History of Chandeliers
The first show staged was "Sailor Beware" in 1961. Rehearsals took place at the homes of the founder members and the scenery was constructed using floor boards purchased from the demolition huts at the barracks on Royal Engineers Road.
When it came to the performance, the venue was somewhat unusual in that it took place in the Maidstone Goal. The prisoners erected the set whilst the cast were entertained to a meal. When it came to the start of the play, being the days of miniskirts a noisy reaction came from some of the audience who had not been outside for a while. The prison officers ejected anyone making such exclamations which rather reduced the size of the audience.
By the time it came to put on the next show, the Municipal Theatre, now the Hazlitt became the usual venue. A home for rehearsals and scenery preparation had been established in a building at the back of the White Horse pub on Bearsted Green. Later a home was needed for costumes and these were stored in chicken huts situated in an orchard where Grove Green Tesco is now. Those premises eventually had to be abandoned when mice moved in.
Around this time, a Hall was being built on the estate at Madginford and the Group was one of the first to move in and adopt it at their rehearsal venue and we have been there ever since. Meanwhile, the scenery and costume store has not been nearly so settled. A highly convenient home was found in Market Street which is now part of the Fremlins Walk. Not only was it centrally situated but it was almost on the doorstep of the Hazlitt Theatre. On the day a show moved in or out of the theatre, a steady stream of ants cold be seen carrying huge chunks of scenery and furniture through the streets between the two locations. With the impending development in the area, an alternative home needed to be found and this necessitated the use of a lorry to transport everything and required a team at each end to load and unload the set. When our tenure at that location came to an end,. It was replaced by a similarly remote location with the same problems.
In 2005, we embarked upon the adventure of touring one of our productions around village halls. This necessitated a rethink on how scenery was constructed as it had to be small enough, light enough and adaptable to fit various size stages and needed to be erected and completed within one hour rather than the day or two available at the theatre. The resultant design was so successful that our first attempt, the set was erected in just six minutes and was fully furnished within half an hour. Unfortunately, it took nearly an hour and a half to erect and wire up all the lighting, the final parts still being completed as the audience arrived. We learnt from that and subsequently have achieved it within the allocated time.
Also in 2005, as one of the initial users, we were one of the groups invited to take part in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Hazlitt theatre in Maidstone.
Although the Group started by performing plays, within six years a variety show was staged in the form of a Good Old Days. This was successful enough for the group to stage a further twenty five before moving to a full musical with their production of "Blitz!" followed immediately by "Cabaret". This show featured two performances on Friday with a late night show at 10:15pm. It was quite a feat getting the first house audience out of the theatre and the new one in within fifteen minutes! The cast were so warmed up having just done one show that the second one fairly whizzed along.
The pattern of shows soon settled downs to be one serious play, one comedy, one musical, plus other single night of plays or music and has generally remained so giving members a wide choice of things the can get involved in.
Concert Party
The concert party was set up following "Blitz to Broadway" A lot of our members found that they enjoyed singing, and so it was decided to harness our singing talents and perform a couple of concerts a year as well as charity events. It also allows those members who are not currently in a play to keep in touch withj the group and work towards a performance. The concert party was the brain child of our then Chairperson, Maria Watson, who was also the Director for "Blitz to Broadway". Rehearsals usually take place on either a Tuesday or Wednesday evening at Otham Church or sometimes at Ringlestone Hall.
We have performed in variety of venues including the beautiful Otham church, Bearsted Memorial Hall, the Chequers Shopping Centre in Maidstone, the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone (as part of the cast of "The Vicar of Dibley") and even Bearsted Co-op!
Membership for the concert party is free for all members of Chandelier's Drama Group. Some people are involved in only the concert party, whilst others are also involved in the theatrical part of the group.
The concert party has recently performed two concert's in memory of the late Dave Watson who unfortunately passed away earlier this year. Dave was an enthusiastic member of the concert party as well as being a loving husband to Maria.
Past Productions and events
As Chandeliers has been producing good theatre since 1961, this page will be an ongoing exploration into the past, and it won't be possible to discover photos and posters from every production we've ever produced, however we do have a list all of our productions, and if you click on the information below each poster (if one is on display) you will be-able to see both rehearsal and or production photos associated with that show.
1960’s
1961
March - Sailor Beware by Philip King and Falkland Cary
October – Queen Elizabeth slept here By Talbot Rothwell
1962
February – Random Harvest
May – With Vacant possession by Wilfred Massey
1963
March – It’s a Job to Keep Married
May – See How They Run by Philip King
1964
April – A Change of Air
December – Pools Paradise by Philip King
1965
April – Letter for the General by Maurice McLoughlin
November – Wanted, One Body by Charles Dyer
1966
November – Mad About Men
1967
May - Good Old Day No.1
November – Aren’t Men Beasts! By Vernon Sylvaine
1968
May – Good Old Days No. 2
November – Laughter in the Dark by Victor Lucas
1969
February – Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon
May – Good Old Days No. 3
November – The Bride and the Bachelor by Ronald Millar
1970’s
1970
February – Madam Tic Tac by Philip Weathers and Falkland L Cary
May – Good Old Days No.4
November – The Prime of Miss. Jean Brodie by Jay Presson Allen (adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark
1971
February – All in Good Time by Bill Naughton
May – Good Old Days No.5
November – Rock a bye Sailor by Philip King and F L Cary
1972
May- Good Old Days No. 6
November – I’ll Get My Man by Philip King
1973
February – Hotel Paradiso by Georges Feydeau and Maurice Desvallieres
Translation by Peter Glenville
May – Good Old Days no.7
1974
February – They Came to a City by J.B. Priestley
May – Good Old Days no.8
November – Uproar in the House by Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot
1975
February – A Murder has been arranged by Emlyn Williams
May – Good Old Days no.9
November – Devil May Care
1976
February – Brides of March by John Chapman
May – Good Old Days no.10
November - Dead Letter; The ruffian on the stair and Bermondsey by Joe Orton
1977
February – Fitting for Ladies
May – Good Old Days No. 11
December – Off the Hook by Derek Benfield
1978
February – Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn
May – Good Old Days no. 12
November – Panic Station by Derek Benfield
1979
February – I Love you Mrs. Patterson by John Bowen
May – Good Old Days No. 13
November – A Christmas Carol, adapted from the short story by Charles Dickens
1980’s
1980
February – The Anniversary by Bill Macilwraith
May – Good Old Days No. 14
1981
February – Sparrers Can’t Sing by Stephen Lewis
May – Good Old Days no.15
October – Post Horn Gallop by Derek Benfield
1982
February – The Restless Evil by Charlotte Hastings
May – Good Old Days No.16
October – The Creature Creeps by Jack Sharkey
1983
February – Mystery at Greenfingers by J.B. Priestley
May – Good Old Days No.17
November – One for the Road by Willy Russell
1984
February - The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley
May – Good Old Days No.18
November – Joking Apart by Alan Ayckbourn
1985
February – Who Goes Bare by Leslie Darbon and Richard Harris
May – Good Old Days No.19
November – Happy Birthday by Anita Loos
1986
February – Tag Match
May – Good Old Days No.20
November - Sailor Beware by Philip King and Falkland Cary
1987
February – Goodnight Mrs. Puffin by Arthur Lovegrove
May – Good Old Days No.21
October – All Things Bright and Beautiful by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
1988
February – The Workout
May – Travelling Roadshow
1989
February – Ted & Beryl and their Compost Heap
May – Good Old Days No. 22
September – Beyond a Joke by Derek Benfield
1990’s
1990
February – Boomers
May - Good Old Days No.23
November - Butterflies are Free by Leonard Gershe
1991
February – The Maintenance Man by Richard Harris
May – Good Old Days No.24
1992
February – Stepping Out by Richard Harris
May – Good Old Days No. 25
October – Noises Off by Michael Frayn
1993
March – Outside Edge by Richard Harris
May – Good Old Days No.26
November – Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Junior
1994
February – The Anastasia File by Royce Ryton
May – Blitz by Lionel Bart
November – Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb
1995
February – Aunty Ivy Caused the Hurricane
May – Music and Mayhem
November – Season’s Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn
1996
February - A Chorus of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn
May – Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's murder mystery by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Junior
November – The Pyjama Game by Richard Pike Bissell, George Abbott, Jerry Ross and Richard Adler.
1997
February – Home Before Dark
May – Move Over Mrs. Markham by Ray Cooney
October – A Christmas Carol, adapted from the short story by Charles Dickens
1998
February – Man of the Moment by Alan Ayckbourn
May – Fur Coat and No Knickers by Mike Harding
October – Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser
1999
February – Cider with Rosie adapted by James Roose Evans from the book by Laurie Lee
May – Don’t Dress for Dinner Marc Camoletti Adapted by Robin Hawdon
November – Calamity Jane by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster
21st Century
2000’s
2000
February – Waters of the Moon by N.C. Hunter
May – The Opposite Sex by David Tristram
November - Hello Dolly! By Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart
2001
February – Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon
May – Unoriginal Sin by David Tristram
October – Annie by Charles Strouse and Thomas Meehan
2002
February – The Prime of Miss. Jean Brodie by Jay Presson Allen (adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark
June – Comfort and Joy by Mike Harding
November – High Society by Cole Porter and Arthur Kopit
2003
February – The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams
May – Let’s Murder Marsha by Monk Ferris
November – Sweet Charity by Neil Simon, Dorothy Fields and Cy Coleman
2004
February – The Diary of Anne Frank Dramatized by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
May – Two and Two Together by Derek Benfield
November – Oliver by Lionel Bart, adapted from the book by Charles Dickens
2005
February - Hobson’s Choice by Harold Brighouse
May – Slaughterhouse by Norman Robbins
November – The Music Man by Meredith Wilson
2006
February – Oh! What a Lovely War by Charles Chilton
May – Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's MacBeth by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Junior
November – Steaming by Nell Dunn
2007
February – Blood Brothers (the play) by Willy Russell
June – Just the Ticket by Peter Quilter
November – That’s Entertainment
2008
February – Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
May – Mr. Wonderful by James Robson
November – Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn
2009
February – Annie, Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin
May – The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
September – Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue, S'il Vous Plait! By David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Junior
2010’s
2010
March – Let’s Do It
June – The Cemetery Club by Ivan Menchell
September – Final Twist by Alfred Bradley and Ken Whitmore.
2011
February – The Flint Street Nativity by Tim Firth
2012
California Suite by Neil Simon
When We Are Married by J B Priestley
2013
2014
Allo Allo
Blitz to Broadway – a musical written and directed by Maria Watson
2015
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
2016
The Hollow by Agatha Christie
Valiant hearts – by Marie Quarman
The Vicar of Dibley
Robin Hood – A pantomime by Chris Lane
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
