Banburyshire am-dram group celebrates 50 years with a gala concert

The Lynden Players, based in Middleton Cheney since 1975, are deep into rehearsals for the concert in July, running alongside an exhibition of photos, costumes and memorabilia from their archives.

“The story actually starts fifteen years earlier in August 1959 when the Middleton Cheney Women’s Institute Committee decided to put on a play for the Harvest Supper,” said Miles Doughty, spokesman for the Players.

“The play was a success and the WI Drama Group was officially formed in November 1959. Pat Rix wrote a panto - Cinderella - and rehearsals took place anywhere that was free. Sewing machines whirred into action and gentle females turned into odd job men, carpenters and scene shifters.”

Over the years, many more productions followed from pantomimes to drama festivals, concerts and guest appearances in the popular Lion’s Club of Banbury Old Time Music Hall productions from 1971-1975.

After 15 years of all-woman casts, the group agreed to open its doors to men in 1975. The WI drama group was replaced by a new venture. As a village group, members wanted a name to reflect the rural location and chose the Linden Tree as their emblem. The ‘Y’ was added as a decorative flourish.

The list of productions in the early years includes pantos, music halls and revues. More ambitious productions followed including Oklahoma, Blithe Spirit, The Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls and The Sound of Music. Sweet Charity and Cabaret followed.

The new century was packed with shows that pushed the production values beyond what was expected at a village hall. The Lyndens were known for their attention to detail with fabulous costumes and inventive staging. Cliff Oliver even made it rain in the village hall for the iconic Singin’ in the Rain in 2005.

Lynden Players have delighted audiences with a wide range of shows such as Jekyll and Hyde (2009), Calendar Girls (2012) Our House (2013) and Little Shop of Horrors (2014).

Classics included an amusing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Importance of Being Earnest. Since 2015, Lynden member Kay Andrews-Kuhn has penned three original pantos plus a couple of one act plays. The late and much-missed Steve Hatt wrote The Trench which was performed in his memory in 2014.

Lynden Players have competed in a prestigious local drama festival, performed outside in pub gardens and inside other venues in the county - and put on very successful supper shows.

July will see three gala concerts featuring songs and sketches from their back catalogue.

“We are thrilled that some of our original members are with us to celebrate our special anniversary,” said director Lisa Tustain. “Lynden Players has always been like a family and it feels so right to have the different generations in this show.”

The concerts will be used to raise funds towards the cost of putting a defibrillator at the village hall.

Encore! Celebrating 50 Years of Lynden Players will take place at Middleton Cheney Village Hall from July 3 – 5 at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale now from ticketsource.co.uk/lyndenplayers