Report from Bishampton Barnstormers

Celebrating forty years of Barnstorming in Bishampton 1964 -2004

2004 marked a milestone in the history of the Bishampton Barnstormers because in 1964, the Jubilee Room (now used as a garage at rear of The Paddocks" Broad Lane) was the venue for their first performance "Maria Martin and the Red Barn"

A very busy 2004 started with the members annual dinner held at "The Boot" in January, closely followed at the end of February with a very successful charity "Old Time Music Hail" donating £1005 for Acorns Childrens Hospice. Rehearsals were also taking place for two entries for the Worcestershire Theatre Festival which was held in March at The Arts Centre, Evesham. Again tiie Barnstormers hit the headlines with 5 trophies, "Swan Song" was the Overall Festival Winner, The Best Play, Best Director - Sue Griffith & Best Actor - Terry Griffith, with II Fornicazione winning the new trophy for best comedic moment of the festival. We then represented Worcestershire in the divisional finals of tiie All England Theatre Festival at Ludlow in April, with "Swan Song" but unfortunately we were beaten by a very good production of "Gum & Goo" by a group from Telford.

A couple of non-drama social events (the quiz night & a disco) also took place in March and April, and the summer BBQ at James & Audrey Taylor's was in July.

Meanwhile, David Tristram, one of our favourite comedy playwrights asked Sue Griffith and the Barnstormers to "first flight" tiie premiere of his latest play "The Fat Lady Sings in Little Grimley" at tiie Golden Beak Comedy Awards in Bridgnorth. Early September saw an evening "Festival Preview" with our two entries, the second play being "Bare Arty Facts" an original play by one of our members and the following week we travelled to compete in Bridgnorth, where tiie "Fat Lady sings" won the adjudicators special award.

Rehearsals for "King Arthur" started the following week culminating with four performances the first week in December, and we were able to make another donation to Acorns Childrens Hospice of £150.

The Bishampton Barnstormers are a friendly bunch and are always looking for new members, everyone is welcome, and there are many different ways to help out apart from treading the boards & directing, there are set-building, painting, prompting, wardrobe and costumes, make-up, publicity, front-of-house, lighting & sound technicians etc so please contact Sue Griffith 01386462306 or our Chairman Alan Taylor 1386793352.

We would like to thank everyone in Bishampton and surrounding areas who come to see our performances and also BATVHT management committee for their continued support, because without the facilities of Villages Hall the Barnstormers would be unable to exist in their present form.

Sue Griffith