New play marks milestone

A mix of drama, comedy and thrillers staged by a community theatre group has been keeping audiences spellbound for 60 years.

Now the group is marking its diamond anniversary with a new play and hoping theatre fans will join the celebrations.

Party Piece, will be performed at St Thomas’s Church Hall, Market Street, Stourbridge, from Tuesday November 20 to 24.

While members of the town’s Enville Street Dramatic Society are looking forward to the new play they have also been casting their minds back to previous performances since the group’s formation in 1947.

The group has tackled plays in a wide variety of genres including costume drama, such as When We Are Married in 1997 and their own version of hit BBC comedy ‘Allo ‘Allo! (pictured) in 2001. Beryl and Neville Mole first joined in the 1940s and still act today.

Starting life as the social arm of Enville Street Methodist Church, they first presented plays in the West Street Sunday school rooms. Audiences came from the church along with community groups such as the ladies guild and Sunday school.

But soon residents from nearby West Street and Enville Street also started to attend as the group’s popularity spread.

As a result the group started to perform two plays a year along with a Christmas pantomime or review. It flourished during the 50s, 60s and 70s. The 1980s were not so kind as membership fell and remaining members even considered joining with another society to ensure the show went on.

But members dug deep and by the end of the decade had managed to turn the society’s fortunes around with an influx of new performers. The 1990s was kinder to the group and members continued presenting three plays a year and even benefited from improvements to their long-time home at the church hall when new seating and lighting was fitted.

They were dealt a blow when the methodist church closed in 2005 and the group had to find new premises to continue. 

It eventually settled at St Thomas’ Church Hall and became a registered charity in 2006. Group spokesman Wendy Hemming said the society had a long and proud history and members wanted it to continue long into the future.

“We are all very proud of being part of the society and to be a part of it at the time of this landmark is wonderful,” she said.

“A lot of talented people have taken part in the group over the years. We will mark the anniversary in the most fitting way by staging our latest play. There have so far been four plays presented at St Thomas’s. The play is being directed for the first time by new chairman Martin Francis and the cast includes both experienced and new members.” 

Tickets for the show are £6 or £5 with concessions and are available by calling 01384 372930 or calling into Books Unlimited, in Lower High Street, Stourbridge.