A Bath drama group that has been operating for more than 80 years is once again inviting local residents along to its annual pantomime.
Photo courtesy of Bath Unity Players
Bath Unity Players will be performing Dick Whittington, written by Katrina Cowie, a long-standing member of the group, at Kingswood School from Wednesday 18th December.
First formed in 1936 as the Bath Co-operative Unity Players, it performed plays at festivals for several years before disbanding due to the Second World War.
In August 1944, the group reformed following the Bath Pageant and continued putting on plays, this time touring multiple productions at a time around Bath and the South West. The performances took place in town halls, parks and even hospitals.
The group won first place in the South West Drama Awards in 1949 for the play ‘The Rose and Crown’.
Their first pantomime was Aladdin in 1964, and, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, they have performed one every year since, alongside their annual plays.
In the early years, Unity was based at various ‘homes’ around the city; in Green Park, at the unused Co-op in Coronation Avenue, St Marks Church in Widcombe, and the old telephone exchange on Combe Down.
They now operate from St Barnabas Church Hall in Southdown, where they perform their annual play and concerts.
Now in its 88th year, the drama group’s ethos is of being a family group for families. Because of this, ticket prices are kept low at £10.
Dick Whittington will be running from 18th to 22nd December. Tickets are available at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/unity.
