Welcome to award-winning SUP. A friendly community theatre group open to all, when rehearsing we meet two evenings a week at the University of Southampton, usually Tuesday & Thursday
During the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions we are continuing to hold committee meetings via Zoom, as well as regular online socials including quiz nights and play readings, posting on our Facebook page, holding lockdown challenges for our members, planning our future programme, and more.
If you’re interested in joining SUP get in touch here
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LILIES ON THE LAND – POSTPONED TO 2022
Lilies on the Land’ by the Lions part – Directed by Paul Green
We have a brilliant cast for this fantastic ensemble play – but Covid-19 restrictions this summer meant we have postponed this all-female outdoor show until 2022
The story of four women who sign up to become Land Girls in a bid to do their bit for the War effort.
Torn from their families and without basic home comforts, Vera, Poppy, Margie and Peggy have to deal not only with the hardships of farming life and the pressures of war but also with being outsiders in strange surroundings.
Based on letters from and interviews with the original Land Girls, and songs from the period, Lilies on the Land is a fast-moving, funny and utterly captivating portrait of Britain’s pluckiest unsung heroes
OUR JUNE 2021 PRODUCTION FOR TOTTON FESTIVAL OF DRAMA
STITCHED UP
A one-act comedy play by Robin Johnson
We entered this play into the Totton Festival of Drama 2021, directed by DAVID GUY, who last worked with SUP on his brilliant production of THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND.
We won the BEST ADULT ACTOR (Paul Jones) and the BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Eric Petterson) awards and were nominated in other categories – we can overall second and progressed to the semi-final of the ALL ENGLAND THEATRE FESTIVAL in Frome, where we won the Adjudicator’s Special Award. Well done all!
Stitched Up is a darkly comic meta dissection of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece. It starts with Dr Frankenstein recounting his experiences as a mad scientist – interrupted by the bickering Creature, a French peasant, a mad professor… and the Bride of Frankenstein. Each character retells their part of the story from their own perspective and tries to justify their place in the canon.
LOCKDOWN SOCIALS
SEPT 2021 – REHEARSALS HAVE STARTED!
BOOK TICKETS HERE – Hanger Farm Arts Centre, 18-20 NOV 2021
A fast-moving comedic re-imagining of George A. Romero’s classic film, set in 1968 and presented live ‘in black and white’ – directed by Tim Prentki.
Six strangers isolated in a lonely farmhouse, surrounded by brain-eating zombies – what could go wrong?
“Spooky, sophisticated and silly”
SUP AT TOTTON 2021
We enter at least one one-act play each year. This is a lovely venue and taking part is a great experience. It’s also a feeder competition for the All England Theatre Festival.
SUP has won a clutch of awards at Totton in recent years including Best Overall Play – and we want to continue that success.
We are looking for technical support: light, sound and more. This is a great way to get involved. In the first instance, email hello@suptheatre.co.uk and we can take it from there.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Totton Festival of Drama celebrates the talent of local amateur dramatic groups as they compete to win silverware and claim a place in the next round of the All England Theatre Festival. The basic rules:
- Entries must be between 20-55 minutes and contain a minimum of 2 speaking parts.
- Extracts from longer works are admitted providing you have the publishers’ permission and they ‘stand alone’.
NOW SHOWING
FOR THE FALLEN 2: HOME FRONT
Filmed during lockdown – click here to watch
We were disappointed when we had to cancel our rehearsals and planned performances for this anthology: wartime voices from the Southampton Blitz, D-day and VE Day.
However, we re-cast the piece and our fantastic members tackled the various poems, letters, sketches, monologues, first-hand accounts and even songs from the lockdown safety of their own homes – filming the clips. Many of these clips formed part of the live stream from Royal Victoria Country Park for its VE Day celebrations.
You can watch these clips in this special Playlist on our public Facebook page. Updated Vimeo channel coming soon.
Thanks to all our wonderful cast for their creativity and ingenuity
FOR THE FALLEN: HOME FRONT is an original SUP production, written and compiled by Stephen Fenerty
Unfortunately, the 2020 festival was cancelled. We were due to present two plays: THE MAN ON THE FLOOR and SETTLING ACCOUNTS. SUP has a long history with the festival, and has won many awards over the years – including two awards last year.
We sent our best wishes to the great festival team, and were happy to waive the refunds on our entry fees. We also made a donation to the festival to show our support, in an act of solidarity during these difficult times.
From Mike Farleigh, Chair, Totton Festival of Drama:
“We are devastated, not only that the event will not happen, but also after all the time and effort groups have spent preparing, rehearsing (and sometimes even writing their production) and then not being able to perform on the Hanger Farm stage. We were so looking forward to seeing their excellent productions and feel the exciting building throughout the festival week. However, the health and safety of our audience and cast members, who are all in close quarters, has to take priority. Know that we are cancelling our festival with a very heavy heart.”
THANK YOU TO OUR CAST, CREW AND AUDIENCES
We brought E. Nesbit’s The Railway Children to the stage at NST Campus in January 2020
PREVIOUS PRODUCTION
NEW MURDER MYSTERY – AVAILABLE TO LICENCE AND PERFORM
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAN AND PERFORM YOUR OWN EVENT – CHARACTERS, NARRATIVE, CLUES, PROP IDEAS AND MORE – FOR MURDER MYSTERY EVENTS, AM DRAM GROUPS AND CHARITIES
SPECIAL RATES FOR CHARITY FUNDRAISING PERFORMANCES – PLEASE EMAIL US
FORECAST: MURDER
COMBINING THREE BRITISH OBSESSIONS: THE WEATHER, WHODUNITS AND CELEBRITY AWARDS CEREMONIES
The great British weather can be bloody murder… Join us at the National Weather Awards, the industry’s most glamourous night of the year, and mingle with top weather presenters including Gail Storms, April Showers, Rockall Malin and Misty Morning – as simmering tensions erupt and a fiendish murderer is on the loose…
This full-cast murder mystery from award-winning SUP Theatre Company puts the audience right in the heart of the action, and delivers a great night out. The outlook is horrible – and a great deal of fun.
FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE EMAIL PAUL, SUP SECRETARY
SUP’s FOR THE FALLEN at country parks and local festivals
Following highly successful shows at ROYAL VICTORIA COUNTRY PARK and at the ‘Lepe Into History’ festival at LEPE COUNTRY PARK, we came back with this fascinating show in September.
A funny and moving anthology compiled by SUP members Stephen Fenerty and Paul Green.
OUR AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTIONS
Our award-winning plays appeared on a double-bill at the Rose Theatre, Eastleigh in April 2019
BEHIND THE SCENES
We were delighted to welcome Lady Stoppard, Sabrina Guinness, to our double-bill of comedies at the Rose Theatre , Eastleigh in 2018 – featuring Sir Tom’s play THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND
UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS
Please email SUP if you’d like to meet us
Awards received by our people and productions
Visit our Awards page for more details
SUP WINS ALL ENGLAND THEATRE FESTIVAL QUARTER FINALS 2018
SUP won BEST PLAY at the Southern Region of the 2018 All England Theatre Festival (AETF) in Weymouth on Saturday 7th April with BULLY BEEF AND WHIZZBANGS, written and directed by Chris Hawley. SUP co chair Stephen Fenerty was also nominated as Best Actor.
Congratulations to everyone who contributed to our success.
The Whizzbangs boys, L-R: Paul Jones, Chris Aland, festival adjudicator Nick Wilkes, Stephen Fenerty, Chris Hawley with cup, Dickie Fear (and Dennis). Not pictured: our amazing tech crew including Olly Trojak, Duncan Lang and Steve Town
We believe this is the first time in 53 years that SUP has progressed to the semi-finals of this prestigious national competition.
Read more here
Thank you to everyone who supported us in the next round, the Western Region finals in Dawlish on Saturday 5th May. SUP did not win this round but we came within one point of going to the All England Final – and we did walk away with the Adjudicator’s Special Award for Sound (Duncan Lang and Chris Hawley).
SUP WINS TOTTON DRAMA FESTIVAL 2018
The world premiere of “Bully Beef and Whizzbangs”, written and directed by SUP’s Chris Hawley, beat off stiff competition from 13 other plays to be named Best Production at the 40th Totton Festival of Drama on Saturday 24th March.
The play also won Best Actor for Stephen Fenerty, Best Original Script for Chris, and Best Technical Achievement for set, lighting and sound – Chris Hawley, Steve Town, Oliver Trojak, Duncan Lang, Clayton Peters and John Peters,
![IMG_9248[1]](https://southamptonuniversityplayers.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/img_92481.jpg?w=465&h=310)
This was SUP’s most successful night ever at the popular annual festival, and the first time in it’s history that our group has won best play. More here
Murder Mystery events
Our recent Murder Mysteries include a charity fundraiser for the Creative Options Community Mental Health Project – helping to raise more than £600 for this amazing cause – and a murder mystery dinner to help raise funds for a disabled toilet at the country club venue where we appear regularly.
Our highly experienced Murder Mystery team is available for club and society bookings, private parties and charity events: we provide the whole package for a highly affordable price: licensing, script, cast, rehearsals, costumes, special props – and of course, lots of audience interaction on the night! Please email SUP or events organiser Ali for details
Dying to host a Murder Mystery without the hassle? Get in touch!
Keep up to date on productions, offers and competitions
If you’re interested in seeing our productions and hearing about offers and promotions, follow us on Twitter @SUPamdram and Facebook or submit your details here
About SUP Theatre Company in Southampton
Open to all residents of Southampton, we are a community amateur dramatic society established in 1965. Our home and rehearsal base is the University of Southampton – whose year-on-year support we gratefully acknowledge. We put on two major productions a year, including one at the NST Campus (Nuffield) theatre as well as one-act play evenings, murder mysteries and other events, including community theatre and private parties. We regularly participate in local drama festivals.
As well as theatrical productions we organise social events including theatre trips, play readings and quiz nights, and offer members the chance to attend workshops to learn acting and backstage skills.
Interested in joining us?
Membership is open to everyone. We are a small and friendly society, with a team spirit and are always looking to welcome new members. We welcome all: the experienced and people with no or limited experience
Whether you’d like to act, direct, stage manage, make costumes, manage props or simply join us for play readings, get in touch. You’ll receive all the support and encouragement you need. Please complete the Join us form and we’ll be in touch.
SUP Theatre Company 