Our policy of trying to boost the quantity of dramatic productions appearing at The Headgate means that the New Year sees several Headgate Theatre Productions. In addition we will have a two night showing by Gallery Players (see later) and the return of The Tannahill Weavers.

The first Headgate Theatre Production for 2008 is Art by Yasmina Reza. Join three best mates as they find out what happens when one of their number buys a white painting! Yes...a white painting! This arch and acerbic comedy ran in the West End for many years and won the 1996 Olivier Award for Best Comedy and the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play...and now it comes to the Headgate starring Les Chisnall, Malcolm Kimmance and Will Parrick, and directed by Ian Amos. Wed 6th to Sat 9th February.

Kerry King will be directing the entertaining and moving Oh! What A Lovely War, from 23rd to 26th April. Auditions will be held in January at the Headgate. Anyone interested in being involved or helping out in any way should contact Kerry [kerrykingma@yahoo.co.uk or 01206 391435].

J.B.Priestley's chilling An Inspector Calls will be directed by Andrew Jeffers. He intends to rehearse the play intensively over two weeks and then perform it during the week 21st to 24th May. Watch this space for details of the auditions in March.

Since opening in 2002 our sound system has been a bit of a poor relation. Having installed a new mixing desk and multi core line from the stage to the lighting box, we are now looking to put in some good quality amplification and speakers along with some professional playing kit. All part of our continuing move to improve our facilities.

December is to be a very busy month starting with our sell out Poets - The Untapped Writers. Sorry if you are going to be disappointed - but the tickets are all gone. From 5th to 9th Aladdin runs amuck with our traditional Panto. Join old friends Wishee, Jasmine and Widow Twankey and we have managed to find the coolest genie any panto group could wish for. Seeing him in full cry will be worth the ticket money by itself. Following white...ummm right behind Aladdin will be Mr Pickwick's Christmas - a costumed telling of this Dickensian tale - very atmospheric. That same week will see the second showing of a play - Who is Leonard Jones? A production supported by Age Concern. It raises some very interesting questions. The Colchester Band will return on 14th with more smooth sounds filling the theatre.

And as we move into Christmas week itself - on the Friday 21st December Steve Allenby, formerly of Vagabonds, is arranging an evening of pure acoustic music - it should be very relaxing and on Saturday 22nd December Headgate Theatre Productions will bring you the New Foxtrot Serenaders - Christmas in Hollywood. The Serenaders are a seven-piece dance band and they will play some fantastic music from the 1930s and 1940s - all with a Christmas theme. What a month!

Dave King writes "It has long been my aim to try to get groups that perform slightly outside our locality to bring their shows to the Headgate. It seems daft to me that we spend large amounts of time rehearsing to only perform shows for three or four nights.

In September Mrs King and I went to the Sir John Mills Theatre in Ipswich to see a production by Gallery Players. This is a group much like Platform Musicals who perform in Ipswich and Felixstowe. Their shows are always of a very high standard. This latest venture featured two one-act musicals - Would You Like Chilli Sauce With That? written by a local writer and Stephen Sondheim's Marry Me A Little. Dawn and I both left the theatre saying that had we paid West End prices to have seen particularly the Sondheim, we would have still thought that we had had a fantastic evening. I am delighted to tell you therefore that Gallery Players have agreed to bring these two one-act musicals to The Headgate on 26th and 27th January 2008. I can not recommend them highly enough and would strongly urge you to come along on either that Saturday or Sunday evening.

The Headgate Theatre is administered by Theatre Arts
Trust, Reg. Charity No. 1076399