By Press Release
Some people spend their leisure time playing football or golf, knitting or watching TV. Me? I’m usually to be found painting myself – or someone else – white to make them look dead; lying on wet grass in the pouring rain, scouring charity shops for props while muttering words under my breath – words I’m trying to learn, you understand, nothing rude.
All in the name of amateur theatre. Like many of us, I had my first experience of life onstage in the primary school nativity play. I’m still upset that my two best friends got to play Mary and the Angel while I got the boring role of narrator… Nevertheless, my interest continued through my early adult life.
Then came marriage, children and a move to the Island, with no time to attend rehearsals twice a week for several years. Once my youngest son went to Uni, I dipped a toe into the Island’s amateur theatre scene, and I’ve never looked back. We are so lucky here – in a very small geographical space we have purpose-built theatres (as well as adaptations of old buildings), a selection of village halls well suited to theatrical productions and, most importantly, a good selection of theatre companies across the Island putting on plays and musicals of all types.
Most of these companies are continually looking for new members: if you are interested in the world of theatre, please make contact – you’ll be welcomed. Most groups have Facebook pages – after all, promoting shows is one of the key things they need to do, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a theatre group and see what shows they’re staging.
The first time I got involved in a local group I was literally snapped up the day I joined, to help with props on the current show. Through doing backstage work I got to know other members, found out what the next few plays were, offered support front of house and auditioned for a small role in the next show. Within a few years I was on the committee…
So why do I do it? The buzz of being involved in a theatre show is inexpressible. Yes, as an actor the adrenaline rush of the first night, the wonderful moment when the audience laughs or applauds, the sheer exuberance of performing, but equally great is sitting back as the director and watching the actors bring the play to life, the fun of being backstage or front-of-house, talking to the cast or the audience.
Because it’s teamwork that makes theatre come alive, and I’ve met so many amazing people in the Island theatres, many of whom I’m privileged to call good friends. The person who sells the programmes or coffee, the stagehand, the dresser – all are just as integral to a good show as the leading actor.
This year so far I have been on stage in ‘The Sound of Music’ and an ‘Old Time Music Hall’, served coffee, manned the box office and done front of house duties for different shows. I am co-directing and acting in Shakespeare’s ‘Comedy of Errors’ next month, and then I hope to be involved in ‘Iolanthe’ in September, as well are more coffee and front-of-house duties, no doubt.
Drama, comedy, Gilbert and Sullivan, pantomime, Shakespeare, West End musicals – we have it all.
Wherever you live there’s a good chance a theatre group is rehearsing a great production within a few miles of you. My Theatre Column in The IW Observer appears in the first week of each month, and I aim to give an overview of what’s happening that month. If you are involved in an
amateur theatre show, and would like me to mention it, please get in touch and let me have the details. And if you want to know what’s on where you are and across the Island, the Entertainments pages in the IW Observer is the place!
