Theatre

We are a very lively, active and friendly Group meeting every 3rd Thursday morning of the month when members choose and help organize trips.   We go to live and live-streamed theatre, music and dance in and around Cornwall and beyond.

We use public transport where possible.   When cars are required transport depends on availability of drivers.

Contact the Group Leader

Group contact: Jenny MacDonald

Telephone: 01208 873933

There is sometimes a waiting list to join this group. Please contact Jenny for more information either by phone or by clicking on the blue contact button above

April 2022

We have been pleased to welcome three new members to the group which has absorbed our waiting list for the present.

Nine planned events were enjoyed in March and  eight in April, with an occasional trip added spontaneously which shows our delight in the recovery of  theatres locally.   We have have been to a variety venues from the new Hall for Cornwall to St Bart's, Lostwithiel and the intimate Old Library, Bodmin.

Plans in the pipeline include  Davey Hall, singer 8 May, Haydn's Creation, Liskeard 14 May, Calvino Nights, Heligan 27 May, Show of Hands, Carnglaze Caverns 28 May

Further ahead As You Like It at Pentillie Garden 20 July, King Lear at Boconnoc Gdns 27 July, I am Kevin on Crlyon Beach, Singing in the Rain at Theatre Royal 20 Aug, Pam Ayres at H4C, Truro 18 Sept plus two ballets and an opera in the autumn.

February 2022

I was wrong, last month, that the Minack in March would be too cold - a few folk have booked and will be braving the cliff-tops!       It is so good to have a busy theatre diary again, we are looking forward to the following and thank the lovely members who take turns arranging our trips.

3/3/22 Fascinating Aida at H4C (Pat)    3/3  Book of Dust at Capitol Bodmin 

10/3  Skank at Bodmin Old LIbrary   12/3  Sorry, you're Not a Winner at Drum TRP (Carol)

18/3  Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at H4C Truro  (Ann H)

21/3  Jazz Jam Bodmin Old Library  (Sue L)   26/3 Reg Meuross at Devoran (Sue L)

31/3 Animal Farm H4C  (Val)   Wuthering Heights  H4C  (Judy)  5/4 Jenufa  TRP  (Anne F)

7,8,9/4  Old People Are Revolting  Lostwithiel Comedy of Errors  H4C  (Anne F)

21/4  Henry V  Capitol cinema  (Annie)  and The Lerryn Revue in due course.

January 2022

We start the new year with nine events to look forward to in a wide range of genres.

Many ideas were considered but we ruled out Carl Grose's 'Superstitious Mountain' as it was at the Minack and too chilly in March!     Our new plans are as follows:-

Don Quixote, Birmingham ballet at Theatre Royal, Plymouth  19th March, arranged by Judy

Carpenters Story, T.R.P on 27th March

Animal Farm with puppets, T.R.P. 31st March matinee booked by Val

An overnight trip to Bristol Old Vic for Mark Rylance in Dr Semmelweis last weekend of Jan.

Comedy of Errors at Hall for Cornwall 10th April.      Some of these needed to be booked during the meeting while good seats still available, other bookings will be held so latecomers can join us more easily.

Next meeting is 10.30am February 17th

December 2021

Covid is again responsible for some events being cancelled, however so far we have been lucky.   All the 2022 bookings shown below from Novembers meeting are now booked but if you wish to join us please buy your own ticket and 'join the party', the organizer can tell you where we are sitting if seats are numbered.

After the meeting we enjoyed a lovely Christmas lunch at the Royal Oak, a treat to be socializing again.

Our new choices are:-

Lau, Scottish folk group, St Petrocs, Bodmin  Feb 19th  £18.50  contact Gillie H.

Skank, comedy drama, Old Library Bodmin.   March 10th    Carol W.

Jenufa. opera,  T.R.P. Plymouth   April 5th   £32    Anne F.

Jazz Jam, Simon Latarch, Old Library.   £10   Sue L.

Lerryn Revue.  Date to be advised

Our January meeting is on Thursday 20th, 10.30am at Royal Oak, when we hope to welcome our two new members.

November   2021

We enjoyed five outings over the last month and have discussed lots of new ideas at this months meeting, which was well attended.    So here are our plans..........

27/11/21    Shylock at Harrowbarrow V.H.  arranged by Anne F

27/11         La Vie en Rose    Mount Folly, Bodmin

28/11 and 1/12   Anything Goes    Capitol, Bodmin    Carol (28th)  Judy (1st)

3 and 4/12  Lerryn Unlocked   Lerryn V.H.   Postponed due to Covid surge

9/12        Johnny Cowling Sings Gospel    St Petrocs    discussed/possible

16/12     Meeting at 11.30 followed by Christmas Lunch at 12.30.  Royal Oak.  Jenny

And for next year.....

26/1/22    Private Lives  matinee,   Hall for Cornwall   Ann H  by train

27/1         Leopoldstadt    Capitol Cinema, Bodmin      Carol

10/2         Groan Ups  matinee   Hall for Cornwall     Jenny   by train

3/3           Fascinating Aida   H4C  evening      Pat    Transport to be decided

2/4           Wuthering Heights  H4C  matinee     Judy

October 2021

September 2021

A number of our plans have been thwarted due to Covid cancellations including visits to Sterts, Heligan, Lerryn and Minack.  

Our first outdoor trip was to hear 'The Countrymen'   Fortunately our big treat (with food) to Miracle's 'Star Crazy at Tregrehan was a great evening - the best of 'old times'    'Six' at TRP returned after it's cancellation last year and was well supported.Visits to both Pentillie (food again) and Sterts for Illyria's 'HMS Pinafore'were enjoyed.

Bookings made for 'The Dresser' at Theatre Royal, Plymouth Oct 21st and also Fisherman's Friends the Musical on both Oct 16th and 23rd.   The latter being the debut show at Truro's new Hall for Cornwall.Next meeting 16th October

Summer 2020

Trips are planned to Sterts for 'Dis-Danced', 'Gun' and HMS Pinafore.   Minack for Great Gatsby, Restormel Castle for Miracle's King Lear (which they inform us Shakespeare wrote in a lockdown during the plague).        We are still exchanging news of a plethora of online music events and plays.

July 11th

Outdoor theatre and music, socially distanced can be resumed!

Illyria and Miracle companies immediately reported plans for summer productions which we look forward to supporting.

June2020

We continue to share lots of online streamings to watch at home and have get-togethers via Zoom to keep in touch.   We also plan picnics in the park.    It is sad to see theatres and companies struggling to survive without an income but still having overheads to meet.

March 2020

Unfortunately we had to cancel our March meeting and will not be able to recommence until social distancing can end, and indeed , when we know what will be available to book.        This is a sad time for theatres and production companies alike and some will find it hard to survive.                                                                                                   

The Miracle company say that Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in isolation during the plague.        Sterts theatre are maintaining their humour by suggesting we look out for 'Lady Macbeth' soap!

February  2020

Sterts, Minack and our favourite outdoor theatre companies are beginning to announce their season's programmes.     We have chosen the following - just for 'starters'!                         They are open for booking at our next meeting on 19th March.

29th May  Miracle's King Lear at Restormel Castle

24th July   Sterts Company's  Guys and Dolls at Upton Cross

1st   Tower Theatre's  Great Gatsby at Minack

We also have The Kite Runner 7th May TRP, Six TRP and the live streaming of National Theatrs The Welkin  21st May to anticipate.    Tickets for The Welkin still available (Jenny)

January 2020

At this months meeting we took a preliminary look at this years Minnack Theatre programme and will make choices next month.    If our best laid plans fall into place we will use the Lerryn mini-bus thanks to a kind volunteer driver.

Movie Magic discount cards from Capitol cinema, Bodmin are proving popular and appear to suit our ticket buying system.

Two events have been suggested with only a couple of members interested so they are making their own arrangements.  It's good that the group is useful in this way, a contrast to booking lists of 18 for an event.

Feb 20th Carol is arranging 'The Coastguard' at Bodmin Old Library

Feb 22nd Mat. 3 people are going to 'Measure for Measure' at TRP Lyric by train.  There are still a few seats available direct from TRP.

TRP Drum offered us tickets for 'Drink Rum with Expats' for just £5 !   TRP direct (on-line/phone) before midnight on Sunday 19th  On from Jan 28 till Feb 1st, possible to go by train in evening.  One member booked straight away for Thurs eve.

We'll meet again on Feb 20th so please bring your suggestions for further outings.

 December2019

We are starting off the new year with a great variety of eleven new events:-

Jan 24  Underbelly venue as yet undisclosed (but somewhere in Union St, Plymouth )arranged by TRP.  £5  Ann H.

Feb 4   Kinky Boots, streaming at Bodmin.   Val

Feb 20-22  Lostwithiel Players, Church Rooms.  Helen will give us information when it is available, we will buy own tickets locally.

Feb  28   Ashton Lane folk duo, Lerryn Hall  £9.  Ann H.

and also

Feb  28   Sean Lakeman/Kathryn Roberts, St Austell Arts theatre,  £15.   Sue has info

Mar  14   Amsterdam, TRP Drum. mat.   £11.  Rosie

Mar 15   Peter Knight/John Spiers St Austell Arts theatre  ( possibly the whole Gigspanner band ) £15.  Sandra

April 2 or 4  mat.  Swan Lake, TRP Lyric mat.  Carol

May 7   The Kite Runner, TRP Lyric mat.  £23  good seats reserved, some still available,   RosieMay 21  The Welkin, National Theatre, streamed at Bodmin   Annie

May 31  'Six'  a new musical TRP Lyric. mat. £33.50   good seats reserved, some still available.   Judy

Our next meeting is the usual 3rd Thursday of month - Jan 16th

NOVEMBER 2019

Once more we had a waiting list as two people want to join our busy group. We have since been able to welcome one them and are keeping the other informed of our activities and hope she can join some of our events.

Currently we have seven events to look forward to - one being a lunch when the conversation may reflect our own comedies and dramas.....?

We have now added
Lerryn's Christmas Crackers , Ann brought tickets to the meeting for Dec 6th and 7th
Lost in Song's Cornish Carols of the Diaspora at St Bart's. Dec 7th buying tickets individually.
Ceremony of Carols by E.C.B.Choir at St Petroc's tickets from Anne F. Dec 14th
Knight and Spiers folk music at Calstock. Tickets from CRBO Dec15th
Oh No It Isn't, Bodmin Old Library. Organized by Val on Dec 17th
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, TRP. Pat, on Dec 21st
And in 2020
Mary Poppins at Bodmin College in Jan - however when Carol tried to book they had already sold out.
Kite Runner at TRP . Rosie has made a group booking for May 3rd

Many ideas were forthcoming and we had to choose carefully as several dates clashed, including
'I think I would explode' - 3 plays by Charles Causley, Les Mis and Cats both live at Bodmin cinema,

Next month's meeting is Dec 19th when we shall make arrangements for 'I think We Are Alone' at TRP, 'Amsterdam' at the Drum and Swan Lake.

 UPDATED 20TH OCTOBER 2019

Cash and cheque payments to the organiser.
( Online payments and cheques should specify Lostwithiel Area U3A, not individuals.)

SEPTEMBER  2019

Despite the absence of several regular members there were eighteen attendees enjoying refreshments and sharing ideas at this months meeting.

New plans include Camp Theatres 'Woman in Mind' at Menheniot.  Last years production was enjoyed by all, as was the pre-show meal, so we shall do this again on 26th October.  Carol is booking this for us.

Next is '42nd Street' streamed to the new Bodmin cinema, Jenny arranging for Sunday 10th Nov.

Followed by 'Elves and the Shoemaker' a matinee on 17th November arranged by Val.  This is in the lovely little venue created in the Old Bodmin Library.

Then on 28th November Ann H is booking Noel Cowards 'Present Laughter'.   A production by National Theatre, streamed to St Austell cinema.

This is a busy week as it is followed by  'The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel' at TRP Drum, a matinee on 30th Nov, tickets via Judy.

The evening of 1st December brings 'Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' to Calstock's Art Centre.  Arranged by Ann H.

An amazing variety in these six new events, enjoy!

AUGUST 2019

There are two great dance companies giving outdoor performances at present. Southpaw have a show called Icarus in Liskeard and St Austell and Yskynna have a vertical dance telling the tale of a balmaiden, Estah's Story at Heartlands heritage mine site, Redruth.  Members will go to both according to the weather situation.

We have two live streamed events planned and hope to use the new Bodmin cinema.

Midsummer Night's Dream on 17 Oct (St Austell)  Ann H is arranging this, also Hansard on 7th Nov, hopefully at Bodmin.

This is a lovely new 4 screen cinema in the preserved old Public Hall and is expecting its satellite for streaming to be operable late Sept.

Also up coming is 'Status' at TRP's Drum, a 'Sat mat' on 2nd Nov, Jenny arranging this.

We have been enjoying Lostwithiel's Sing Along the River on Thursday evenings throughout August.

No tickets needed, just turn up - and enjoy the food too!

JULY 2019

There have been six theatre trips in the past month and as usual members enthused over what they had seen, particularly Dead Dog in a Suitcase (Bristol Old Vic) and Gigspanner.

We are so pleased that Theatre Royal Plymouth is now offering Saturday matinees for their Drum productions.   We have contacted them several times to say how much those living further afield would appreciate this as evening transport is so poor.   

We were quick to choose two of these and will be going to 'Unsung' on 14 Sept and 'The Ladder' on 29 Sept, Jenny is arranging these and doubtless a lunch will also feature.

With the Kneehigh company fresh in our minds Val is organizing a trip to their Asylum marquee on Carlyon beach to see The Dancing Frog on 27 August.

Sterts are venturing into big screen films and showing Bohemian Rhapsody which Ann H is booking for us on 10 Aug.

Carol W is organizing Girl on a Train (Lyric TRP) for 5 ) October

Some members are going to HeliJazz on 9 and 10 Aug and the LAMA bus is offering transport.