“Don’t put your daughter on the stage, Mrs Worthington!”

Amateur Dramatics

So, why do we join a drama society or an amateur dramatics society or what is sometimes know as the such and such Players! Or even my old group - The Non-Such players.

It’s because we are all show-offs, isn’t it?

Oh no it isn’t!

It’s because we are all insecure little creatures and we need a bit or re-assurance and we’ll do anything for a bit of applause?

Oh no it isn’t!

Well,  it must be because we are half mad and revell in making an exhibition of ourselves?

Oh, well, may be you have a point…

Enough… yes, drama clubs are all about… well, drama - but they are great fun too. Great camaraderie and yes a lot of loud and bouncing egos rubbing up against each other makes for great entertainment too. And you don’t even have to see the performance to enjoy this bit!

Sometimes, you just need to watch the blue touch paper get lit, retreat a safe distance, and watch the fireworks begin.

But - would you ever do with out it?

Not me!

Once an Am Drama - always an Am Drama…

It is just too much fun - and there is too much good company to give it up.

So, get your kids involved, get your wife or husband involved - get them doing 48 hour read-a-thons as you work your way through the dusty works of Shakespeare…

… get to know the Alan Ackbourne plays like the back of you hand…

… get to dress up in funny costumes - or in some case take most of them off…

But best of all, learn to have fun - as you lean to “Speak from the Diaphragm” and project your voice and a little of your personality - across the footlights, into the stalls and way off into the distance too…

Even for a few moments, you’ll be famous as the audience implores one more rendition of Me and My Girl…

Each time you play it, the laughs will get bigger - until you have to stop for bursting with laughter.

And, it if turns out you are as bad an actor as I am a bad writer - never fear, the English solution is near - it’s call the pantomime and if you know how to ham it up and throw a custard pie, you be a hit. Or you’ll get hit…

… in fact, most probably, you’ll slip up on the plastic sheet where you co-actor - probably Buttons - dropped his nice fat creamy pie - and land slap bang on your bottom.  And the audience will roar with laughter.

You’ll go home, warm with the thought that for all your work and dedication, for all you line learning and joke creating, it was the sound of your buttocks slapping the stage that got the biggest laugh.

And you know what?

Your kids will think that bit the funniest too!

Tell us why you got involved in Amateur Dramatics….