| 1981 |
Formation of DYT. First production,
The
Alternative Channel, written and performed.
Generally agreed to be 'pretty dire'. |
|
Dec 82/
Jan 83 |
First Christmas production - Oh!
What a Lovely War. This show was performed
again in 1994, with a completely different production
style. |
|
Dec 84/
Jan 85 |
Jesus
Christ Superstar. John Gleadall made his
Dynamo 'debut' as Musical Director when DYT were
the first youth theatre in the country to perform
this show, and has continued to be instrumental
in the musical development of the Company. Difficult
to believe in the 21st century, but DYT performing
this musical led to picketing outside the Arts
Centre by protesters who considered the show to
be blasphemy. This attracted the local ITV news,
giving DYT invaluable publicity. |
| Sep-85 |
First 6th Form play, Charley's
Aunt. The September slot gives the 16
to 18 year olds the opportunity to perform a small
cast play with much artistic and technical input. |
| May-86 |
Zigger
Zagger was the first production to have
an external director - Anne Baillie, who later
became Dynamo's Artistic Director from 1989 to
1990 |
|
Dec 87/
Jan 88 |
First production of Oliver.
May be remembered by several of the older Committee
members for the short set up time available and
friction at 2am while erecting the set. May have
led to this guidance
bulletin being issued. |
|
| Apr-89 |
Dynamo Seniors
performed their first play, Deathtrap.
Dynamo Seniors was formed to extend the age
range of the group to 25 bringing us into line
with the National Youth Theatre. The Seniors were
relatively autonomous with a stated Artistic Policy
'to present a high standard of dramatic entertainment
which will appeal to a large cross-section of
the public in the area'. |
| May-90 |
The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the
first production of a children's play. The make-up
in this show, especially for the White Witch and
Aslan, represented a major challenge for the back-stage
crew. |
|
| Jun-91 |
Tenth anniversary!
Amongst other celebrations were an Anniversary
Ball, a balloon race and members disco on a (rough)
boat trip in the Solent. |
| Feb-92 |
Heart
in Hand was, sadly, the last production
by Dynamo Seniors. By this time, most members
were leaving at 18 to go to University or away
on gap years and few returned to the area after
graduation. The Seniors could not be sustained.
|
| Jun-92 |
Tyre
Track Ted represented another innovation
for Dynamo. Led by Kevin Mundye, the older members
put together a play with a road safety message
which was taken on the road and performed in local
junior schools. |
Dec 92/
Jan 93 |
July,
a new show written specifically for DYT with music
by Jon Headon and story and lyrics by Andrew Bowker,
was premiered at the Arts Centre on 29th December
1992 with a formal black-tie evening. This show
was such a success that the management of The
Kings Theatre Southsea invited us to perform the
show there. |
|
| Apr-93 |
July
at
The Kings! Our first exciting exposure
to a real theatre! Although the set had been kept
from January, it had to be doubled in size - all
in a day and a half. On 15th April 1993, an audience
of 1200 (the largest audience at The Kings in
a year) had an amazing evening and gave the cast
an experience they will never forget. |
Dec 93/
Jan 94 |
Second production of Oh!
What a Lovely War and the debut for the
'revolve'. For this production, we built a revolving
stage which was powered by a large, strong young
man, Steve, the Arts Centre technician. Winding
this revolving stage around full of teenagers,
with the numerous scene changes was a thirst-making
experience and a hazard to Steve's back! |
 |
| Apr-94 |
DYT supported a group of ex-members,
led by Chris Hale, who formed themselves into
an ad hoc company calling themselves The
Dynamo Renegades and performed
Accidental
Death of an Anarchist during the Easter
vacation from their first year at University.
They came together the following Easter to perform
the Victorian melodrama The
Magistrate. |
|
Dec 94/
Jan 95
|
The unprecedented step was taken
of advertising for boys to join the company to
provide the male cast members for West
Side Story. Although most did not stay
long after this show, it did enable an exciting
and vibrant production of West Side Story. |
| Jun-95 |
The
Caucasian Chalk Circle - our first experience
of performing Berthold Brecht. Hmmmmmm. We haven't
done Brecht since.. |
|
Dec 95/
Jan 96
|
Further innovation with a modern
dance production of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker,
re-named The
Hot Nutcracker. Persuading male teenagers,
none of whom had any dance experience, that this
was a cool way of spending their Christmas holidays
remains one of Andrew Bowker's triumphs. |
| Jun-96 |
Our
Day Out by Willy Russell whetted our appetite
for Russell's work. We are still hoping to do
Blood Brothers sometime in the future.. |
| Sep-96 |
The 6th Form production of Bouncers
and Shakers got us into trouble with some
members of the audience over the language.. |
| Jan-97 |
A
Mean Old Man, written by John Gleadall
and previously performed by Purbrook Park School,
was extended by John with additional dialogue
from the DYT cast. |
| Apr-97 |
A
Mean Old Man performed at The Kings Theatre
Southsea, DYT's second visit to The Kings. Required
a completely new set. |
| May-97 |
Slide,
put together through a series of improvised workshops,
by Adrian D'Aubney who was Artistic Director for
7 months during 1997 |
| Jan-98 |
Joseph
and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
performed at Warblington School because of copyright
restrictions in performing in a public theatre.
A glossy, glitzy performance which further broadened
the cast's experience with a different venue. |
| Jan-00 |
Our Millennium production, Blitz
by Lionel Bart, was popular with both cast and
audience. It featured an innovative set, including
a 'brick' wall which collapsed impressively as
a climax in the final act. |
| Jul-01 |
Accompanied by an exhibition, the
20th
Anniversary Show started the celebrations
for our 20th birthday. The final memorable evening
was a wonderful reunion of ex-members from the
last two decades, many of whom gave off-the-cuff
testimonies to Dynamo at the end of the show. |
| Sep-01 |
Frank Hunwick directed the 6th form
in Thornton Wilder's Our
Town,
our first serious piece of drama for many years.
Following the author's recommendations for a minimal
set to the letter, Frank was praised by both the
audience and the set construction crew! |
| Jan-02 |
One
Pride One People was the second musical
in our history to be written especially for Dynamo.
With the research and story by Andrew Bowker and
music and lyrics by John Gleadall, One Pride One
People told the story of the people of Portsmouth
in the years immediately after the First World
War. The first night was again a black tie Gala
premiere evening. |
| May-02 |
One
Pride One People virtually filled
the New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth for
three nights. The thrust stage demanded innovative
scenery; we used four large drums which were rotated
when changes of scene demanded it. These, and
two very large backdrops were expertly painted
by Chris Durant. Unfortunately one of the backdrops
failed to appear on the last night when Chris
was present! |
|
| Sep-03 |
Outside
Edge. After failing to find a floor covering
that looked like grass and met the fire regulations
we decided on - real grass! It was watered daily
and had the added benefit of olfactory realism.
It was cheaper, too! |
|
| Jan-05 |
On its third outing (it had been
successfully used in Confusions
in 1998) the revolve failed when a small metal
pin in the winch sheared, leaving the stage in
chaos on the first night of Les
Miserables. After an early interval, during
which repairs were effected, the audience returned
to a longer than usual second half. |
| Jun-05 |
After a successful run in May at
Havant Arts Centre, Our
Day Out was performed again in St Faith's
church hall. Early doubts about audience numbers
were dispelled when the show was a 'sell-out'
and £550 was raised for St Faith's. |
| Jan-06 |
The get-in period for
July at the Arts Centre was so short that
we had to build and rehearse on the set at St
Faith's hall. The whole set was then struck and
rebuilt in the Arts Centre theatre within one
day. Another first! |
| May-06 |
Our 25th
Anniversary Show - a dance and drama spectacular,
recalling many of our most successful productions
was put together by no fewer than sixteen directors!
The usual Saturday 'last night' was replaced by
a very successful 'black tie' Anniversary Ball.
|
| Jan-07 |
Forty-five people turned up to the
first production meeting for Tommy.
Eventually over sixty helped in rehearsals and
back-stage to put on this very complex show. Review. |
| Jul-07 |
Roses
of Eyam: our first promenade production
and first at St Faith's church. No less than ten
acting areas were used, three of them among the
gravestones outside. External security problems,
lights and sound innovations and audience movements
were among the challenges successfully met. We
were blessed by the only dry week in a very wet
summer. Widely regarded as the most powerful drama
by Dynamo to date.
Review |
