STILL going strong after nearly 70 years, Portland Royal Manor Theatre Company is thriving as never before and to prove it, their latest offering being staged in July consists of three one act plays where they will be showing off the talents of new actors who have recently joined the group.

Their week-long production opens on Monday July 4 and features mystery, drama and comedy, which is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages and tastes.

Especially satisfying is the news that recently joined members are being given the opportunity to take to the stage in the opening play, Five Kinds of Silence and familiar faces will be on show in the comedy Meat and Two Veg while Death in Character is a murder mystery with a twist.

As amateur theatre companies all over the country struggle to survive, it is good to know that the Fortuneswell-based company are able to stage a production with a total cast of around 20 players.

With a loyal membership of around 30 including backstage volunteers, the company have the good fortune to own their own premises which enables them not only to construct the stage as they please but to store costumes, props and scenery and occasionally host professional shows that generate a valued income, to say nothing of their young peoples’ group, the Playmakers who are staging their own variety show production on June 25.

With an attractive refreshment area downstairs and a substantial library of second-hand books on offer, the theatre is an important social space for the town and the loyalty of its members has never been stronger.

The island-based players started in 1947 as the Portland Dramatic Society and in the early years they performed anywhere they could find a space which often included Weymouth venues.

But their roving life was not without its challengers and by 1971 the problem of not having a regular home or anywhere to store props or scenery had become critical and the decision was sadly made to wind up the company, their plight being published in the local paper.

Magically, the story about their unhappy state of affairs was spotted by a philanthropic local couple, Capt and Mrs Chibnall, who were thinking of buying the disused Primitive Methodist Chapel at Fortuneswell and when they offered the lease of the upper floor to the theatre company at a miniscule rent, Portland’s theatre group was saved.

Six years of hard work and relentless fundraising by the company’s volunteers finally resulted in the chapel being successfully converted, complete with stage, seating for 100 people, lighting and the entire technical set-up needed to produce quality performances, all carried out without any financial help from the local authority or from arts organisations.

The new venue was officially opened in 1972 and the company changed their name to the Royal Manor Theatre, their first production being Wedding of the Year which played to full houses for a whole week. They were finally established in a permanent home.

Then in 1980 Capt. Chibnall decided to sell the building and with help from the local authority and a club member, the theatre came into the ownership of the Royal Manor Theatre in 1982.

With around 150 plays and numerous awards and presentations over the years, the company of players have every reason to be proud of their achievements in bringing live theatre to Portland. Long may they continue.

Tickets for all events now available from Danny's in Fortuneswell and Cards n Celebrations in Easton. Online at http://www.royalmanortheatre.co.uk, or by calling 0333 6663366.

MARION COX