Whether the stage is your spirit home or you’re looking for a space to unleash your creativity while making new friends, joining an amateur dramatics society could be the answer. Fortunately, there are heaps of am-dram groups in Greenwich and Lewisham – and many of them are performing live this week, writes Holly O’Mahony…
“I hate to use this expression, but we produce West End shows for local prices,” says Kevin Gauntlett, a long-standing member of the West Wickham Operatic Society (WWOS) and director of the amateur company’s production of Calendar Girls, showing at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre this week.
Based on the 2003 film of the same name, itself based on a true story, the uplifting show follows a group of middle-aged women, members of a Yorkshire branch of the Women’s Institute (WI), who produce a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research, after the husband of one member dies from cancer.
“I’d seen it in the West End a couple of times and fallen in love with it,” recalls Kevin. “It was such a beautiful story as well as the lovely music from Gary Barlow. I always said to myself if it ever became available I’d try and get it, and we were very lucky to get the rights.”
Calendar Girls is one of remarkably few major shows that puts a group of mature women centrestage. “We’ve had a lot of fun doing it. The six leads who do the photoshoot at the end are members who have been with us for years,” says Kevin.
WWOS has been around for 85 years and Calendar Girls is the 40th show Kevin has directed for the company. The society rehearses throughout the year at Wickham Theatre Centre in West Wickham, performing two shows a year at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre. “We’re the only company that has been there since the beginning,” says Kevin, proudly. The theatre opened in 1977 and WWOS began performing there in 1978.
With its shows running in the theatre’s main space, WWOS is under as much pressure as a touring professional theatre company to make up the money spent on the production through ticket sales.
“We sell a lot of tickets to friends and family, but the public also come. We hope we sell shows on our reputation, too,” says Kevin.
There’s no money in amateur dramatics. The reward, for members, is the sense of fulfilment and community that comes from being a part of a company. “You build up a lot of friendships, it’s like one big family,” says Kevin.
The company meets up two or three times a week, usually on evenings or weekends to fit around work and other commitments. “It’s a hobby,” Kevin affirms. As such, “you can’t be too strict. You’ve got to make the rehearsals as fun as the production itself,” he reasons. Still, despite not being a professional outfit, attending rehearsals is mandatory for those taking part in the show. “If you’ve got passion for it, you find the time, don’t you?”
WWOS welcomes fresh talent. “We’re always looking for new members, both on and backstage,” insists Kevin. “We put something out on our website and on social media [before we start working on] each show with details of how people can join. It’s not a big audition, it’s seeing if the company is a good fit for you.”
Five am-dram and student performances to catch in Greenwich and Lewisham this week…
Calendar Girls
West Wickham Operatic Society (WWOS) takes on the much-loved true story of a group of Yorkshire women who pose for a tasteful nude calendar to raise money in aid of tackling cancer. With songs written by Take That’s Gary Barlow and a witty script by Tim Firth, this crowd-pleasing show will see you laugh and cry in equal measure.
Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. November 15 – 19, 7:30pm with additional 2:30pm matinees on Tuesday and Saturday. Admission: £24.
www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-calendar-girls-wwos-bromley-2022
We Will Rock You
DJMJ, an amateur dramatics society for young people aged 6 – 18, are performing Ben Elton’s hit jukebox musical We Will Rock You at the Bob Hope Theatre in Eltham. Fuelled by the songs of best-selling rock group Queen, the show tells the story of a group of Bohemians battling to restore freedom of expression and live music in a distant future where musical instruments are forbidden and rock music a forgotten memory.
Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, London SE9 5TG. November 18 & 19, 7:30pm. Admission: £13.
www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/wewillrockyou.html
Trinity Laban Symphonic Winds
See the professionals of tomorrow perform today, as Trinity Laban’s classical music students perform arrangements for wind instruments under the direction of Steven Verhaert. Among the five pieces being played at the Blackheath Halls concert is Holst’s First Suite in E-Flat and Jan van der Roost’s Canterbury Chorale.
Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ. November 17, 7:30pm. Admission: FREE. www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/trinity-laban-symphonic-winds/
Love2Dance Showcase
Got a young dancer in your care who’s keen to show off their moves? Take them to the Albany’s Love2Dance showcase, featuring street dance performances from aspiring performers aged 8-18. These kids spent just two days training for this live performance – and yours could too, if you sign them up for the next show. The event is a collaboration between the Albany and Lewisham Homes, an organisation committed to giving young people access to high quality workshops, events and a platform to perform.
The Albany, Douglas Way, London SE8 4AG. November 20, 2pm. Admission: £5. www.thealbany.org.uk/shows/love2dance-showcase/
Sound and colour
At the University of Greenwich, the SOUND/IMAGE Conference and Festival brings together a series of exhibitions, workshops, talks and musical performances to showcase the latest in audio-visual possibilities. The programme is a chance for digital artists and enthusiasts to explore the relationship between sound and image, uncovering how the two can work together to create exciting experiences for the senses. Special guests include Oscar-winning sound editor Nina Hartstone, electroacoustic composer Trevor Wishart, sound artist KMRU and sound designer George Vlad.
University of Greenwich, Stockwell Street Building, 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich, London, SE10 9BD. November 18 – 20, 6pm – 9pm. Admission: £5. www.gre.ac.uk/research/activity/las/soundimage-conference-and-festival
