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Celebrating 90 years of drama

As we stepped into 2021, we were unsure what the year ahead would hold for us. But one thing we were all determined to do was find a way to mark our special anniversary and acknowledge the decades of entertainment that our members have been delivering since 1931.

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We began with charity fundraising (virtually, of course!) in April and were proud to make two donations to charities working in Croydon. Thankfully, by the autumn, we were able to make a return to performance with the much-needed fun of our Gameshow Bonanza!

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Last on our wish-list was to capture the story of our Downsview Players for future generations. And what better way to get through those lockdown days with a bit of research, writing and editing!

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Journey with us from 1931

Passion for putting on great productions was at the heart of our foundation 90 years ago and that still remains the case today. Our acting credentials started with two one-act plays in 1931 with our first full-length play being French Leave a year later.

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Our many productions range from timeless classics, such as Jane Eyre, Hound of the Baskervilles and A View From The Bridge, and comedies, including the Farndale plays, and murder mysteries. Other big productions have included Scrooge, The Vigil and My Fair Lady.

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We have always been a key part of Downsview Church’s community and just before the pandemic we expanded our reach by performing a pantomime in two care homes in Croydon and to an audience for children and adults with learning disabilities.

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Our strength lies in the great friendships and fun we share plus our wide variety of creative talents: stage production, directing, and acting.

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Click below to watch a film all about our story!

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Community at the heart of our theatre

From our founding members of Downsview Methodist Church all the way back in 1931, we send our heartfelt thanks to the community and place they created for everyone to take part in hundreds of productions these past 90+ years. Here we mark some of our key milestones.

Become a part of our story

So this is the part of the script that's blank and waiting for you! We're always on the look out for new members and you can join at any point during the year - either on stage or backstage - to help us keep producing amazing productions for our local community and beyond. From school teachers to GPs, chief execs to retired movers and shakers - we've got such a mix of people who all bring something different to our productions.

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Why not drop by for a cuppa on a Tuesday night and find out what part you could play in our story? See you soon!

Thanks to...

A huge thanks to the following for helping curate our history:

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Simon Peyton: for researching and writing the script to the films.

Lis Parham: for editing the film scripts and webpages.
Terry Fuller: for editing the films.

Museum of Croydon Image Collection: for supplying images of Downsview Methodist Church in its early years and Croydon during World War II.

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