Anchor Players

Founded in Cape Town in 1947. An amateur society which opened in 1947 for Royal Naval officers and their families at the publicly subscribed Dock Yard Recreation Hall. In 1957 it opened to all naval types but the Chairman has to be a senior naval officer. In 1980 the society moved into the Simonsberg Theatre, West Yard, which was originally a cinema. It offers three productions a year, a pantomime every other year, and is an official SA Defense Force Entertainment Unit. (JF) (Source: C. Dilley, Director Simonstown Museum.)

The Anchor Amateur Dramatic Society was founded in May 1947 for Royal Naval officers and their families. During the period from May 1947 to December 1957, twenty three productions were staged in the Recreation Hall in the East Yard, including such well known plays as The Middle Watch, Private Lives, See How They Run, Quiet Weekend, On Approval and French Without Tears. The society performed as a purely naval institution for some years, until growing civilian interest in its activities and productions led to the admission of civilians as members. In 1958, the Society was re-named The Anchor Players Dramatic Society and a further fifty five productions were staged in the East Yard Rec Hall. In June 1980, The Anchor Players' long and happy association with the Recreation Hall was terminated, but happily the Simonsberg Theatre in the West Yard was put at their disposal. The year 2000 saw the election of the first civilian (and woman!) to chair the Society. The Anchor Players, as a recognised entertainment unit of the South African National Defence Force, maintains its close and amiable relationship with the S A Navy - both the theatre and the Society being under the patronage of Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Base Simon's Town, Rear Admiral J E Louw.

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