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Company Theatre - The Early Days

In this section on the web is the History of Company Theatre, and further down you will find a list of all our productions since 1980.

Company Theatre (formerly known as the North Shore Company Theatre and Dramatic Society Inc.) celebrated 25 years in 2005.

Company was started in 1980 in St Michael's Hall, Bayswater, by a small group of nine people who wished to stage theatre of an experimental or “avant-garde” nature. John Dylan was the first President of the society and the initial nine are remembered in our Logo. (If you look you can see nine people sitting in a theatre!)

In 1982, a new committee was formed, with a view to producing more box office shows.

During the period 1982 - 1987, a number of very dedicated theatrical people joined the society and the most influential members of this group were Geoff Clews, Peter Segrove and Neil Burgham. All served as Presidents for the society but most importantly, they were all involved in the idea to find Company a permanent home on the Shore.

1980

During the first two years of Company Theatre a variety of alternative Short Plays & Sketches were presented. We do not have complete details of authors and directors:
Plastic in Aspic
Neuroses In Bloom, a Sketch from “Living For Pleasure”
Lend Us Your Ears
Simultaneous Broadcast
Oh by N.F. Simpson
One Blast and Have Done by N.F. Simpson
Imperfectly Serious
Strawberry Jam
Lunch Hour by John Mortimer

1981

With All My Love I Hate You
The Stone Cage
Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett
Blue Comedy
Balls
Imported From Canada
They Came to A City by J.B. Priestley. Directed by Rosemary Gailer
Christmas With Company. Directed by John Dylan
1982: New committee takes over.
Not Now Darling by Cooney & Chapman. Directed by John Dylan
The Unexpected Guest by Agatha Christie. Directed by….

1983

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. Directed by Jocelyn McQuaid
Music Hall ’83 Devised and Directed by Jean Naismith & John Dylan
Mixed Moods. Directed by….
A Company Christmas. Directed by…..

1984

Love In Idleness by Terrence Ratigan. Directed by Jean Naismith
Dangerous Corner by J.B. Priestley. Directed by…..
One Act Plays ’84. (Titles? or Directed by…..
Who’s Who by……… Directed by John Dylan

1985

Trilogy ( Three One Act Plays)
Tomb With A View by Norman Robbins. Directed by John Antony
Music Hall ’85. Directed by June Luscombe

1986

Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton. Directed by…..
Dear Delinquent by Jack Popplewell. Directed by Anne Potter
Mother Goose. A Pantomime. Directed by Peter Segrove

1987

Mr Pim Passes By. A comedy by A.A. Milne. Directed by Ruth Mathieson
Bonaventure by Charlotte Hastings. Directed by Anne Potter
Music Hall ’87 Directed by John Dylan

1988

Charley’s Aunt by Brandon Thomas. Directed by Peter Segrove.
Fifth Dimension (One Act Plays)
50/50 by Roger Hall. Directed by Neil Burgham
The Pohutakawa Tree by Bruce Mason. Directed by Anne Potter
Move Over, Mrs Markham by Ray Cooney/John Chapman. Directed by Ruth Mathieson

1989

Murder On The Nile by Agatha Christie. Directed by Anne Potter
Whose Life Is it, Anyway? By Brian Clarke. Directed by Neil Burgham
Music Hall ’89. Directed by Peter Segrove.

1990

Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott. Directed by Neil Burgham.
Not Now Darling
by Ray Cooney & John Chapman. Directed by Peter Segrove
Babes In The Wood by Tony Currie. Directed by Alistair Bibby

1991

Middle Age Spread by Roger Hall. Directed by Gordon Currie
Music Hall ’91. Directed by Peter Segrove.

1992

Murder In Company by Philip King. Directed by Ruth Segrove
THE MOVE TO THE ROSE CENTRE.
Habeas Corpus by Alan Bennett. Directed by Peter Segrove

1993

Beside The Sea by Brian Jefferies. Directed by John Palmer
Cowardy Custard by Noel Coward. Directed by Bruce Murray
Map Of The Heart by William Nicholson. Directed by Neil Burgham

1994

Mothers and Fathers by Joe Musaphia. Directed by Gordon Currie
The Mad, Mad World of Theatre. Devised & Directed by Sherry Ede
Situation Comedy by Mortimer & Cooke. Directed by Robert Letcher
An Edwardian Evening. Devised & Directed by Bruce Murray

1995

Natural Causes by Eric Chappell. Directed by Neil Burgham
Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. Directed by Robert Letcher

1996

Just Between Ourselves
by Alan Ayckbourn. Directed by Anthony Whitehouse
Three of a Funny Kind. (One Acts) Titles: Hidden Meanings,
Thermal Underwear & Visiting Hours. Directed by Kathy Gent
Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Peter Millar.

1997

The Odd Couple (Female Version)
by Neil Simon. Directed by Maggie Maxwell
Two Play (One Acts)
The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard directed by Graham Wagstaff Cup Final by Charles Mander directed by Steve Wright
Palladium. Devised & Directed by Ruth Segrove & Moira Coote
Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. Directed by Kathy Gent

1998

Social Climbers by Roger Hall. Directed by Steve Wright
One Act …Times Two. (One Acts)
A Kind of Alaska by Harold Pinter. Directed by Perry Cameron.
White Liars by Peter Shaffer. Directed by Graham Wagstaff
Money & Friends by David Williamson. Directed by Sherry Ede
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Sian Davis

1999

Chapter Two by Neil Simon. Directed by Perry Cameron
See How They Run by Philip King. Directed by Kathy Gent
Straight & Narrow by Jimmy Chin. Directed by Kathy Gent

2000

How The Other Half Loves
by Alan Ayckbourn. Directed by Anthony Whitehouse
The Pain & The Passion. Written & Directed by Sherry Ede
Eugenia by Lorae Parry. Directed by Sian Davis
Outside Edge by Richard Harris. Directed by Steve Wright

2001

Darkness Falls (One Acts)
The Monkey’s Paw &The Dark. Directed by Lynne Davis
King Arthur. A Pantomime by Paul Reakes. Directed by Anne Rimmer
Arsenic & Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring. Directed by Sian Davis

2002

Brilliant Lies by David Williamson. Directed by Richard Parmee
Curtain Up On Murder by Bettine Maktelow. Directed by Steve Wright
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. Directed by Sian Davis
The Sex Fiend by Sinclair & Mulheron. Directed by Anthony Whitehouse

2003

Tons of Money adapted by Alan Ayckbourn. Directed by Sherry Ede
The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson. Directed by Steve Wright
Run For Your Wife by Ray Cooney. Directed by Sherry Ede

2004

Take A Chance On Me by Roger Hall. Directed by Kathy Gent
Kindertransport by Diane Samuels. Directed by Graham Wagstaff
An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. Directed by Helen Cooper
Up For Grabs by David Williamson. Directed by Richard Parmee

2005

Caught In The Net by Ray Cooney. Directed by Sherry Ede
Trick of The Light by Ken Duncam. Directed by Sian Davis
The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley. Directed by Graham Wagstaff

2006

Spreading Out by Roger Hall. Directed by Kathy Gent.
Gym & Tonic by John Godber. Directed by Lesley Locke
Noises Off by Michael Frayn. Directed by Richard Parmee.

2007

The Bach by Stephen Sinclair, Directed by Sian Davis
Daughters of Heaven by Michelanne Forster, Directed by Mary Cavanagh
Funny Money by Ray Cooney, Directed by Sherry Ede

2008

Someone Who'll Watch over me, Directed by Steve Wright
'Allo 'Allo, Directed by Kathy Gent
Boeing Boeing, Directed by Richard Parmee

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