Their search for a new home had brought them to the old disused 1881 fire station (for horse drawn engines). After much hard work, to a design by Owen Luder (later to become President of the Royal Institute of British Architects on two occasions and a well-known Dulwich personality), the first performance was held in what was to become the Bell Theatre. The play was "The Alchemist" and since then some 550 productions have been performed in the Bell and, since 1974, in Prompt Corner, our studio theatre.
The fire station was probably designed by Richard Pearsall, in the Metropolitan Board of Works Architect's Department, in Gothic style. It has now been listed as Grade Two and the Theatre is more secure in its tenancy. The South London Theatre is a Club Theatre with some 300 members but we would welcome many more.
Beyond the production of plays, the Centre hosts visiting companies: a Japanese High School Theatre Company, an Israeli Theatre Company (The Sharon Players) and Chorea Bohemica from the then Czechoslovakia to name but three.
We also have an extensive wardrobe hire facility run by our indefatigable Frances Walker.
The Youth and Children's Classes form a valuable contribution to our community activities, and children from 5 years upwards are seen active in the Theatre on Saturdays, with the Youth Theatre group on Mondays (early evening).
A Theatre requires ghosts and greasepaint, and we believe we have both! Greasepaint certainly in abundance, but I am assured several members working on stage experience 'a presence.' A Victorian fireman, perhaps?
Our history is developing... it cannot be achieved overnight. As we approach our thirtieth anniversary, we are firmly acknowledged within the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain, which we joined in 1975. This has been mainly due to the success of Ann Mattey as our representative to the Guild and her work as Regional Secretary, and subsequently as National Secretary. This role she relinquished at the 1995 AGM, at which I was honoured to become the Guild's Chairman for 1995/7. During my term as Chairman the Guild became 50 years old. Ann's position as our representative was taken by Pip Piacentino and later by Kait Nash, who continues to maintain, with me, the high profile of the South London Theatre in the Guild which currently has 82 member Theatres with several more in the pipeline.
The future is full of hope and confidence for our continued success. The change in style to the South London Theatre has helped to raise our profile and encourage more and more members to join what is one of the most active non-professional Theatre Companies in Great Britain.