Kirdford Players was formed in February 1974 when a small group met to discuss putting on a play in the Village Hall, and in May that year Sailor Beware became the first of many productions.
Since then we have had some great successes and some not so great, we have performed in the village hall, on the village green for the Jubilee in 2002, inside and outside pubs, through the streets of Petworth, and in the Leconfield Hall. In 1981 we won a drama competition (the Barns Green Festival), and have raised thousands of pounds for charity with raffles and our Mummers tour each Christmas.
The Players have put their talents to many different types of entertainment: we have performed pantomimes, comedies, farces, youth productions, variety shows, religious plays, tragedies and costume dramas but have never attempted Shakespeare or a musical. We have acted in the round and on stage. For many years now Kirdford Players has been able to stage a panto in January and a play in summer. The Village Hall is our natural base for meetings, rehearsals and performances. Our membership comes from a wide area of West Sussex, including Kirdford, Ifold, Plaistow, Wisborough Green, Petworth, Fittleworth, Balls Cross, Billingshurst and Bury, and we are always happy to welcome new members, both actors and those that prefer to work back stage.
Throughout our 46 years of performing we have had the unstinting support of the people of Kirdford and nearby villages who have tolerated some fairly dodgy singing, rude language, wobbly scenery and forgotten lines – not all in the same production fortunately – and have laughed and wept with us and encouraged us to continue the tradition of Amateur Dramatics in this little part of Sussex.
Julia Edwards
Chairman 2020
KIRDFORD PLAYERS 