Simon Tavener, secretary of Oxford Theatre Guild and cast member of Mary Stuart, describes the genesis of a drama that should satisfy our Tudor cravings

With just over a week to go to opening night, it is sometimes easy to forget that work started on Oxford Theatre Guild’s product-ion of Mary Stuart back last summer.

As a company we are always planning ahead and the process for selecting our spring 2015 show began not long after the curtain fell on our 2014 production of A Streetcar Named Desire. We invite directors to pitch their ideas to the committee who deliberate long and hard as to what will be the best option for the coming season. With Mary Stuart, we felt that it was a great script — telling the story of the final days of Mary, Queen of Scots, in a compelling way. With the ongoing fascination with all things Tudor, it felt like the right choice for the Playhouse and for our membership.

Once we have selected the director and the play, we then look to build a production team. This starts with a production manager who will work with the director to bring their vision to life on the stage by bringing together the best creative and technical team possible. Many of them will have worked with us before — but every show brings in new talent and that is part of what makes OTG such a vibrant company.

In many ways, the key to the long-term success of OTG is our commitment to open auditions. You don’t need to be a member to audition for us, and every cast is made up of a mixture of existing members and new people. For Mary Stuart, a third of the cast has never acted with us before — and if the past is any guide, this will be the start of a long relationship with OTG for many of these new members.

Rehearsals got under way before Christmas and stepped up a gear in early January. Four rehearsals are scheduled each week, with the cast travelling in from all over Oxfordshire and Berkshire — although they are not all called to every rehearsal! Their commitment in combining rehearsals with busy professional and personal lives is always something it is all too easy to undervalue.

Mary Stuart is the first production in our 60th anniversary year — a huge milestone. In that time we have staged more than 200 productions in a diverse range of venues. Many of our former members have gone on to work in professional theatre and we are lucky we can call on them from time to time to run workshops and help current members develop their skills.

Over the past few weeks, the costumes have been made, the props assembled, and the set built. Everything is coming together for what we hope will be an amazing week at the Playhouse. Any OTG show is a huge team effort and Mary Stuart, with a cast and crew of over 40 people will be no exception.

Mary Stuart will be performed at Oxford Playhouse from March 10-14 at 7.30pm (8pm Fri) & 2.30pm Saturday matinée.

Tickets: £11-£17.50. Box office: 01865 305305 or www.oxfordplayhouse.com