I can still remember the performance of The Country Wife at Eltham Little Theatre.
It will have been in 1967 and was at a time when I was hoovering up plays, musicals and one man shows.
Never underestimate the zeal with which a young 16 year old sixth former will apply to something new.
And for me the theatre was new, wonderful and I just couldn’t get enough.
In those two years at Crown Woods I packed in the big ones at the Old Vic, a trip out to Stratford upon Avon and countless visits to small Rep and amateur dramatic companies across London.
And along the way at the invitation of Mr Griffin who was then the Latin teacher at Crown Woods and a member of the theatre group we went to Eltham Little Theatre.
At the time I was more interested in the play and the prospect of a drink afterwards to give much thought to the place. Nor until recently has the theatre intruded into my thoughts.
I was vaguely aware that it had changed its name to the Bob Hope Theatre and that it was still going strong but that was about it.
Until I came across one of Jean’s pictures of the building and as you do I pondered on its history. Now this I have to say came entirely from the theatre groups own publication. And I am never one to represent something which has already been done better than I could do so I shall point you towards the link.*
Suffice to say it was formed in November 1943 ‘to promote theatre, drama, music and the allied arts in Eltham and the immediate vicinity’.
Three years later it moved into the Parish Hall and twenty years later I sat and enjoyed that performance of The Country Wife. Fast forward another decade and the theatre was in serious threat of closure with the sale of the land and that was when Bob Hope stepped in and helped save the day.
All of which is the story best told by the Theatre Company themselves.
Now when you live 230 miles from the theatre the opportunities to visit are few but I can still travel in hope that we might be visiting family in around the time of the next show.
Well we shall see.
So with that in mind I will see if we can arrange to be home in early September and if there is a spare evening between visiting family and friends we might just catch a performance at the theatre.
After all it is now a full half century since I first sat in the place.
Picture; The Bob Hope Theatre from the collection of Jean Gammons and other images courtesy of the Bob Hope Theatre
*The Bob Hope Theatre, A Brief History, http://www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/BHT%20History%20Booklet%20April%202005.pdf
The Bob Hope Theatre, http://www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/
Never underestimate the zeal with which a young 16 year old sixth former will apply to something new.
And for me the theatre was new, wonderful and I just couldn’t get enough.
In those two years at Crown Woods I packed in the big ones at the Old Vic, a trip out to Stratford upon Avon and countless visits to small Rep and amateur dramatic companies across London.
At the time I was more interested in the play and the prospect of a drink afterwards to give much thought to the place. Nor until recently has the theatre intruded into my thoughts.
I was vaguely aware that it had changed its name to the Bob Hope Theatre and that it was still going strong but that was about it.
Until I came across one of Jean’s pictures of the building and as you do I pondered on its history. Now this I have to say came entirely from the theatre groups own publication. And I am never one to represent something which has already been done better than I could do so I shall point you towards the link.*
Suffice to say it was formed in November 1943 ‘to promote theatre, drama, music and the allied arts in Eltham and the immediate vicinity’.
All of which is the story best told by the Theatre Company themselves.
Now when you live 230 miles from the theatre the opportunities to visit are few but I can still travel in hope that we might be visiting family in around the time of the next show.
Well we shall see.
So with that in mind I will see if we can arrange to be home in early September and if there is a spare evening between visiting family and friends we might just catch a performance at the theatre.
Picture; The Bob Hope Theatre from the collection of Jean Gammons and other images courtesy of the Bob Hope Theatre
*The Bob Hope Theatre, A Brief History, http://www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/BHT%20History%20Booklet%20April%202005.pdf
The Bob Hope Theatre, http://www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/
Hi there Andrew. Thanks for letting us know of your memories of Eltham Little Theatre/Bob Hope Theatre. Unfortunately the version of It's A Wonderful Life is being presented at ELT Australia. We do have a production of IAWL on in November (27th - 30th) which if you're in the area we'd be more than happy to see you. For a full list of all our productions go to www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk.
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