At the beginning of March 2020 rehearsals for a spring production of Nell Gwynn were well underway for Circle 67, the Bramfield based drama group, but with news that the Coronavirus was spreading in the UK a decision was made to suspend rehearsals several weeks before the national lockdown started. However, as a very social group and keen to keep everyone together, group Chair, Steve Chadwick, took the first tentative steps of meeting via Zoom. What started out as around ten members meeting once a week to simply read through a play has a year later grown and transformed into a weekly “Lockdown Theatre” gathering of 40 to 50 members, friends and guests from all around the globe to enjoy a chat before a couple of rehearsed short plays are usually performed for everyone to enjoy. And as the expertise with Zoom has increased, sound effects, costumes, backdrops and spot-lighting have all been employed to create a more immersive experience for those watching. Most of the plays performed have been written/adapted by group members and friends especially for Zoom and it has been a wonderful way to keep everyone busy, engaged and socialising during such uncertain times.
If you would like to join Circle 67 online then they would be delighted to see you, it really is great fun. Please do contact them via their website or email info@circle67.co.uk and they will send you the link for Zoom. It is intended that the online meetings will continue until the end of April, after which it is hoped that rehearsals (via Zoom and in person when allowed) will start for their usual outdoor Shorter Shakespeare Summer Tour, which this year will be Much Ado About Nothing. This will hopefully tour local pub gardens during from Tuesday 27th July to Sunday 1st August.