Wandsworth Theatre Club Steal the Show (From Surrey Comet)

Wandsworth Theatre Club Steal the Show

2:10pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010 in

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By Community Correspondent John-James Anisiobi

Based in Wandsworth, the New Stagers Theatre Club is one of London’s longest established amateur theatre groups. With an adventurous repertoire and quality performances, it’s no surprise that tickets to their January pantomime show were sold out.

Over the course of six days the New Stagers Theatre Club put on an impressive nine shows. January is of particular significance because it is then when the amateur dramatists perform the annual seasonal pantomime. This year’s production was a comically twisted interpretation of “Mother Goose”. Directed by Ian Pring and written by Paul Johnson, the duo produced a spectacle that had both young and old laughing, cheering, booing and shouting “It’s behind you!”

As well as being a writer and producer, Paul Johnson also starred in Mother Goose with a show stealing performance as pantomime bad guy, The Squire. Johnson is also the longest standing member of the group and knows of the history and origins of the theatre troupe. The first ever production was “The Mascoteers” by a group who called themselves The Colts XI, in March 1963. “The Colts XI was instigated one Tuesday evening early in 1963, when Margaret Perry suggested that her brood of eccentric young teachers should channel their natural tendency towards clowning into a show to raise money for new Sunday school equipment. That show required a minimum of eleven performers, and since they were all young, the title "Colts XI" came into being.”

Shortly after this they changed their name to ‘The New Stagers Amateur Dramatic Society’ and on Friday 26th April 1968, their first production under the new name was a set of three, one act plays; ‘Davy Jones Locker’, ‘First Production’ and ‘Non Nobis’.

Great customer service and friendly staff are a highlight in the humble theatre surroundings, whilst cheaply priced beers and large hotdogs also make the experience good value for money for the whole family. “How to disappear completely and never be found” is the next production by the Wandsworth based theatre club and it is scheduled for April 2010.

For more information and details visit: www.newstagers.co.uk/index.html