History
CDG (Coalville Drama Group) was founded around 1951. Originally founded as part of the Adult School Movement, along with many other groups, all using the Coalville Adult School Hall. It is possible that the group actually started earlier than 1951, as the primary focus of the group was entering play festivals, and there is evidence that the group did participate in Leicestershire festivals.
Our earliest record of plays was a set of three plays for the ‘Festival of Britain’ in 1951, we still have the original poster!
CDG have not always performed at the Coalville Adult School Hall, we have occasionally performed, as mentioned, in the Leicester Drama Festivals, travelling to Leicester on the local bus service, complete with scenery. Car ownership was not that common in the 1950’s!
In the earlier years of the CDG, 2 or 3 plays per year were performed, rising gradually to the quarterly production calendar that we enjoy today. A number of pantomimes have been produced which are also very successful, both in attendance and reception.
Present Day
The Drama Group has always attempted serious drama as well as comedies and farce. The wide range of productions is an excellent indicator to the strength of the society, with a particularly pleasing amount of TV adaptations also.
The Drama Group has maintained a membership of around 40-50 members, all participating in the production of the plays, from on stage roles through to the production support and backstage.
All our members are normal people (mainly!) who usually have a day job too, and this is their hobby. It is quite an addictive hobby, with many members joining and staying for years. Of course as people leave, other join, so there is a continual change to the membership, and our audiences enjoy seeing different people up on the stage. Many of our members were originally in the audience themselves, so perhaps you many be thinking about joining us? I can assure you that you will have a great time, and no kit, equipment or special clothing is required! Ask any member about joining. You’ll be given a warm welcome.
Over the years, the Drama Group has continually improved the stage technical equipment, the lighting, the costumes, and scenery, all to support improvements in the quality of the plays offered. This continual improvement carries on today.
The choice of plays and productions is unique in the field of amateur dramatics, where the director/producer chooses and casts their play. This method of working does ensure that we have avid and passionate directors who believe in their play, rather than committee chosen plays looking for a director to produce them. We believe this certainly gives us an edge in the plays we can offer, and looking back through our past play catalogue, it is fantastic to see the wide range of types of plays we have tackled. It is wonderful to have presented over 250 productions to our loyal audiences, and we look forward to many more years of drama, laughter and fun.
Full Performance History
| Year | Show Titles |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Blithe Spirit |
| 2024 | The Dresser Birthday Club The Shawshank Redemption Lady Chatterley’s Lover |
| 2023 | The Vicar of Dibley – The Second Coming Stepping Out Good Night Mister Tom When We are Married |
| 2022 | Blackadder II Dad’s Army The Vicar of Dibley |
| 2021 | Arts Festival Abigails Party Bums on Steats |
| 2019 | Cinderella The 39 Steps The Ghost Train Henceforward |
| 2018 | Inspector Drake and the Perfekt Crime Father’s Day And Then There Were None |
| 2017 | Puss in Boots Hitchcock Blonde Bouncers |
| 2016 | My Three Angels Last Tango in Little Grimley & Last Panto in Little Grimley Elementry My Dear |
| 2015 | Flint Street Nativity Who Dies Wins Sailor Beware |
| 2014 | TV Heaven 2 |
| 2013 | Pygmalion Blackadder La Cage Aux Folles |
| 2012 | Calendar Girls They Came From Mars and Landed outside the Farndale Church Hall in Time for the Townswomen’s Guild’s Coffee Morning Hi De Hi! TV Heaven When the Cats Away |
| 2011 | Christmas Extravaganza!!! We Found Love and an Exquisite Set of Porcelain Figures Aboard the SS Farndale Avenue Shakers Re-stirred Out of Order |
| 2010 | Jack & the Beanstalk The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 Fawlty Towers Haywire |
| 2009 | No Sex Please We’re British Anniversary Fawlty Towers The Hound of the Baskervilles |
| 2008 | Tarzan & The Lost City Up ‘n’ Under I’ll Get My Man Brassed Off |
| 2007 | Goldilocks & The Three Bears See How They Run! Busybody ‘Allo ‘Allo |
| 2006 | The Importance of Being Earnest The Love Match Frankenstein The Rise & Fall of Little Voice |
| 2005 | Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Bouncers Count Dracula Secondary Cause of Death |
| 2004 | Dick Barton in the ‘Tango of Terror’ Are You Being Served? Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime An Inspector Calls |
| 2003 | Robin Hood Fur Coat & No Knickers Hobson’s Choice The Accidental Death of an Anarchist |
| 2002 | Dick Barton Special Agent Dangerous Corner Last Tango & Last Panto in Little Grimley Bedside Manners |
| 2001 | The Unvarnished Truth Jekyll and Hyde Gasping Don’t Dress for Dinner |
| 2000 | Robinson Crusoe Lucky Sods Dial M for Murder Up and Running |
| 1999 | Ghost Train The Lesson & Last Will and Testament Murdered to Death Billy Liar |
| 1998 | The Shop at Sly Corner Amadeus Party Piece Pardon Me Prime Minister |
| 1997 | My Three Angels Having a Ball Caught on the Hop A Night on the Tiles |
| 1996 | Inspector Drake and the Time Machine Flying Feathers All in Good Time Deathtrap |
| 1995 | The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 Time-Murderer Please The Long the Short and the Tall When We Are Married |
| 1994 | A Christmas Carol Happiest Days of Your Life Bedroom Farce Slaughter House |
| 1993 | Phantom of the Op’ry Dry Rot Double Cut Aladdin |
| 1992 | Best Laid Schemes Winslow Boy Family Planning Take Away the Lady |
| 1991 | Spring and Port Wine One for the Pot Fur Coat and No Knickers Deadly Nightcap |
| 1990 | Pull the Other One The Dresser Reluctant Debutante Nightmare |
| 1989 | Play On A Sense of Guilt Welcome Surprise Package |
| 1988 | Nightwatch Abigail’s Party See How They Run Celebration |
| 1987 | This Happy Breed Not Now Darling Keep Smiling Through Sailor Beware |
| 1986 | Laughter in the Dark Fools Paradise Panic Stations |
| 1985 | Poet and Pheasant Beside the Seaside Tomb with a View |
| 1984 | Hot and Cold in All Rooms Mystery at Greenfingers The Late Mrs Early |
| 1983 | Something to Hide Blythe Spirit |
| 1982 | Pool Paradise Crystal Clear Breath of Spring |
| 1981 | Murder Mistaken The Camel’s Back Strike Happy |
| 1980 | Small Hotel Children’s Day Cat on the Fiddle |
| 1979 | Hay Fever Gaslight The Love Match |
| 1978 | Quiet Weekend As Long As They Are Happy Billy Liar |
| 1977 | Persons Unknown Post Horn Gallop |
| 1976 | Friends and Neighbours Wanted One Body |
| 1975 | Bride and the Bachelor Big Bad Mouse |
| 1974 | Night Must Fall Off the Rails |
| 1973 | Rebecca Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime |
| 1972 | See How They Run Semi-Detached |
| 1971 | Goodnight Mrs Puffin Murder for the Asking Spring and Port Wine |
| 1970 | I’ll Get my Man The Full Treatment |
| 1969 | The 10-5 Never Stops Busybody |
| 1968 | Don’t Utter a Note House by the Lake The Sky’s the Limit |
| 1967 | If Four Walls Told Queen Elizabeth Slept Here |
| 1966 | Proof of the Poison Too Soon for the Daisies |
| 1965 | House on the Cliffs Fools Paradise |
| 1964 | Tabitha Poet and Pheasant To Kill a Cat |
| 1963 | A Stylish Marriage Doctor in the House Curious Savage |
| 1962 | Watch it Sailor Amorous Goldfish Wanted One Body |
| 1961 | Strike Happy The 10-5 Never Stops A Policeman’s Lot |
| 1960 | Beside the Seaside Friends and Neighbours If Four Walls Told |
| 1959 | The Love Match Sailor Beware |
| 1958 | Devonshire Cream |
| 1957 | Love on the Never-Never |
| 1956 | The Paper Chain Without the Prince |
| 1955 | A Stylish Marriage Easy Money |
| 1954 | Displaced Person A Certain Man Birds of Passage Murder at the Vicarage |
| 1952 | The Carrier Pigeon The Dearly Departed The Tragedy of Nan |
| 1951 | The Carrier Pigeon Rose & Crown Prize Pigeon |