Previous shows
Once Upon A Time
by Paul Barron and Sarah Dyson
Spring 2024
This year's Panto was a joyous romp round Pantoland with characters both familiar and new. With a garrulous Dame, a dashing principal boy, a handsome Prince and the loveliest of Princesses, great fun was had by all.
Directed by Hazel Hawkswell
Hay Fever
by Noel Coward
October 2023
"A weekend from hell" for the unfortunate guests of the Bliss family, an evening of pure pleasure for the audiences who roared their approval and threw bouquets by the armful after each performance. And who can blame them!
Directed by David Greenwood
James & The Giant Peach
by Roald Dahl adapted by David Wood
June 2023
A triumphant return for The Next Generation with their first show since 2019. In the cosy surroundings of The Royal School, the all new cast gave a bravura performance that thrilled the delighted audiences.
Directed by Sally Waghorn
Around The World In 80 Days
by Laua Eason based on the novel by Jules Verne
April 2023
Phileas Fogg, accompanied by his valet Passepartout, took enthusiastic and appreciative audiences on a breakneck journey around the world as they caught trains, steamers and the occassional elephant to win a life changing wager.
Directed by Ruth Ahmed. Original music by Chris Snelling.
Dick Whittington
by Ben Crocker
January 2023
Dick and Tommy the Cat made a triumphant return to not only old London town but also Haslemere Hall as our latest panto was another runaway success.
Directed by Kim Seymour. Musical Director Chris Snelling.
The Game's Afoot
by Ken Ludwig
October 2022
Murder, mystery and laughs aplenty were all afoot in this uproarious production which saw one of the most popular actors of his day don the identity of his alter ego Sherlock Holmes to hilarious effect.
Co-directed by Linnet Bird and Adam Forde.
A Show In A Day:
The Sound of Music
July 2022
An exciting venture into new territory was the undertaking here. At 7:30 pm on Friday the cast and crew were told what show they would be putting on. At 7:30 pm on Saturday the curtain rose and away we went.
The team of Director Kim Seymour and Musical Director Chris Snelling (who also found time to take these photos), assisted by an excellent backstage crew and ever willing cast, treated the audience to an excellent evening of pure entertainment that will live long in the memory. Fittingly, these pictures take us through the entire cycle.
Jack & the Beanstalk
January 2022
Panto came back with a bang in this excellent production full of fun and laughter. Princesses were rescued, giants defeated and buns baked to perfection all to enthusiastic capacity audiences.
Directed by Sally Waghorn, the show had been delayed by 12 months due to COVID 19 and was more welcome than ever as a result.
Nell Gwynn
by Jessica Swale
Just What The Doctor Ordered!
June 2021
Our big comeback show following COVID 19. And what a treat it was. A show full of songs and sketches featuring many of the Thespians favourite performers.
Directed by Sally Waghorn
Puss in Boots
by Ben Crocker
January 2020
Our latest panto was another huge success with eight sold out shows being performed to over 2,200 happy and enthusiastic people.
Directed by Howard Bicknell, the show featured a talking cat, a horrible ogre, no fewer than two fairies and the customary blend of laughs, boos, songs and dances from a terrific cast supported by adult and children's choruses.
After Magritte & Other Stories
byTom Stoppard & Others
October 2019
An evening of one act plays with supper: what could be better!
Especially when these plays feature, amongst other things, dastardly villains, moustaches on sticks, a drunken butler, a tuba and an over zealous policeman.
Directed by Ruth Ahmed, Sally Waghorn and Vicki Kirk
The Wind In The Willows
by Adam Forde
June 2019
The latest production by our youth group, The Next Generation
A delightful musical romp based on the classic story especially adapted by our very own Adam Forde and performed with great gusto by the teenage cast.
Directed by Sally Waghorn
84 Charing Cross Road
by James Roose Evans
May 2019
Based on the book by Helene Hanff, this was the touching and heartwarming real life story of a New York based author's correspondence with the staff of a London antiquarian bookshop over several decades.
An excellent cast performed on a beautifully designed set that received its own round of applause at each performance.
Directed by Richard Weller
Cinderella
January 2019
The classic fairy tale of a beautiful heroine, a charming prince, two mean ugly sisters, a fairy godmother, a pumpkin coach, glass slippers, the ultimate midnight curfew and true love spreading happiness every after. Another sell out show!
Directed by Sally Waghorn
Ladies Day
By Amanda Whittington
October 2018
A life affirming comedy about 4 ladies from a fish packing factory who escape routine for a day at the races. The champagne flows, secrets unfold and their horses keep winning – but will their luck hold?
Directed by Julie Tickner
Alice
by Laura Wade
June 2018
This delightfully quirky new look at a classic story has all of those wonderfully grotesque characters in a Wonderland as you have never seen it, before proving undoubtedly “We’re all mad here!”. The first full length play performed by The Next Generation was a huge hit with the audience.
Directed by Sally Waghorn assisted by Naomi Robertson and Charlotte Armitage
Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
May 2018
Shakespeare’s timeless comedy of the joy, the hope, the eloquence and the recklessness of love. Impossible not to be touched by this beautiful play.
Performed on the stage and in the hall itself in amongst the audience.
Directed by Peter Taylor
Aladdin
January 2018
The classic tale of Aladdin’s adventure through the streets of Old Peking complete with a Widow Twanky, Wishee Washee, the evil Ebenazzer, an East End genie, a magic carpet and even a Kung Fu Panda! Great family entertainment in our annual panto.
Directed by Mary & Helen Coyte
Return of the Next Generation
June 2017
In 2017 we relaunched our young performers acting group with a performance of 2 one Act plays, “Ernie’s incredible adventures” and “The Cage Birds”. These teenage actors did an amazing job and secured a place in all our future schedules.
Directed by Sally Waghorn assisted by Naomi Robertson
Peter Pan
January 2017
The magical story of Peter Pan, Wendy and the lost boys and their adventures in Neverland. Fights with the villainous Captain Hook, slapstick fun with Smee and Dame Delia, Indians, pirates and a real flying boy! This was our first panto in over thirty years to sell out 8 performances and we have kept that up ever since.
Directed by Kim Seymour
And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie
October 2016
A perennial favourite by the Queen of crime was set in the 1920's which gave our directors the chance to show off their artistic skills producing a wonderful show with a great cast, fantastic costumes and impressive period set.
Directed by Linnet Bird and Lucy Rogers
A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
May 2016
One of the most powerful plays staged by the Thespians, this was set in the 1940's New Orleans. The tragic story of former socialite Blanche Dubois driven to metal collapse by her brother in law Stanley Kowalski received rave reviews.
Directed by Peter Taylor
'Allo 'Allo
by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd
October 2015
A supper evening with a hilarious performance of the ever-popular TV series set in France in WWII. All the favourite characters were there including, of course, “The portrait of the fallen Madonna with the big boobies”!
Directed by Guy Davenport
The Vagina Monologues
May 2015
Well this show caused a bit of stir with someone deciding the title was so rude they ripped it off the posters around town, we even ended up on South Today! However scandalous it was the audiences loved it and, more importantly, we raised £2500 for the RASASC helping victims of rape and sexual abuse.
Directed by Kim Seymour
Absent Friends
by Alan Ayckbourn
October 2014
Di and Marge, together with their husbands Paul & John, organise a tea party for their recently bereaved old friend Colin. But all is not well with the hosts. Can Colin's well meaning reminiscences bring peace and joy to all?
Directed by Steph Goodfellow
The Crucible
by Arthur Miller
May 2014
Set in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, The Crucible is based on real events culminating in the crying out of witchery upon, and the ensuing “trials” of, neighbours within a tiny community.
The play relates how the witch hunts become a circus for the many, are cynically used by pillars of the establishment for their own ends and are resisted by the brave few as a fraud on the community and true religious faith.
Directed by Peter Taylor