Most northern
industrial villages and towns have had a rich history and culture of amateur
performance for well over a hundred and fifty years-church choirs, brass bands,
choral speaking, concert parties and plays. These events have been performed in
church and village halls, community and social centres and before the age of
mass popular culture, were the chief areas of
entertainment for working folks
who lived away from large cities. Support for them came from collieries and
companies, firms and foundries.
Clay Cross and Tupton
would have been no different. Chapel Players came into existence in its present
form and name in 1986 though drama was produced, linked to Tupton Methodist
Church, in the 1930s with the operetta, “Zurika” in the church rooms at New
Tupton. There appears to be a break until the mid 50’s when a variety of plays
were presented at the Old Tupton Association Hall by the Old Tupton Methodist
Dramatic Society-in 1959, a one act play was performed at the Court House, Clay
Cross. Later plays were performed in church and subsequently in the schoolroom
until the name Chapel Players was adopted with “Council for the Defence”-an Easter play which
was also performed in Stonebroom.
