Arts Theatre Club

Arts Theatre Club, an amateur dramatic society in East London.

Founding, function and history

Since the early 1940’s, the East London Technical College Drama Club and East London Schools Music and Drama Association were involved in providing local theatre entertainment in the city. In the early 1950's, they were joined by the Dramatic Society of East London, the Music and Variety Club and The Children’s Theatre to raise funds toward the building of what was to be the Guild Theatre.

The Music and Variety Club and the East London Technical College Drama Club amalgamated on 29 June 1962 with the Arts Theatre Club being its new name.

The aim of the club was to provide local entertainment and to encourage visiting artists to perform locally, and in December 1962, the Arts Theatre Club put on Peter Pan, their first pantomime, at the newly opened Guild Theatre.

Over the next decade, many productions followed, until the club amalgamated with the East London Light Operatic Society on 19 May 1976. The Arts Theatre Club name was retained.

The Arts Theatre Club has produced local drama productions over the past 50 years and has always encouraged visiting artists to utilize the venue.

Leadership

President: Fred Cooper (1962-1973) G.A.A. Chapman (1974-1979) Harry Archer (1980-?) ? Les Pike (1990-1991) George Mountjoy (1992-1998) ? Bill Rudling (2003)

Chairperson: John Orpen (1962) Les Pike (1963-1969) Vic Kaiser (1970-1972) George Pentz (1973) C.E.W. Rowland (1974-1976) George Pentz (1977-1979) Les Pike (1980) ? George Mountjoy (1990-1991) Mike Ormston (1992-1994) Gail Farrenkothen (1994-1996) Nola Durno (1997-1998) ? George Mountjoy (2005-2006) Amanda Bothma (2008-2010) Pieter Bothma (2011-2012)

Venue

By the start of 1965, plans were underway to find a permanent headquarters and rehearsal venue for the club and it was decided to purchase property in Paterson Street. The purchase was concluded on 19 March 1965.

In the late 1980s, the property at 51 Paterson Street was turned into a small theatre, The Arts Theatre. The first phase of alterations was completed in March 1987, coinciding with the club’s 25th anniversary. Phase two of the alterations were undertaken in 1991, with the venue reopening on 30th March 1991. In February 2021, the building in Paterson Street was sold.

Productions

1962: Peter Pan (directed by Hazel Muller).

1963: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (directed by Elaine Shaw); The House by the Lake (directed by Merle Tarr)

1964: Dark of the Moon (directed by George Canes); Romeo and Juliet (directed by Mary Howe); The Old Woman Who lived in a Shoe (directed by Elaine Shaw); The King and I (directed by Hazel Muller)

1965: Gigi (directed by Mary Howe); The Snow Queen (directed by Elaine Shaw)

1966: The Republic Anniversary Show; The Hasty Heart (directed by Lea Denfield); Blithe Spirit (directed by Mary Howe); The Wizard of Oz (directed by Hazel Muller)

1967: Billy Liar (directed by Lea Denfield) (in collaboration with the Hebrew Order of David)

1968: Seidman and Son (directed by George Canes) (in collaboration with the Hebrew Order of David); Listen to the Wind (directed by Hazel Muller)

1969: Let's Get a Divorce (directed by Mary Howe)

1970: The Owl and the Pussycat (directed by Mary Howe); The Gondoliers; Stairway to the Stars (directed by Hazel Muller); Black Chiffon (directed by Margie Weyer); Make Me a Widow (directed by Nick West); Charley's Aunt (directed by Pietro Nolte)

1984: White Horse Inn; Winnie-the-Pooh (directed by Joseph Ribeiro)

1985: Scapino! (directed by Margery Moodie); No, No, Nanette (directed by Mary Kockott), Listen to the Wind (directed by Brian Cook)

1986: The Wizard of Oz (directed by Glynn Day)

1987: The Golden Goose (directed by Brian Cook)

1988: Wait Until Dark (directed by Colin Ward); Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood (directed by Robin Williams)

1990: Max's Egg (directed by George Mountjoy); Annie (directed by David Matheson)

1991: The Best of the West (directed by Brian Cook)

1992: Grease (directed by David Matheson); Alice in Christmas Wonderland (directed by Brian Cook)

2012: Evita.

Sources

Material held by NELM.

'A history of East London’s theatres', ShowMe (online), 1 August 2019 (https://showme.co.za/east-london/events-entertainment/east-londons-theatres-and-their-history/)

DispatchLIVE, 18 February 2021.

What's On, December 1987

Arts Theatre Club archive held by George Mountjoy.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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