The Langport Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) was not the first ‘am-dram’ company in the town. A predecessor was established in 1870, and gave successful performances for many years, some of them in the Town Hall.
Early days
LADS was formed on 3 October 1887 with the object of ‘the performance of stage plays in Langport’. The founders felt that the society ‘would not only afford pleasing occupation to the members, but also give instruction and amusement to the public’. They planned to have three performances each season.
Less than 6 weeks later they announced that two performances, ‘Aurora Floyd’ and ‘The area belle’, would take place in the last week of November at the Town Hall. It was said that no expense was spared in respect of ‘scenic, stage, elocutionary and musical arrangements’. ‘Some pretty and effective scenery was prepared, including a handsome drop scene. The players, too had perfected their several parts, the musicians spoke in harmony, the tickets were being rapidly bought up, and there seemed every prospect of the affair passing off without a hitch’.
The best laid plans ...
Unfortunately, as the Langport & Somerton Herald reported, instead of ‘to be or not to be’, it was most definitely ‘not to be’! On Monday 28 November an application was made to Somerton magistrates for a licence to perform stage plays in the Town Hall, but this was refused on the grounds that there was ‘an insufficiency of exits’. Even if a performance were to be held free of charge, the Hall authorities would not allow it because of the magistrates’ decision.
The local newspaper was outraged: ‘People are always complaining about the lack of entertainments in Langport, and now, when something is started to afford, not only pleasant occupation for a number of young people, but also a few evenings’ amusement for the general public during the winter months, a wet blanket is applied to it by a few gentlemen unconnected with the town because they are not satisfied with the exits from the Town Hall’.
Eventually Curry Rivel came to the rescue, and the first performances of the LADS took place in the Assembly Room at the Bell Hotel in Curry Rivel on Wednesday and Thursday, 8 and 9 February 1888. The newspaper commented ‘Driven from home by several adverse circumstances, the above Society has found congenial shelter in this parish, the inhabitants of which have loyally supported the members in their enterprise’. They performed again at the Bell Hotel in March of the same year.
The show must go on
The following year, 1889, saw LADS putting on performances in the large dining room at the Langport Union Workhouse, where they returned in February 1890 and February 1891. But after that the magistrates must have had a change of heart, because in April 1891 LADS were finally able to perform in Langport Town Hall. The entertainment programme consisted of vocal and instrumental music and ‘negro sketches’. Although the programme was well received, the Langport & Somerton Herald was not impressed. ‘Come, ye members of LADS, let us have something of a higher nature at your next entertainment.’
Reports of the Society’s activities after this time are extremely sparse. It’s not until we find a programme from the 1970s that we discover a list of productions from 1947 to 1975. Below you will find some images from different LADS productions, some programmes and also some LADS’ entries in Langport Carnivals. If anyone has any other LADS memorabilia we would be delighted to hear from you.
Click on an image to enlarge it and see the caption
