Local production of Mama Mia

I am going to an amateur theatre show this week. Promises to be a good night.

There's a brilliant amateur theatre company in Torquay to which I often go. They do straight plays and musicals. Last week I saw a good thriller there.

I'm afraid I'm not a fan of amateur theatricals.
Great drama is hard enough to find in the professional theatre it seems to me.

Where I live has a long, strong tradition of amateur drama. Operatic societies, straightforward drama groups, many of whom win national awards in festivals, youth drama groups in abundance. I haven't been recently to performances but most of them are good or very good. I was in a youth drama group many years ago and loved every minute of it

So was I grandmabatty - and my children (and my parents!) and whilst I am prepared to go to see friends and family in these shows (and yes, it's great to see grandchildren grow to love drama/music/dance/opera and grow in confidence) I confess that even "award winning" works aren't necessarily what I'd go to for myself.
I'm nevertheless pleased these groups exist. The audiences are generally good.

We have a lot of talent where I live and there are often very good shows at the local town hall.

Theatre going is our favourite hobby. We have been attending our local amateur dramatic company for over 15 years. They put on 3 or 4 productions a year ! The quality of the acting is second to none.

We book for all the outdoor productions too in our area and wherever we go on holiday we sift out any local theatre groups.

Recently we took our grandchildren to see ‘Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ performed by the local amateur dramatic company. They loved it.

Finally 3 years ago we witnessed a truly brilliant young man who was in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ in Bournemouth. He got a standing ovation. On googling him after the show we found out that 3 years previously he had had a double lung transplant, truly incredible!

I think amateur performances of all genres - be it music, drama, dance, opera - are one of the strengths of this country and worthy of our support. Some participants go on into professional careers in their chosen sphere, helping to sustain our performing arts tradition at every level.

Throughout my life I’ve been involved in performing, both actively and passively. In my working life as a teacher, I was in charge of performing arts and staged various productions, including Joseph and Oliver! Quite challenging in a primary school!

In retirement in Torquay, I’ve joined Toads, a company which produces plays whilst our sister company, Toads Stage Musicals does what it says on the tin! Perhaps it was our Little Theatre which you visited last week, henetha, as our company has just finished a run of Death's Desire, which was a thriller. We are fortunate to have a few retired professional performers within our membership, which must reflect their perception of our amateur productions.

www.toadslittletheatre.co.uk

We went to see our eldest DGS in a Gang Show recently. I was rather dreading it to be honest, but how wrong I was! It was fantastic, all the many young people performed so well, the choreography was brilliant, live music ranging from classical to rap well matched to each act and the comic interludes were so funny. We managed to get first night tickets, all five performances were sold out in a medium size theatre. I’d have gone again if we could have got tickets! So heartening to see the enthusiam and talent. Hope DGS chooses to take part next year!

We have always loved the theatre and one D has made a successful career in it.
When we moved out of London we were encouraged to support our local AmDram, who were perhaps more enthusiastic than talented, but they were our friends so we trotted along, taking the children with us. There was always a raffle at the interval to raise funds for the company and some years later at an RSC production of The Merchant of Venice at the Barbican , when the lights came up for the interval a piercing 6 year old voice could be heard to general hilarity asking “Is there going to be a waffle (to rhyme with raffle) now?”

Hi Ashcombe. Yes, it was Death's Desire in the little theatre in the converted church. I've been there many times. The TOADS are wonderful aren't they. More like professionals really.
I hope you really enjoy being part of it, and hopefully get some juicy roles if that is what you want.

henetha

Hi Ashcombe. Yes, it was Death's Desire in the little theatre in the converted church. I've been there many times. The TOADS are wonderful aren't they. More like professionals really.
I hope you really enjoy being part of it, and hopefully get some juicy roles if that is what you want.

Oh, thank you so much, henetha! I shall share your kind comments with the membership when I write my next column as Membership Secretary for our monthly Newsletter, known as Croak. Last week I watched the play on Tuesday and again on Thursday, when DH had arrived from France and we were both impressed.

Since joining in 2011, I've had several parts, mostly minor, including plays by Shakespeare, Dickens, Agatha Christie, etc but lighter productions, too, such as Babe, Daisy Pulls It Off and, last summer, in 'Allo, 'Allo.

We have about 140 members in total who work on and offstage for our plays. Volunteering is a requirement of membership. Post Covid saw an influx of new folk, bored with being indoors who joined, mainly to help rather than act.

I hope you enjoy future productions with us; perhaps we could meet in the bar if you let me know when you next come to watch? I could show you round backstage.

That would be amazing Ashcombe. My neighbour and I are awaiting the new season of plays due out in the summer I think.
I remember when TOADS used the Babbacombe Theatre on the Downs before moving to the church.
Lovely to find a fellow amateur theatre fan. I lived in Torquay for 50 years before moving out to the countryside.

I'm looking forward to the show. I'm glad to hear others support local arts. While not a performer, I have volunteered at the local theatre.. ticketing, drinks at intermission, etc.