Drama
Ever since Graham and Sue Dowell started us off 45 years ago, the Hampstead Players have taken amateurism seriously. We have done our best to pursue high standards, aiming to do justice to the work of great dramatists, but we have always tried to do so with enthusiasm, fun and a collaborative, community spirit. We are a community group, after all.
Over the years we have toured productions to Pimlico, Winchester and France, and participated in the RSC’s Open Stages programme. But our beautiful church space is our home and has been an integral part of some of our most visually spectacular productions from musicals such as The Sound of Music, Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof, to dramas like The Cherry Orchard, A Tale of Two Cities, and Murder in the Cathedral.
We are excited by a wide variety of plays from ancient masterpieces (The Bacchae) to modern classics (Arcadia, The Crucible). We have explored humanity’s darker corners (Macbeth, King Lear), found laughter and joy in comedic brilliance (The Government Inspector, Arsenic and Old Lace), and been heartened by the warmth and love in timeless tales (Pride and Prejudice, All’s Well That Ends Well). The thread that tends to run through them all is our interest in plays that tackle challenging ideas, moral conundrums and human questions, be they personal (A Woman of No Importance, Dangerous Corner), political (Richard II), existential (Waiting for Godot), or religious (The Man Born to be King). Aren’t these the themes that drive most great, thrilling works of art?
Our dramatis personae may have changed over the years, and many of our members now join us from outside the congregation, but we remain true to our roots, closely connected to Hampstead Parish Church and the wider Hampstead community. We are very grateful for the warm welcome and support of the clergy and congregation, and we have been very pleased to contribute to the pattern of worship with productions for Passion-tide such as The Way of the Cross, and The Dream of the Rood. As well as our major productions we hold play readings and poetry evenings that all are welcome to attend. We have enjoyed participating with the Hampstead Community Choir in concerts of songs and readings. And our successful monthly Literary Hours help to open the doors of the church to the local community.
Our charitable status ensures this connection remains strong, with one of our objects being to promote the mission of the Church, and we make substantial donations to the Parish Church from our financial surpluses. We also support other charities, including cooperating with the Church Choirs, or other singers and readers, to raise money for charities as diverse as Sightsavers and Freedom from Torture.
We are always happy to hear from people who would like to take part in any of these activities, either on or off-stage. If this includes you, please contact us at players[at]hampsteadparishchurch.org.uk
www.hampsteadplayers.org.uk
