brandreth
• Richard Burton
• Kate Beckinsale
• Shirley Catlin
• Caryl Churchill
• Michael Codron^{[citation needed]}
• Alex Cox
• Jonathan Cullen
• Richard Curtis
• Thomas de Mallet Burgess^{[citation needed]}
• George Devine
• Edith Evans
• Philip Franks
• William Gaskill
• John Gielgud
• Peter Glenville
• Hugh Grant
• Tom Hooper
• David Jessel
• Felicity Jones
• Peter Kosminsky
• Nigel Lawson
• Harry Lloyd
• John Maud
• Dudley Moore
• Stanley Myers
• Terence O'Brien
• Katherine Parkinson
• Roger Parry
• Diana Quick*
• Gervais Rentoul
• Gillian Reynolds*
• Tony Richardson
• John Schlesinger
• Mel Smith
• Imogen Stubbs
• Mabel Terry-Lewis
• Kenneth Tynan
• Evelyn Waugh
• David William
• Emlyn Williams
• Dornford Yates
• Michael York

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

* Note that women could not formally join OUDS until the 1960s. Diana Quick was the first female OUDS President.

See also

• Experimental Theatre Club (ETC)
• The Oxford Revue
• Magdalen Players
• University College Players

References

1. ^ OUDS UK Summer Tour 2010, OUDS UK Summer Tour 2010, The Master and Margarita.
2. ^ About OUDS, Oxford University Dramatic Society.
3. ^ Review: The Taming of the Shrew. The Times, 7 February 1907.
4. ^ Gyles Brandreth, John Gielgud. Little, Brown & Co., 1984.
5. ^ Will Bowen, Noel Gay.

Further reading

• Carpenter, Humphrey, O.U.D.S.: A Centenary History of the Oxford University Dramatic Society 1885–1985, Oxford University Press, 1985 (ISBN 0-19-212241-X).
• OUDS 125th Anniversary Gala programme, Oxford Playhouse, 13 June 2010.

External links

• OUDS website
• Love and Money, Keble O'Reilly 24-27th November

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