Garden Suburb Theatre
AbbreviationGST
Formation1908
TypeAmateur Theatre Company
Region served
London
Honorary President
Sir Donald Sinden
Main organ
General Committee
AffiliationsMember of NODA
Websitewww.gardensuburbtheatre.org.uk
Formerly called
  • Theoric Committee
  • Play and Pageant Union
  • Speedwell Players
  • Hampstead Garden Suburb Dramatic Society (HGSDS)

The Garden Suburb Theatre is an amateur theatre company named after the Hampstead Garden Suburb, in which it originated.

History

Amateur drama in the Hampstead Garden Suburb began as a series of annual Pageants starting in 1908. These were organised by the rather grandly titled Theoric Committee, which later renamed itself the Pageant Committee.

In 1920 the committee became the more general Play and Pageant Union (P&PU). In its foundational year, this group built the theatre in Little Oak Wood which is still used by the group every July. The group continued producing plays in many indoor venues as well as the outdoor theatre in Little Oak Wood. The main hall of the Henrietta Barnett School was developed as a workable theatre stage by the P&PU and was the indoor home to the group for most of the twentieth century. In recent years factors such as increasing rental from the school and a wider geographic catchment for the theatre group have meant that performances are at a variety of venues around North London.

The P&PU merged with the Speedwell Players (founded in 1929) to form the Hampstead Garden Suburb Dramatic Society in 1966. It was known under this name until 1992, when it switched to its present name.[1]

Former members

With a history as far back as 1908, many former members have gone on to find fame, including

Current

The Garden Suburb Theatre is a thriving and welcoming community-based theatre group with a brief of providing the local community with greater understanding of the dramatic arts. It fulfils this brief through a programme of pieces chosen as much for their dramatic interest as their box-office draw, and by encouraging active participation from locals, whatever their age or level of experience.

The most recent Honorary President of the society was Sir Donald Sinden until his death in 2014.

References

  1. ↑ Gregory, Colin (1 January 2000). "History section of website".
  2. ↑ Macintyre, Donald (21 April 1999). "A life less ordinary". The Independent.
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