Yvonne Clark (née Burgess), another founding cast member, recalled: “…it was almost impossible to find materials for scenery or costumes – difficult even to provide ourselves on coupons, with everyday clothing. Crichton, a true Desert Island castaway, made his own costume from sacks.”

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The Savoy Theatre was a well-established performance venue in Scunthorpe, originally opened in 1912 as the Palace Theatre before being renamed the Savoy in the 1930s. It continued to host live theatre and film screenings during the war, its large stage and professional lighting making it one of the few places in the town suitable for a theatrical production.

 

However, the cast and crew were only granted access on the day of performance, meaning props had to be moved in on the morning of the show and removed immediately afterwards to avoid interfering with the theatre’s regular programming.

Despite logistical challenges, the performance was well-received, raising £53 (worth over £3000 today). The group's success led to the decision to formally establish a society. Previously credited as “Scunthorpe War Memorial Hospital Staff” in publicity for The Admirable Crichton, Fred Crisp approved the name “The Hospital Players” for the newly-formed group.

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Reflecting on their humble m beginnings, Yvonne Clark expressed pride in what the group had achieved: “From such humble beginnings, the Company has grown into the admirable organisation it has become.”

 

Fred Jeffery echoed the sentiment, stating: “Little did I dream that this would prove to be the birth of a Society that has gone from strength to strength over the years.”

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What started as fire-watchers filling quiet hours with creativity soon transformed into a thriving theatre company, proving that even in difficult times, community, ingenuity and passion can create something enduring.

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Charitable Causes

 

Throughout the 1940s, The Hospital Players dedicated their performances to supporting local causes, often covering their own expenses to maximise donations. During the war, they staged shows at local Army Camps and Air Force Stations to boost morale, funding their own travel costs.

 

In 1944, they performed Ma’s Bit o’Brass —firstly at the Savoy Theatre in aid of the hospital and later at the Air Raid Patrol Training Centre for St. Dunstan’s Institute for the Blind. This commitment to charitable theatre continued with productions at the Savoy Theatre between 1945 and 1946, including To Kill a Cat, Love in a Mist, Good Morning Bill and Passers By, all benefiting the War Memorial Hospital. A plaque commemorating these efforts was later installed in the Roadley Ward of the hospital.

 

In 1947, The Players’ focus broadened. Passers By was reprised at St. Paul’s Church Hall, Ashby, for the Church War Memorial Fund. Mr. Pim Passes By marked a change of venue from the Savoy Theatre to Scunthorpe Technical High School, with proceeds going towards a cot for the hospital’s children's ward. That November, The Hospital Players joined the Brigg Prisoner of War Camp Orchestra for a fundraising concert at the Jubilee Cinema.

 

By 1948, with the establishment of the National Health Service, their efforts expanded beyond healthcare. The Hospital Players staged Wasn’t It Odd? at Burton Church Hall in aid of St. Andrew’s Youth Club and planned three one-act plays at the Congregational Hall for the Scunthorpe European Relief Committee. Fred Crisp, now the group’s Financial Secretary, confirmed their commitment: “Once we have rehearsed a play we like to give it as many times as possible, and we are always ready to put on a show for a worthy cause in Scunthorpe or outside.”

 

In 1949, they staged Jane Steps Out for three nights at Scunthorpe Technical High School before reprising it at The Regal Cinema in Crowle to support the RAF Association, the Legion Hall in Broughton, and the Modern Secondary School in Winterton in aid of Winterton Youth Club.

 

Through their productions, concerts and continued commitment to charity, The Hospital Players established themselves not just as entertainers but as a vital force for community support in Scunthorpe.

 

Leaving the Hospital

 

By 1950, The Hospital Players had staged twelve productions and contributed over £700 (worth more than £30,000 today) to hospital funds. Following the launch of the National Health Service in 1948, they donated to the Hospital League of Friends, a voluntary organisation committed to fundraising for patient care enhancements. In its inaugural year, the League of Friends received a generous contribution from The Hospital Players - £20 2s. 2d. (now worth around £900) - to aid its efforts.

 

But the introduction of the NHS meant that hospitals had experienced a surge in demand for medical services. As a result, space for non-medical activities became increasingly limited. After seven years of holding rehearsals and meetings at the War Memorial Hospital, The Hospital Players had to find a new location.

 

Having donated their profits to charitable causes, they had minimal financial reserves. With the aid of a bank overdraft – arranged through their President, Lord Quibell – they bought a large Nissen hut and leased a plot of land in East Common Lane for its installation. Nissenhuts were curved steel shelters, used in wartime for military barracks, storage, workshops, medical stations and prisoner of war camps.

 

Fred Crisp, The Hospital Players’ Financial Secretary, outlined the purpose of the new facility: “We shall use the hut for rehearsals and storage of stage props.” While the group had initially considered a larger structure that could also serve as a performance venue, “this would have involved a much larger hut, and heating and seating arrangements which would have made the cost prohibitive.”

 

During the first winter, conditions were challenging. Players had to rehearse in coats and gloves until a coke stove was acquired, improving the situation.

 

High production costs and a 10% entertainments tax meant even successful shows made minimal profit, forcing the group to deprioritise fundraising for a time. However, by 1956, they had cleared their overdraft.

 

In the summer of 1962, The Hospital Players considered changing their name, as they no longer had direct ties to the hospital. A newspaper appeal invited the public to suggest a new name ahead of the upcoming season in September. However, just a week later, another article announced that the group had decided to keep the name, recognising its sentimental value.

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A new theatre

In the years following World War Two, amateur theatre in Scunthorpe flourished, but The Hospital Players and other drama societies faced significant challenges.

 

With no dedicated theatre, they performed in church halls, schools and other available spaces, often struggling with poor lighting and staging. “Societies battled on with productions, often only having one small school cloakroom to serve as dressing rooms and endeavouring to apply make-up with the aid of small mirrors and inadequate lighting,” recalled Joan Brown, a member of The Hospital Players from 1947 to 2015.

 

Different productions often clashed, reducing attendance for each group. Recognising the need for greater coordination, local drama groups banded together to form the Scunthorpe and District Drama Federation, ensuring better scheduling and mutual support. The inaugural meeting was held on 13th November 1953 in the office of Bill Plowright, editor of the Scunthorpe & Frodingham Star, a local newspaper. His family had deep ties to theatre: his daughter Joan Plowright later joined the National Theatre and married Laurence Olivier, while his son David became a leading television producer.

 

Among the founding members of the Drama Federation was Joan Brown, who represented The Hospital Players in this effort to unify local theatre groups. Soon the Federation caught the attention of County Drama Organiser Geoffrey Mostyn Lewis, who provided literature, resources and summer drama courses for its members. It was a director at one of these schools who first mooted the idea of a theatre being built in Scunthorpe.

 

Since the war, theatres had only been built in Middlesbrough, Coventry, and Ealing - all cities significantly larger than Scunthorpe, which had just 75,000 residents.

 

However, the Federation contended that the town’s rapid growth (based on its thriving steel industry) justified investment in cultural infrastructure alongside essential services and petitioned the council for the construction of a theatre.

 

Months passed without progress, leading to frustration among Federation members. Joan Brown described their determined lobbying efforts: “The committee decided that each member would approach a different council member on the Library and Arts Committee and try to persuade them how much we needed a proper theatre and what a benefit it would be to the town.”

 

Their timing proved fortunate - the council was searching for a way to mark the 21st anniversary of Scunthorpe being granted town status and the Federation’s persistence paid off. In early 1957, the council approved the construction of a theatre, pledging £15,000 - with the remaining funds coming from contributions from local business, the steelworks and other donors with an interest in the project. The council then invited all the groups within the Federation to stage a special production for the grand opening.

 

The Federation selected John Crockett to direct this opening performance. He was the summer school director who first suggested the idea of a theatre in Scunthorpe. He chose Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt - a challenging production requiring musicians, dancers and actors from across town. Auditions and months of intensive rehearsals took place, while concerns remained over whether the building would be completed in time. (Luckily John was on hand to stop the theatre architect placing a radiator on the cyclorama wall as originally planned!)

 

On 8th May 1958, the Civic Theatre officially opened its doors, with the ribbon cut by Sir Ernest Lever, chairman of Richard Thomas and Baldwins Ltd, the company that owned Redbourn Iron Works. The press and public were full of praise for Peer Gynt and the production was unlike anything Scunthorpe had seen before.

 

On 27th June 1958, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Civic Theatre, accompanied by Scunthorpe's newly appointed Mayor, Councillor Violet Wilmhurst.

 

The Hospital Players marked the opening of the new theatre with a production of The Reluctant Debutante in September 1958. Due to the play’s recent West End success, the run was extended to four nights instead of the Players’ usual three. The show was a triumph, but this achievement was overshadowed by tragedy after cast member Donald Beaumont died aged just 29 in a traffic collision during rehearsals.

 

The following year, The Players presented the theatre with a clock for the auditorium.

 

The opening of the theatre marked a new era for both professional and amateur theatre in Scunthorpe, fulfilling the longstanding hopes of the Drama Federation and ensuring future generations would have a dedicated space for drama and performance.

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1960s to 1980s

 

By the 1960s, the steelworks provided a regular supply for young men, allowing The Hospital Players to stage plays with all or predominantly male casts, like 'Seagulls Over Sorrento,' ‘Journey’s End’ and the musical ‘Irma La Douce.’

 

In 1963, we staged our first children’s play, ‘Toad of Toad Hall,’ and went on to stage a series of children’s shows through to the 1990s. These shows, with their large casts, offered newcomers a chance to ‘tread the boards.’

 

However, by the late 1960s, we only had about seven active members. A successful production of the Alan Ayckbourn play ‘Relatively Speaking’ (featuring just 4 actors) began to restore the Society’s fortunes. Since then we have performed another 11 Ayckbourn plays, and we reprised ‘Relatively Speaking’ in 2009.

 

During the 1970s, the Country Arts Association contracted ‘travelling directors’ to promote theatre in the country. Several of these directors worked with us, resulting in productions such as ‘Hotel Paradiso,’ ‘Saturday, Sunday, Monday’ and ‘Canterbury Tales’ (1979).

 

By the 1980s, the group's membership had increased again. This enabled us to present a number of classic plays, including 'Maria Marten,' 'The Rivals,' 'Charley's Aunt' and 'Joseph Andrews.' The large casts and elaborate sets and costumes (designed by members of the group) made these ambitious choices for an amateur group.

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Collaborations

 

We have welcomed guest directors from time to time - some professional, some from other local amateur dramatics groups. We have welcomed guest actors from other groups, and some of our members have guested in other groups’ productions.

 

We have also worked with other groups on joint productions. We jointly presented ‘East Lynne’ and ‘The Crucible’ with Little Theatre Club, and have taken part in several Drama Federation productions (plays involving members of the groups making up the Federation). Early Drama Federation presentations were:

 

• 'Peer Gynt' (1958, staged to mark the opening of the Civic Theatre);

• 'Jack Adams' (1960);

• 'Troilus and Cressida' (1963);

• 'The Captain of Kopenick' (1967); and

• 'A Gown for his Mistress' (1976).

 

In 1978, the Drama Federation groups took part in a Festival of Amateur Drama, celebrating the Civic Theatre's 20th anniversary. The Hospital Players performed 'Two and Two Make Sex' as part of the Festival.

 

The Drama Federation then staged 'The Threepenny Opera' in 1979 and 'Bridge Over the River, Why?' in 1981, the latter to mark the opening of the Humber Bridge. Members of The Hospital Players were again involved, both onstage and backstage.

 

The Hospital Players hosted two Drama Federation productions in the 1980s. 'Lark Rise' (1983) commemorated the Civic Theatre's silver jubilee, and 'Tiddy Mun' (1985) was the world premier of Jack Gale's historical drama. Both these productions were directed by professional director Alec Mortimer.

 

The Hospital Players participated in another Drama Federation production, 'Tom Jones' in 1990. We then joined forces with Little Theatre Club to co-host a Drama Federation production of 'Canterbury Tales' in 2008. This play was in celebration of The Plowright Theatre's 50th anniversary (the Civic Theatre was renamed The Plowright in 1993).

 

2018 saw the Drama Federation present another play, 'Underneath the Arches,' directed by Darren Johnson. This marked the 60th anniversary of the Plowright Theatre, and involved several members of The Hospital Players.

 

Meeting places

 

Our first meeting place was the garage/boiler room complex at the Hospital. We then used a consulting/examination room before moving to the basement. As the NHS needed more space, we decided to find premises of our own. In 1950, we bought an ex army Nissen Hut for £200 and had to borrow another £100 to transport and erect it in East Common Lane.

 

We rehearsed at the Hut for 13 years. The first winter we rehearsed in coats and gloves before we managed to purchase a coke stove. Gradually the building became ramshackle, and in 1963 we accepted the Council’s offer to rent us rehearsal rooms in the old Library on High Street East, alongside Little Theatre Club. Here there was room to rehearse and build and store scenery.

 

As the 1970s progressed these premises deteriorated, and in 1982 we moved to the new Activity Centre on John Street, this time alongside Group 62. We left here when the area was due to be redeveloped and, after a period of uncertainty, moved to the Grange Farm Community Centre in 2000.

 

Milestones

 

1943

We performed our first production, 'The Admirable Crichton' on 19th June.

 

1950

Having rehearsed at the hospital since our formation, we moved to a Nissen hut on East Common Lane.

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1958

We performed ‘The Reluctant Debutante,’ our first production at the newly opened Civic Theatre.

 

1963

We moved to rehearsal rooms at the old Library on High Street East.

 

1978

We performed 'Two and Two Make Sex' as part of a festival of plays marking the Civic Theatre's 20th birthday.

 

1979

We presented our 100th full-length production, ‘Canterbury Tales,’ directed by Phil Partridge. This year also marked the 21st anniversary of the opening of the Civic Theatre.

 

1982

We moved to rehearsal rooms at the Activity Centre on John Street.

 

1983

We hosted a Drama Federation production of ‘Lark Rise’ to mark the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Civic Theatre.

 

1993

Reg Mitchell O.B.E. directed Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Season’s Greetings’ for our 50th anniversary production. We had previously performed the play in 1986.

Also this year, The Civic Theatre was renovated and renamed The Plowright Theatre.

 

1995

We marked our 150th full-length production by performing Noel Coward’s ‘Blithe Spirit.’ The play was previously performed by the Players in 1950 and 1962.

 

2000

We moved to our current rehearsal rooms at the Grange Farm Community Centre.

 

2003

Our 60th Anniversary season was marred when a fire destroyed most of our sets and costumes. Through the determination of our members and the prompt and generous help of our fellow groups and members of the public, we were able to carry on.

The following year we staged ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ directed by professional director, Roberta Morrell.

 

2008

We co-hosted a Drama Federation production of ‘Canterbury Tales’ to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of The Plowright Theatre.

 

2012

We marked our 200th full-length production by performing our first-ever Shakespeare play, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ adapted and directed by Jan Gregory.

 

2013

We celebrated our 70th Anniversary with a Platinum Ball. We donated the proceeds of the Ball to the Hospital League of Friends and enlisted one of our original members from 1943, Keith Nuttall, to help present the cheque.

 

2018

Members of The Hospital Players took part in a Drama Federation production of "Underneath the Arches," directed by Darren Johnson, to mark 60 years of The Plowright Theatre.

 

2018-19

We celebrated our 75th anniversary by reprising 3 of our favourite costume plays from over the years: 'Charley's Aunt,' 'Blithe Spirit' and 'Post Horn Gallop.' In June 2019, we held a celebratory dinner.

 

2020

The Coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures meant we had to cancel our planned April 2020 production, Who Dies Wins. This was the first time in our history that we had to cancel a production. We were subsequently unable to stage plays in September 2020 and January/April 2021.

 

2021

21 months after our last play, we finally returned to the Plowright Theatre in October with The Merry Widower.

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2023

We celebrated our 80th anniversary.