Amateur theatre to return to the stage

2:50pm Sunday 15th June 2008

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Silsden - once well known for its large number of amateur theatrical events - will see the curtain rise again in December.

A production of Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" is to be staged over four nights at the Methodist Church, with cast members drawn from all three local churches and the wider community.

The play - the first to be held in the town for many years - coincides with the 140th anniversary of the very first dramatic performance given in Silsden, which entranced a packed audience at the then Wesleyan Day School.

"Joseph and His Brethren" was staged by pupils and staff and a collection of paper donkeys.

The play sparked an enthusiasm for community entertainment that took off in the 20th century, when up to a dozen Silsden churches and voluntary organisations ran their own dramatic, musical and pantomime societies, with regular productions throughout the year. Some groups won prizes in national competitions, both for acting and play writing.

Now only one church stage remains but organisers of "A Christmas Carol" have been encouraged by the enthusiasm shown towards their project.

The play is being scripted from the Dickens original by local writer Cathy Liddle and co-directed by Sylvia Wass and David Hardman. Victorian carol singers and instrumentalists, with authentic music from the Dickensian era, will join a cast drawn from all age groups.