AGM Report


Looking back at the past Year of 2020, which was quite an extraordinary one, our Chairman Stephen gave us his review on the past year, which looked over the play readings and the mini zoom show with the Shakespeare monologues as well as the online production of Homework.

Paul, our Treasurer, gave a report of the finance, which as main expense had the zoom licence and some production costs from Homework, but were otherwise relatively small given the fact we had no expenses with room rent or script licensing.

Our first full sized online Production ever with the play Homework by Howard Colyer had lots of positive feedback, which we received from both the audience and author. We came to the conclusion that the format of an online production is something to keep in our production calendar.

Doing this online production via zoom, we learned a lot about the new performance medium and the advertising side for both virtual and real productions and will work on including more social media in the future.

After having had to delay our AGM a little, we are now into planning this year’s events. We are looking now at a possible stage production in autumn this year, depending on pandemic circumstances, or alternative another online production.

For a stage production we also are going to look into a necessary adopted form, to make it as covid save as possible according to distancing rules (including length and facilities)

For an online production we will be working together with our writing group to possibly create something ourselves. Therefore, people who already were part of the online production, will share their experience.

We looked at the possibility of an outdoor production, but had some second thoughts about it since it can be quite a different experience and we are at this moment not sure, we can realise it.

Given the uncertain regulations for covid, we have given ourselves time until mid-June to collect ideas for productions and organisation models. We will as committee meet again then and try and get more concrete plans.

The Readings will be continued on zoom now, having one each month and Uli will start with the April one, details on this will be shared shortly.

Since it was a difficult year for everyone, it was suggested we make a possible donation to the church, because they had a loss in income (rent) and also didn’t charge us for the time we used in the beginning of last year for the casting and first rehearsals of rumours. We agreed on rather than making a random donation, to look into what we owe them and pay that back.

As always, the committee is stood down and have to stand for re-election. With a few people deciding not to carry on, and some more stepping forward we now have some new committee members.

We are very sad to see the former committee go and say a big thank you to Stephen, Rob, Florence, Kitty and William. And we welcome the new committee and wish it all the best in these difficult times.

We have also added a new position in the committee which is the title of the member of honour, which has been given to Ian Cooper who is our longest serving member of the group, which spans almost a lifetime. So happy to have you around.

A special thanks goes to our former Chair Stephen Gaskell, who led the group through the last seven years and with the help of others, made the group what we are today. We are proud to have had you as our chair and are grateful, for all the hard work you put in. However, it is good to know that you will still be around as director and actor, because it is always great fun working with you.

Stephen has agreed to continue as Chair to help with the transition of the new leadership of the group.