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History of the Prospect Players

The Prospect Players were founded in 1973, when they were known as the St Mark's Players. In those early years the group put on two productions a year at Arnold Hill School.

A few years later, the group moved their productions to Redhill School, still putting on two productions a year in the half term holidays. The links with St Mark's Church having been severed, the group changed its name to the Prospect Players, and in 1982 changed the venue for its productions to the newly opened Bonington Theatre.

The group has always tried to present its audiences with a wide range of plays. Over the years, the group has performed plays by William Shakespeare, Moliere, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Oscar Wilde, Harold Pinter, Noel Coward, Dylan Thomas, Eric Idle and Jeffrey Archer...to name but a few!

In 2004, the group entered the world of musical theatre for the first time with its production of Sing For Your Supper; a tribute to the music and lyrics of Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart. After this met with great success, in 2005 the group put on their own production of 'Oliver!' by Lionel Bart. Again, this was met with great success.

Below, you will find a list of all the productions that the group has put on since it was founded, as well as demonstrate the different phases that the group has gone through since conception:

1973 - 1976

St Mark's Players (at Arnold Hill Lower School)
Hobson's Choice (February 1973)
Rape of the Belt (October 1973)
Our Town (May 1974)
The Private Ear & The Public Eye (September 1974)
Lord Arthur Saville's Crime (February 1975)
Blithe Spirit (May 1975)
Seperate Tables (February 1976)

1976 - 1979

St Mark's Players (at Redhill School Hall)
Relatively Speaking (June 1976)
Hay Fever (January 1977)
Spring & Port Wine (April 1977)
The Heiress (October 1977)
Breath of Spring (February 1978)
The Importance of Being Ernest (November 1978)
Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn (April 1979)
The Deep Blue Sea (November 1979)

1980 - 1982

Prospect Players (at Redhill School Hall)
Time and Time Again (April 1980)
Hedda Gabler (October 1980)
Dry Rot (February 1981)
All My Sons (May 1981)
The Gentle Hook (October 1981)
When We Are Married (February 1982)

1982 - Present

Prospect Players (at the Bonington Theatre)
Alphabetical Order (May 1982)
Counter Crime (November 1982)
Enter a Free Man (February 1983)
The Daughter-in-Law (May 1983)
Sisterly Feelings (November 1983)
She Stops to Conquer (February 1984)
The Caretaker (May 1984)
Can't Pay? Won't Pay? (November 1984)
Macbeth (February 1985)
Ten Times Table (June 1985)
House Guest (November 1985)
The Last of the Red Hot Lovers (February 1986)
Abigail's Party (May 1986)
Tortuffe (November 1986)
Death of a Salesman (February 1987)
I Am A Camera (May 1987)
Pygmalion (November 1987)
Deathtrap (February 1988)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (May 1988)
The Glass Menagerie (November 1988)
The Accrington Pals (February 1989)
The Odd Couple (May 1989)
King Lear (November 1989)
Round and Round the Garden (February 1990)
Pack of Lies (May 1990)
The Seagull (November 1990)
Pass the Butler (February 1991)
On Golden Pond (May 1991)
The Miser (November 1991)
The Lion in Winter (February 1992)
An Inspector Calls (May 1992)
Stepping Out (November 1992)
Dial 'M' for Murder (February 1993)
Blue Remembered Hills (May 1993)
Gaslight (November 1993)
Under Milkwood (February 1994)
Joking Apart (May 1994)
The Dresser (November 1994)
Absurd Person Singular (February 1995)
The Widdowing of Mrs Holroyd (May 1995)
Oh! What a Lovely War (November 1995)
Beyond Reasonable Doubt (February 1996)
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist (May 1996)
The Matchmaker (November 1996)
A View from the Bridge (February 1997)
Triplets/Veronica's Room (May 1997)
The Government Inspector (November 1997)
Sting in the Tale (February 1998)
Daisy Pulls It Off (May 1998)
Woman in Mind (November 1998)
Mort (February 1999)
The House of Bernarda Alba (May 1999)
Dead Guilty (November 1999)
Double Bill (Farce of Pierre Pathelin & Between Mouthfuls) (February 2000)
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (May 2000)
The Cracked Pot (November 2000)
Entertaining Mr Sloane (February 2001)
Lettice & Lovage (May 2001)
Wait Until Dark (November 2001)
The Insect Play (February 2002)
Communicating Doors (May 2002)
Month of Sundays (November 2002)
Relatively Speaking (February 2003)
Lucky Sods (May 2003)
The Sunshine Boys (November 2003)
The Herbal Bed (February 2004)
Love Me Slender (May 2004)
Sing For Your Supper [Musical] (November 2004)
Loot (February 2005)
Straight and Narrow (May 2005)
Oliver! [Musical] (November 2005)
Barefoot in the Park (February 2006)
Billy Liar (May 2006)
The Roses of Eyam (November 2006)
Move Over Mrs Markham (February 2007)
The Winslow Boy (May 2007)
A Christmas Carol (November 2007)
Humble Boy (February 2008)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum [Musical] (May 2008)

Achievements and Awards

For those who aren't aware, N.A.N.D.A hold an annual adjudicaton and presentations event, which affiliated societies can enter if they wish. Below, you will find a list of awards the Prospect Players have received when they have decided to be entered into the running:

PLAY OF THE YEAR

Best All Round Play (The Newark Advertiser Shield)
'King Lear' (1990)

Producer of the Year (The Pat Johnson Trophy)
Liz Atkins (1990 + 1992)

Actor of the Year (The Harry Penson Rosebowl)
Chris Powell (1990)

Best Inexperienced Actor/Actress (The Sydney Hopkin Trophy)
Brenda Tolley & Debra Johnson (1982)

Best Costumes (The Carolyn and Geoff Oxley Trophy)
'The Seagull' (1991)

ONE ACT PLAY

Best Overall Play (The Margaret Guildford Trophy)
'The Triplets' (1997)

Best Actress (The Muriel Radford-Barnes Trophy)
Val Worth (1991)

Best Producer (The Constance Radford Silver Casket)
Simon Ellis (1997)

YOUTH THEATRE

Runners Up and Adjudicators Choice (Highly Commended Certificates)
Eddie Ellis, Paul Hawkins and Jono Wells (2002)

OTHERS

Unstinting support over many years
Graham Errington (1999)

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