About the Chesil Theatre Company...

• Who we are
• History
• Successes and Awards
• Membership of the Little Theatre Guild
• Get involved!

Who we are     Top

The Chesil Theatre Company is the premier amateur company in the Winchester area having full control of its own premises. With more than 200 members, the company produces 6 plays each year and runs two successful workshops for young people on a weekly basis during school term time.

The Company also has an active social programme and, through membership of the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain and the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) gives members access to national and regional training and workshops in theatre skills.

We always welcome new members, and not just aspiring actors. Like all amateur groups we tend to have a shortage of those with technical skills and particularly seek the involvement of set builders and designers, lighting designers and operators, sound technicians and stage managers, property managers and wardrobe experts as well as those wishing to help with administration, box office front of house or just be supporting audience members.

See our 'Get Involved' page or Download/View our new leaflet (Adobe 'Acrobat' format, 90 kbytes)

The Chesil is run by an executive committee of elected members, and various subcommittees that look after specific areas. The executive committee comprises chairman, treasurer, secretary, bar manager and six other officers. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of the committee members are displayed in the bar and in newsletters. The Chesil holds its AGM in September when the committee for the following year is elected.

History    Top

In 1893, the drama section of the Winchester Mechanics Institute decided to branch out on their own and the Winchester Dramatic Society was formed. We claim to be the oldest established independent dramatic society in the country and, when we celebrated our centenary, no one challenged that claim.

There is no doubt that we occupy the oldest building in the country to be used as a theatre since our home, the former Church of St. Peter, Chesil is of Norman foundation.

While over the past 104 years, the society has had its ups and downs, including suspension during the second world war years, it is now established as the premier amateur society of central Hampshire with members and regular audience drawn from a 20+ mile radius.

Responsibility for maintenance of our building carries with it its own problems and we are constantly aware that as a business we cannot afford to lose money. We seek ways to increase the comfort of our patrons and are planning a total refurbishment of the premises shortly for which an application will be made to the National Lottery.

Successes and Awards - most recent first   Top

January 2009 Curtain Call Awards

• Best supporting actor in a Drama Michael Lewis as Guardsman Bowe in My Boy Jack
• Best Director of a Drama Norma York for My Boy Jack

June 2008 Southern Region NODA Award:  Neville's Island

January 2008 Tom Williams and Malcolm Brown Echo Curtain Call Award best sound and light: Neville's Island

January 2007 Curtain Call awards:

• Tim Robbins: Best Actor in a Drama Vincent Van Gogh in Vincent in Brixton

2006 NODA Southern Region Accolade for Excellence in Drama : Habeas Corpus

In January 2006 Curtain Call awards:

• Norma York: Best Director of a Drama Shadowlands
• Rachel O’Neill: Best Actress in a Drama, Joy in Shadowlands

In January 2005  Philippa Tatham won the Best Supporting Actress in a Drama category at the Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards for her role in The Day After the Fair.

The award was picked up on her behalf by Paul Riddell (see photo right).

 Chesil was strongly represented at the ceremony when Karen Fitzsimmons and Ian Fraser reprised their roles in an excerpt from 'Allo 'Allo. Vicki Michell, who appeared in the original television production of the show, presented the prizes.

In March 2004 The Chesil Theatre website was Runner Up in the Hampshire Chronicle's community newsletter awards.

2004 NODA Southern Region Accolade for Excellence in Drama

• Proof

In 2004 Don't Dress for Dinner shone at the 'Curtain Call' awards as follows: 

• Vara Williams: Best Director of a Comedy
• Dick Hall:  Best Actor in a Comedy
• Gary Nicholson: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

(Right) Jo Ashwell was a Curtain Call award winner again in 2003 as 'Best Supporting Actress in a Shakespeare Play' for her portrayal of Maria in Twelfth Night. Joining Jo on the winners podium were Derek Scott and Malcolm Brown who respectively also won the awards for Best Director of a Shakespeare Play and Best Actor in a Shakespeare Play.

In March 2003 The Chesil Theatre website achieved second place in the Hampshire Chronicle's community newsletter awards.

In January 2002, we received six nominations at the Daily Echo Curtain Call awards for plays in our previous season with Jo Ashwell walking away with the 'Best Newcomer' award for her directorial debut on Cold Comfort Farm.

2002: NODA Southern Region Accolade for Excellence in Drama :

• Twelfth Night

The Spring 1999 production of 'Bazaar and Rummage' by Sue Townsend was awarded the NODA Southern Region Accolade for Excellence in Drama for 1999. For a photo of the production click here (65 kbytes)

In 1997 Parallel Lines written by one of our own members, Graham Cranmer, reached the Regional Final in the National Drama Association One Act Play Festival.

In 1996, our production of A Pack of Lies was awarded the NODA Southern Region Award as the best production in the region during the year.

The Chesil Theatre production of The Will/Alice Play, devised by members to present the story of Through the Looking Glass in an understandable way using scenes from Shakespeare to point the story, toured New York State in 1991 to critical acclaim.

Membership of the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain      Top

The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain (LTG) is a voluntary organisation of 89 Amateur Theatre companies which have control over their own premises and produce drama of a high quality for the benefit of their communities. The Chesil Theatre has been a member of the Guild since 1989. One of our Vice Chairmen, Tom Williams is National Liaison Officer for the LTG having been Chairman from 1999 to 2001.

The aims of the Guild are:

• To extend close co-operation between members in all areas of theatre; to organise national and regional conferences and seminars.
• To run regular courses to improve standards and theatrical knowledge.
• To act as the co-ordinating body for the development of little theatres, and to lobby on their behalf on matters of national interest, such as taxation, charity status, licensing, sponsorship, insurance and royalties.
• To help and improve relationships with local authorities and regional arts associations.
• To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas regionally, nationally and internationally.
• To ensure that the voice of the little theatre movement is heard strongly within national and international bodies, including the Central Council for Amateur Theatre (CCAT) and the International Theatre Exchange (ITE).

The Guild holds two National Conferences each year and is organised on a regional basis for the arrangement of additional conferences, seminars and training events. Further details are on the LTG Website: www.littletheatreguild.org