Library Theatre, Manchester, 1954

After training as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, Jeremy Brett made his professional stage debut in Manchester, England, in the repertory company of the Library Theatre in 1954. There, he earned 7 pounds a week and gained a lifelong friend -- Robert Stephens. They would go on to share rooms and roles, serve as each other's best man, and they died within two months of one another.

Theatergoer John Shepherd describes The Library Theatre's repertory company:

It was in the days of Repertory where nearly every town had its repertory company. ... It was a wonderful training ground for actors who’d go and be part of a company for a year of two and do all sorts of plays ... one after the other and learn their craft as it were. 

The Library Theatre was one of those. It was more distinguished in that a lot of the Reps were rather tatty. ... Things used to run for about a month or so which was quite luxurious, and it was a permanent company so the nice thing about that is that you get to know the actors, you get to see the same people doing different things and you have a feeling of, we’re a sort of small family. There’s the audience and the actors who interact with each other in a sort of permanent way.

There were then in The Library Company some people who went on to become very distinguished. I remember ... Robert Stephens was part of the company there and so was Jeremy Brett. 

The Manchester Library Theatre today

Amphityron 38
Role: Mercury and Sosie

This play was written in 1929 by Jean Giraudoux. The number in the title was Giraudoux's whimsical approximation of how many times the story had been told onstage previously.

It has been called a "sexy romp about gods behaving badly" and recounts the classic myth of Amphitryon (see Wikipedia) -- the step-father of Hercules. It focuses on Amphitryon’s wife, Alkmene, and on her seduction by the god Jupiter. 

In the play, Mercury is a co-conspirator with Jupiter, helping the god with his plans to seduce Alkmena. To get Amphitryon (Alkmena's husband) out of the way, Mercury suggests that Jupiter have the Athenians declare war on Thebes. Amphitryon, a general of the Theban army, would have to leave. Then, Mercury would then take the place of Sosie, a servant, and tell Alkmena that Amphitryon would momentarily desert the battle and return to her bed that night. But Jupiter would impersonate Amphitryon and achieve his goal of bedding Alkmena.

Othello
Role: Cassio

In this famous tragedy by William Shakespeare, Cassio is a soldier who Othello selects as his lieutenant, passing over Iago. This leads to a drama filled with evil machinations by Iago to have revenge on both Cassio and Othello.

Wikipedia page // Full text and summary

Julius Caesar
Role: Marc Anthony

This tragedy by William Shakespeare portrays the conspiracy against the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar, his assassination and its aftermath. Marc Anthony was an important supporter of Caesar as a military commander and administrator. 

Marc Anthony has the famous Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears speech to rally support after the death of Caesar.

Wikipedia page // Full text and summary

Bird in Hand
Role: Gerald Arnwood

This comedy by John Drinkwater is about a squire's son, Gerald Arnwood, and an innkeeper's daughter, Joan Greenleaf, who fall in love. The match creates much consternation on the part of the innkeeper, Thomas Greenleaf, proprietor of the Bird in Hand Inn.

Marching Song
Role: Bruno Hurst

This play by John Robert Whiting is set in the early 1950s in an unnamed European country that has been under foreign occupation since WWII. Young captain Bruno Hurst is one of the soldiers who has been assigned to guard General Rupert Forster. Forster froze at a decisive moment in battle, bringing on his nation's defeat and his own imprisonment. After seven years he comes to a new decisive moment -- trial or suicide -- as the new government wants to put Forster on trial for the defeat. 

Analysis in A Private Mythology: The Manuscripts and Plays of John Whiting

Puss in Boots
Role: Gerard

A play based on the fairy tale of a cat helping an impoverished master attain wealth through trickery.

Wikipedia page about the fairy tale // Full, annotated text

Richard II
Role: Duke of Aumerle

Duke of Aumerle is the son to the Duke of York. He also is called "Rutland" late in the play, since he is the Earl of Rutland. He is a cousin to both King Richard II and his rival, Henry Bolingbroke. King Richard banishes Henry, who returns after several years and overthrows Richard. The duke remains loyal to King Richard throughout the war and is later involved in a failed scheme against Bolingbroke, who has become King Henry IV.

Jeremy would reprise this role with the Old Vic theatre company in the UK and the U.S.

Wikipedia page // Full text and summary

The Happiest Days of Your Life
Role: Dick Tassell

This play by John Dighton is a well-loved farce that revels in the confusion created when a clerical error sends St. Swithin's School for Girls to share quarters with the Hilary Hall School for Boys in Hampshire. The story is set at the end of WWII, and the girls' school must be relocated because it has been a casualty of wartime bombing. 

Dick Tassell is Junior Master at the Hilary Hall School for Boys in Hampshire.

Wikipedia page