Urgent call for helpers for The Arundel Players

They are in the fortunate position of having their very own home, the Arundel Priory Playhouse, which makes them the envy of many – but they still need to raise around £10,000 a year to cover the costs, and it's a struggle to do that from their six productions a year alone. But also a lack of volunteers is proving a real headache.

Dawn Smithers, chairman of the Arundel Players, said more helpers were needed ensure the Players’ continued success and operation. The future of the theatre certainly isn’t at stake. They are planning ahead for this year already. But more volunteers would certainly make things considerably easier. Get in touch via [email protected].

“We are urgently seeking volunteers to support an already over-stretched team for lighting design and operation, sound, set building, stage management, bar and front of house. By offering your help in these areas, you can contribute to the preservation of the Arundel Priory Playhouse and play a part in promoting the arts in our community”.

The Players held a successful open day early in November and a decent number of people came forward and signed up, but there is still a long way to go: “Since Covid our organisation has suffered. People have been very cautious very understandably about coming back and we have lost quite a few volunteers for various reasons. Some of them were quite elderly and just didn't want to come back and that's why we had the open day but I certainly wouldn't say that we're OK now. There are so many different aspects that we need filling. We're down to two people in the lighting and one person on the sound and we also need people to help with the set-building.”

Rent, general upkeep and energy prices are high: “A lot of our money comes through the six shows we do a year but also the revenue through the bar. And it is difficult to find people.”

As for audiences: “It is getting better. We did have a very bleak period just after Covid when everybody was understandably scared to come back. None of us wanted to do it but we have been doing lots of advertising and I would say that we are almost back to normal with audiences but whether they will visit depends on what you do. You have to judge it very carefully what you put on. I think in general because life is a bit bleak for people with the cost of living crisis and food and energy, people really just want to have a good laugh at the moment. They don't want to have the tragedies on stage. So really it's the volunteers we need and we know that we can't just rely on the same people to do the same jobs all the time. I wouldn't want to direct every show and I know that people don't want to be working in the bar for four nights. We're just very, very short of people, as I say, especially in lighting and sound and stage management.”There is no particular number that Dawn has in mind: “It is just a question of as many people as possible. The last show we did I spoke to the audience twice before the curtain went up and I went in during the interval just to chat to people and I do think that was helpful.”