Celebrating 90 years of theatre with Luton's Griffin Players

The Griffin Players is celebrating its milestone anniversary with a celebratory concert showcasing some of its highlights over the past 90 years.

Live! Griffins Through the Ages is being directed by Players’ chair Joshua Thompson, who says: “It’s been fantastic delving into the group’s archives and discovering the many gems performed by the Griffins across the years. It’s great to revisit them and welcome both new and returning actors to the stage.”

The concert will celebrate many of the group’s past productions and will feature show tunes from West End and Broadway favourites including My Fair Lady, Wizard of Oz, Rent, Sweeney Todd and Rock of Ages.

One of the cast, Debbie Cavanagh, has been involved with the society for many years. She first joined the group in the late ‘80s and recalls: “It’s played a big part in my life as I joined when I was 15 and I’m still here more than 35 years later. Being part of this concert is bringing back so many memories of rehearsals, performances and, most importantly, the amazing people I have met along the way.”

The Griffin Players is one of the longest-running drama groups in the Luton and Dunstable area, and began life as part of the Concert Party and Dramatic Section of the Vauxhall Motors Recreation Club (VMRC).

The club was founded in 1931 when a new state-of-the-art canteen and leisure complex was built in Kimpton Road. The earliest known reference to a Concert Party and Dramatic Section is dated 1934. Little is known about what the group performed at the time but it is believed that concerts may have included sketches, one-act plays and mock trials.

Since those humble beginnings, there have been many changes – including renaming the group the Griffins in the 70s.

But it was in the 80s that it positively re-invented itself. The catalyst was a decision by Vauxhall Motors to end the tradition of sending all employee's children to an annual Christmas Pantomime. To soften the blow, they organised a free afternoon of entertainment which culminated in a one-act play, Alice In A Winter Wonderland, presented by the Griffins.

This led to the Griffins first full scale pantomime, Cinderella, in 1981. It was a huge critical and financial success and guaranteed that the golden egg of pantomime was here to stay.

The spring production of 1982, Confusions, was also a major milestone for the Griffins. After years of performing in the cavernous canteen in Kimpton Road, it was decided to relocate to the more intimate environment of the Library Theatre. This not only raised the group’s profile on the local theatrical scene but also brought an entirely new audience and a wealth of new talent.

A year later, the group realised its long-term ambition of staging a musical – Grease. This consolidated their position as a versatile group, equally at home performing pantomime, musicals, comedies or dramas. The Griffins had found their niche.

The Players hope that the 90th anniversary concert will introduce a back catalogue of popular musical classics to a whole new audience – both young and old. Live! Griffins through the Ages is at the Library Theatre on May 10 and 11. Tickets are available at www.thegriffinplayers.co.uk, priced from £12.