80th Anniversary

Symbolised by oak, this anniversary is marked by strength and longevity which of course is true of Athelstan Players. It was decided to mark the anniversary with a reception and, along with current members, invite all the past members we could contact. As a result some 70 Athelstan Players past and present came together in the Riverside Centre on Friday 5 October 2018.

The evening was one of catching up, laughter and trying to remember who it was that played a particular character in a particular play/revue/panto. This was aided by reference to the APs photographic record which had been lovingly maintained by Pat Castle over many, many years.

2018 wasn't only a special year for the society, as it also marked 100 years from the end of the First World War. This made the choice of Dig For The Diggers, as our entry in the Harold Jolliffe One Act Play Festival, all the more poignant. The play was concerned with identifying an Australian soldier killed in the battle of Fromelles which took place in Northern France in July 1916. It didn't win but it was deeply moving and affected many in the audience. The cast were subsequently asked to perform in Malmesbury and at the Swindon Fringe Festival.

The 2018 revue was titled Night and Day, and director Debbie Cambray-Smith sensitively wove together an ensemble piece, centred on Rupert Brook's The Soldier, which finished with the playing of the last post, and concluded the first half of the performance.

Whether celebrating it's own anniversary or respecting another, the society made 2018 a very special year.