WHO WE ARE
Banchory Drama Club has been part of the Banchory community for over 30 years. Our annual Christmas pantomime in the local town hall is always eagerly anticipated. We also participate in the annual Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA) Festival which takes place in the spring of each year. We encourage and develop talent in all areas of community drama, including writing, costume and set design and technical support, as well as acting, singing and dancing. We donate a third of any profit we make from ticket sales to local charities and invest the rest in the club. We welcome new members from age 12 to adult.
2023 Pantomime
Alice in Wonderland
Written by Andrew O'Leary (with
additional material by Iain Bovaird and Iain Temperley)
Directed by Iain Bovaird
2022 Pantomime
No Time to Pie
Written and Directed by Angie Walker
James Bond, on one of his most dangerous missions, is working deep undercover as Buttons, an odd job man, in the home of the impoverished Baron Hardup and his new wife, Ivana Ruledaverld. Bond is charged with thwarting Ruledaverld’s dastardly plan to kill Queen Charming. Unaware of the danger she is in, Queen Charming is busy planning a ball so that her son, Prince Charming, can find himself a suitable wife. Little does she know that the prince has already fallen for Cinderella...
Charity Donations 2022
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"On behalf of the Aberdeenshire South Foodbank may I express our grateful thanks for your kind and generous donation.
My wife and I attended on the Saturday, courtesy of your invitation and thoroughly enjoyed your performance - absolutely brilliant by everyone. We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and many thanks again for your donation that has gone towards purchasing items for those that find this time of year particularly difficult."
In 2022 we gifted £150 each to ABER Necessities, CLAN Banchory and Aberdeenshire South Foodbank.
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"Thank you very much for the tickets to the pantomime my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will certainly come next year. The cast was excellent with budding characters amongst the youngsters.
Thank you on behalf of Clan for advertising our services and giving us £150."
SCDA NEWS 2022
The club entered two plays into the SCDA Festival of One Act Plays this year. Just Another Day was written by Drew Young and came second in round 1. It successfully progressed to round 2 at Birnham. Just Another Day came 4th out of 8 plays in round 2 and the group scored very highly on acting, gaining the second highest score. They came home with 4 trophies: 1) Scott Salver Award for the best new play 2) Second Place in the 1st round, 3) Best moment of Theatre in the 1st round, 4) Best Play in Kincardine and Deeside.
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Drew Young receives the Scott Salver Award for Just Another Day
Our other SCDA entry, Hazel Dean 1985 was directed by Iain Bovaird and written collaboratively by the cast. Here we see the cast in rehearsal.
2021 PANTOMIME
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, written by Drew Young and directed by Iain Bovaird.
We had been unable to put on a show in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic. As 2021 progressed, we were unsure if we would be able to put on a pantomime this year as well. However, everyone was determined to give it a go and we put together a production in super quick time. Loosely based on the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle, it was a great success.
2019 PANTOMIME
Return to Tweasure Island, written by Drew Young and directed by Paul Foy
Return to Tweasure Island featured many of the much loved characters of the original story, some of their ancestors and a bunch of very posh pirates. Tally-ho!
2018 SCDA
In 2018, Banchory Drama Club submitted two entries for the SCDA competition, Magnolia, a humourous look at human evolution, and The Train. In contrast to the humour of Magnolia, The Train was a thought-provoking and emotional exploration of the Holocaust. Both plays were written by Drew Young.
The cast of Magnolia, which was co-directed by Muriel Thake and Drew Young.
The cast of The Train which was directed by Iain Bovaird.
2018 Pantomime
Hansel and Grettel, written by Drew Young and directed by Iain Bovaird
2017 SCDA ENTRY
TRIPTYCH
Triptych was successful in the first heat and progressed to the next round in Orkney.
Charlie Dickin's A Christmas Carol
Written by Drew Young and directed by Angie Walker.
2017 Pantomime
2016 Pantomime
Ginger, Breadman and the Fox
Written by Drew Young and directed by Angie Walker
2014
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DROWFS
2013 Pantomime
The original story of Peter Pan was adapted for BADCo by Drew Young and directed by Mike Reilly.
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2007 - 2009
PLAYS AND SKETCHES
THE MEMORY OF WATER
Written by Shelagh Stephenson
This play explored the relationship of three sisters as they came to terms with the death of their mother.
BADCO BASH
A series of skits and sketches
This was a bit of fun in the local pub
AN EVENING IN BAD COMPANY
Mores sketches, skits and monologues
The company presented a variety of short scenes, including original sketches and monologues by member, Drew Young.
2006
An Evening in Bad Company
An Evening in Bad Company was a presentation of shot plays and vignettes.
The audience watched cabaret style and enjoyed wine and nibbles during the performance.
1997 - 2000
CANADIAN EXCHANGE AND COLLABORATION
A CONSUMMATION DEVOUTLY TO BE WISHED
Written by Drew Young and taken to Ontario, Canada in 1997
ELMIRA THEATRE COMPANY
Visiting Banchory from Canada in 1998
SOCKS GO IN THE BOTTOM DRAWER
Written by Claire Booker and taken to Ontario in 2000
1995
PAJAMA TOPS
1993
RUMPELSTILTZKIN
The 1992 SCDA entry was Silence by Harold Pinter
The cast included Miles Reid, Drew Young and Muriel Thake.
1992
1991
Banchory Theatre Club came first in the regional heats of the SCDA festival with Lynda Marchal's With All My Love I Hate You.
They continued through to win the next round in Montrose and made the final in Kilmarnock which they also won.
1990
Stepping Out
Written by Richard Harris and directed by Pat Taylor and Millie Read, Stepping Out was a previous West End hit. In the Banchory production, Malcolm Turner was the only male dancer in the cast. He learned to tap dance for this show.
Sleeping Beauty
The 1990 pantomime was Sleeping Beauty, written by Norman Robbins and directed by George Robertson and Anna Colquhoun
1989
CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME
Santa in Space was written by Paul Reakes and directed by George Robertson and Anna Colquhoun
1988
1987 CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME
ROBINSON CRUSOE
Robinson Crusoe was written by John Morley and was directed by Malcolm Turner and Bea Stone
1986
AN EVENING OF CABARET
The Wild Wild Wests
Directed by Cardine Graham
CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The Banchory Pantomime this year was written by member, George Robertson. The Principal Boy was played by Yvette Whalley and Snow White was played by Muriel Thake.
CONTACT BANCHORY DRAMA CLUB
Email : banchorydramaclub@gmail.com