The Audley Players are an amateur group who are based in the local theatre which was established in the late 1960's in a building that had once housed the parish's only cinema. The Audley Players themselves were formed before this date and often performed in the village hall until they took over occupancy of the Palace Cinema.

Since then, the group has grown in size and now has well over 50 members (old and young) participating backstage, on stage, and front of house, providing the community and surrounding areas with at least 3 productions a year ranging from pantomimes, music halls, and serious dramas.

History

The building that is home to the Audley Players has not always been a theatre, it was initially a cinema later becoming a bingo hall and then finally 30 years ago (1967) - Audley theatre. This section charts the buildings progression from filmed entertainment to live entertainment and also details the history of the Audley Players.

In 1910 construction started in Hall Street, Audley to create the villages first and only cinema, and during its 50 year run, people from Audley and its surrounding parishes flocked to see the latest films.

The cinema doors were first opened in 1911 and to commemorate the crowning of George V the building was christened "The Coronation Palace" - though this name became "The Coronation Cinema", and later "The Palace Cinema".

Audley cinema was hugely popular, and there are still many who fondly remember the Sataurday matinee "penny rush" shows.

1960 saw the end of an era for Audley as The Palace cinema closed down leaving the parish without a picture house. However, the building still remained in use, as for a short time it became the villages bingo hall, though sadly this also closed down and the building was once more put up for sale.

Thirty years ago the building stood as an empty shell - in darkness, with mildewed seats and wiring falling from its walls, outside Victorian spider ridden loos, and no dressing rooms (merely a metal "lean-to" at the rear of the main building behind the cinema speakers and screen). The old piano which had accompanied the silent films was dumped in rotting oil covered straw in the generating room in the driveway.....

Audley Players had rehearsed and performed in the local village hall, but in the March of that year the members began viewing the old Palace Cinema as a potential new base. In April, negotiations began for the purchase of the building with just £30 in the bank, and by May the sale was completed and the conversions to Audley Player's new home started on the 16th June 1967.

April 1969 saw the official opening of Audley theatre by Jackie Trent and Tony Hatch. 5 months later, in september, the curtains finaly rose on the production "All In Good Time", and for the first time, the old cinema building saw live entertainment.

Important Dates