Rose Street Theatre Club

The Rose Street Theatre Club (RSTC) arranges monthly trips, ranging from Popular Musicals to Classical Concerts, from Plays to Operas and other outings.  All trips are by coach, picking up at a number of stops from Crowthorne through to Wokingham (including Nine Mile Ride, Rose Street and the Three Frogs), and the cost of the coach is included in the overall cost of the outing.

We aim to offer an exciting and comprehensive range of activities' and is 'a welcoming and safe way' to visit local theatres as well as the big London shows - something few elderly or handicapped people living alone would ever attempt.  We feel we meet the 'social needs of our community' in a very practical way, and have seen many friendships established that extend beyond the club's activities.
 

Future Programme

17 September	'ABBA Voyage'	ABBA Arena, London (evening)
7 October	'Sleeping Beauty'	Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford (evening)
1 November	'Sherlock Holmes - the Hunt for Moriarty'	Theatre Royal, Windsor (matinee)
4 December	'John Rutter’s Christmas Celebration'    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	Royal Albert Hall (matinee)
14 January '26	'Death on the Nile'	Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford (matinee)
14 February	Valentine's Day Opera Gala	Cadogan Hall (evening)
12 March	'Moulin Rouge'	Piccadilly Theatre, London (matinee)
Good Friday  3 April	'Handel's Messiah'    Royal Choral Society	Royal Albert Hall (matinee)

For more information see the club's website.
 

Report (August 2025)

The RSTC continue to arrange a theatre, concert or day outing trip so that there is an event for our members every month.

In June we went to the old LCC Debating Chamber to watch a performance of Witness for the Prosecution.  The Chamber lends itself to becoming a court where the defendant is being tried for murder.

There are less than 300 seats in the chamber, and it becomes what is known as a Thust stage, with the audience sitting round three sides of the stage.

It is even possible to book seats as a member of the jury. At the appropriate time each member of the jury passes a paper to the foreman with their verdict.  The Foreman however is required to read out the appropriate wording to fit the play.

Being Agatha Christie there is a twist, or two, at the end of the play.

In July we went to see Evita at the London Palladium.  Getting tickets for a performance at the London Palladium can be difficult as productions are often on short runs and the Palladium is not very helpful when it comes to block bookings.  However, we managed to get 106 tickets and took two full coaches.

The production is lively and noisy with minimal staging and costume.  This production has made the news as Evita goes onto a balcony outside the theatre and sings “Don’t cry for me Argentina” to the audience in the street below.  Those inside the theatre watch this on a screen on the stage.  Although this may sound odd, it actually works very well.

I think that most people enjoyed the production although it would have been useful to read a synopsis before attending.

In August we will be going on a day trip to Hatfield House with a guided trip round the house.  The current house was built in 1611, but the Old Palace was owned by Herry VIII and was used as a home for his children Edward, Elizabeth and Mary.  Elizabeth was residing there when she learned of her accession to the throne.

Coming up in the next three months: ABBA Voyage, The Sleeping Beauty Ballet and Sherlock Holmes.

Malcolm Souter

The Theatre Club continues to be in good health, both from a financial and a membership perspective.  We provide fellowship and friendship to those already within the Church and also to many who have no previous Church connection, and feel we meet the social needs of our community in a very practical way.  Our varied and comprehensive range of activities are particularly appreciated by those who are on their own, and who are unlikely to travel into London’s theatre-land by themselves, and we have seen many friendships established that extend beyond the club’s activities.

We have had a full programme of monthly trips either to the theatre, a concert or a place of interest.  We are trying where possible to get matinee performances for the theatres by popular request from the members.

This year we are planning a day trip to Hatfield House and Gardens.

Our membership is now full at 425 and we have a waiting list.  Average bookings are holding up well despite the inevitable increase in costs.  We will continue to limit the impact of this as far as possible.

Tony King