About UsOur theatre company is based on the belief that a great performance is of the utmost importance. and every performance should be the same for every audience member (bar the few hiccups! forgotten lines !!!) Our entire volunteer teams are committed (yes some of them should be) to helping make your evening's entertainment a good one. As a result, a high percentage of our patrons enjoy coming back time and time again!.
Please read on to learn about this little theatre and what foundations were set and how far we have come.
History of the Abbey Theatre
It would seem to the citizens of Arbroath that there has always been a
theatre club in the town. Arbroath dramatic society, as it was then
called, presented their first production, the play Outward Bound, on the
27th March 1947 at the old Webster Memorial Hall. During the next few
years the club put on two plays a season; rehearsals were in sundry
public halls and members' homes; sets, props and costumes were made and
stored in sympathetic sheds and garages. The Public and Town Council
were generous and helpful.
In the early 1960's Gwen Williams found an old 'hackle' store
in Abbot Street, originally offices in the old Arbroath Gas Company;
this had in turn been a fire appliance store during the war. With the
generosity of the then club treasurer, 'Jinky' Farquhar, the premises
were purchased for £250. The building was initially used for storage;
after three years hard work and again the generosity and interest of
Town Council and general public, the Abbey Theatre was born. It had an
auditorium seating sixty, proscenium and stage, coffee-lounge and
reception; the dressing-rooms were above the stage accessed by a ladder.
The theatre opened to the public in January 1964, with a
production of The Four Poster by a professional company from the Byre
Theatre in St Andrews, followed two weeks later by the first local
production, which was a collection of prose and poetry, followed in the
second half by a one-act play, Count Albany.
During the early years the club made occasional use of
professional companies and producers. One such visit of two
professionals who performed 'Waiting for Godot' received 'the bird' from
the audience, who then walked out; it is not recorded if the players
received a fee.
An adjoining upstairs loft became available and was purchased,
the extra space was used for new dressing-rooms, a Green Room and much
needed storage. The club was now, with an enthusiastic membership,
presenting up to six plays a year and a pantomime The improved financial position, always carefully under
control, enabled upgrading of the facilities to a near professional
environment.
In 1995 an application was made to The National Lottery funding
to completely refurbish the audience and performance area of the
theatre. After walking the financial cliff-edge for some years this has
finally come to fruition and the theatre is as you see it today, totally
the effort and responsibility of a very hard working group of
enthusiasts who hold their destiny in their hands. We are a financially
successful venture although this relies upon good ticket sales for both
our Pantomime, together with sales for our other productions throughout the year.
Audience analysis shows that 90% attendees are female, gentlemen we need
to see more of you!
Location:
Abbot Street
Arbroath
DD11 1HH
we do 12 Performance's
2 weeks at :
Mon - Sat 7.30pm - 10.00pm
