3 Tails of Spring – out now!

A real treat for Easter: Click Here to Watch!

Three Tales of Spring’ – a beautiful, musical, comical, lovely, original and unique tale of friendship for our times! Written by Amanda Dann, Russ Kirton and Xan Kite, with original music by Xan, all performed by the brilliant Wadhurst Dramatic Club and directed and edited into a gem of a film by Russ – this is set to be an eternal hit!

AGM – The Results!

This year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) saw us saying “farewell” to our committee Chair, Marianne Johnson; and secretary, Jane Austin. WDC are enormously indebted to them both for their significant efforts to shepherd the rest of the committee into a coherent shape as well as being all round great people.

Taking their place we welcome the amazing Amanda Dann as Chair, and Xan Kite as Secretary. Both are fabulous actors and have been treading the Wadhurst boards for many years now. With Russ Kirton (Treasurer) they have been busy writing and directing, filming and generally heroically piecing together another ‘Zoom’ collective play… to be released soon-ish.

And finally our President John Bush is standing down from the “Ladder Man” role!

His influence was summed up by Heather Woodward

When we joined in 1975, John was very involved backstage helping Bryan and Cynthia Bell and also helping Hugh Orchard with lighting, but he could also occasionally be persuaded on stage.  He was on the Committee even then.

I can’t remember the dates when John and Ann moved out to the Netherlands and when they came back  so can’t say when he actually created the increasingly sophisticated lighting and sound systems in the Hall.  But they have been a godsend for the Dramatic Club and for Wadhurst.

The Music Halls I devised with Hugh certainly challenged JB and he always rose to the occasion. Helping with the rising man-sized balloon was one!  I remember especially the back-lighting for the shadow drama with Frank Creasy.   “I can’t do it.”  “Oh yes you can!”, replied Hugh Orchard. And of course  he did.  The sounds of wind, screams, telephones, sea gulls, door bells, crashing china etc

Another huge success was the lighting for the Son et Lumière in the Parish Church (2000)  when he set up lighting outside, beyond the windows of the altar, and gradually, as we listened to the Bruch Concerto the lights dimmed until only a small part of the stained glass was lit.  Very moving.  Quite a few sniffs and hankies!

He always worked hard to support stage managers and props.
Every Dramatic Club needs a John Bush.

The Dramatic Club presented John with the pictured “Ladder man Award”

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN ZOOMIES!

The link to watch is here: https://youtu.be/Ruu69eDxMQA

This is an amazing pantozoom written by Amanda Dann, Xan Kite and Russ Kirton, Directed by Russ Kirton and performed by members of the Wadhurst Dramatic Club. A topical comedy and visual treat with costumes and colours, crazy characters, fun and music. Specially designed to be recorded on zoom, using the effects brilliantly with all the actors safely acting within their homes – talent and happiness shines through! Take that 2020!

So, grab your favourite bevvy or brew, settle back in a comfy chair, click on the link above (or type it into your web browser) and enjoy an hour of great fun from your friends in the Wadhurst Dramatic Club!  ….oh, and do add a comment or send us one if you like, we’d love to hear from you!

Thank you as always for your fabulous support!

Being Dramatic at Home!

Hi everybody!

Hope you are all safe and well and looking forward to having a laugh with us once we are all able to be together somehow or other!

We have had two virtual pantomime reads since the lock down began – with home made costumes as you see above – and they have been great fun. We will carry on with them fortnightly on a Monday evening from 8pm, please do say if you’d like to zoom in – either to take part or just to watch, we promise you will laugh!

In terms of stage performances – we are hoping that we will be able to celebrate going back on stage in the Commemoration Hall with a good old pantomime involving young and old with plenty of good laughs in January 2021. That all depends on social distancing requirements and we will keep a close eye on developments, but hope to be able to proceed with auditions (maybe remotely) in September. We’ll keep you informed – please join us in keeping your fingers crossed that this will be possible!

As always, we would love anyone to join us in any capacity – front of stage, back stage, front of house, organising – whatever you fancy! At the moment we could really do with some help with costumes, if anyone is interested?

Stay safe everyone and we hope to be with you somehow or other sometime soon!