Castle Players: over 50 years of performance…

 

In February 1973, Lytchett Matravers celebrated the opening of its brand-new Village Hall. During those early celebrations, a small group of like-minded villagers — including Judy Monk, Bert and Mary Toyer, among others — recognised the hall’s potential as a home for local theatre. A meeting was soon arranged at Castle Farmhouse, the home of Bert and Mary, and from that gathering, Castle Players was born.

 

Just three months later, in June 1973, our very first production, Wanted, One Body, took to the stage after weeks of enthusiastic rehearsals, scenery building and painting. It was a roaring success and marked the beginning of something truly special.

 

For more than five decades, Castle Players has remained an integral part of Lytchett Matravers Village Hall. In the early years, it became clear that the original stage layout was not ideal for theatrical productions, with only a single rear entrance to the dressing rooms. Through fundraising and community support, the group helped finance the alterations that created the three-door stage layout still used today.

 

Over the decades, Castle Players has contributed thousands of pounds towards improvements at the Village Hall, including installing wardrobes, fireproofing the understage area, replacing stage curtains, introducing three-phase electricity, purchasing the oven for the new kitchen, and supporting many other hall projects.

 

We have staged countless memorable productions over the years, making it almost impossible to choose favourites. Highlights include The Miracle Worker (1985), which marked Jo Puttick’s directorial debut and even featured a working water pump on stage. The Wizard of Oz remains one of our most spectacular pantomimes, with scenery and costumes transforming from black and white into full colour upon arriving in Oz — just like the film.

 

In 1994, Castle Players expanded beyond the Village Hall with a touring production of Murder in the Cathedral, performed first in Lytchett Matravers before touring churches across Dorset and we have also taken productions to The Tivoli in Wimborne and Milborne St Andrew, we even performed in the open air when Covid restrictions prevented us from performing inside!

 

The past few years have brought some of the greatest challenges in Castle Players’ history. The pandemic, followed by the cost-of-living crisis, placed enormous pressure on community arts organisations everywhere. Yet theatre has never been more important in bringing people together, creating friendships, and putting smiles on faces.

 

Today, Castle Players continues to thrive thanks to the enthusiasm, talent and support of our members, volunteers and audiences. We look back with enormous pride on everything the group has achieved and forward with excitement to the next chapter of our story…if you’d like to be part of that story, get in touch to see how you can be involved.

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