A tragic turn of events for Thorpe Players

After dealing with murder, mystery and music the busy Thorpe Players will be turning their attention to tragedy next.

One of the worst railway accidents this country has known – the Thorpe railway disaster is the subject of a play to mark the forthcoming 150th anniversary of the catastrophe.

A small group from Thorpe Players has written a production which explores the stories of some of those involved, the impact of decisions made, the absurdity of the legal arrangements and the outcomes resulting from that fateful day.

ON SONG: Members of Thorpe Players perform the opening number ‘King
of the Road’ at the charity concert.

“It has been a fascinating and rewarding experience to discover what happened, and how, even though many lives were lost, many more lives have been saved as a result,” said Thorpe Players’ Jan Jones.

“This story has given us a unique opportunity to bring to life part of our local heritage and to pay tribute to both victims and survivors, descendants of whom are still alive in our communities today.

​“We would love to welcome you to share with us a part of Thorpe history on October 10, 11, and 12 at the Roxley Hall, Yarmouth Road.”
The Players held a recent musical charity concert to raise funds for EACH and the Gastroenterology Unit at NNUH.

The concert,  which had the theme of ‘A Time and a Place for Everything’. featured a wide variety of songs chosen by each of the performers as well as two chorus numbers performed by the Company.

The event concluded with a sing-a-long from ‘Mary Poppins’ which the audience were invited to join.

The concert folllowed a successful production by the Players of ‘A Murder is Announced’ by Agatha Christie, adapted for the stage by Lesley Darbon.

In true Agatha Christie style, the play had a cast of many characters most of whom had a motive for the murder.

There were many twists and turns which kept the audience in suspense and guessing.

“The play showcased the performances of some of the new members who have joined the Company together with some of our more experienced actors. All of the actors played their characters convincingly, thereby giving authenticity to the plot.

“The performances were very well attended and appreciated by the audiences with almost full houses every night,” said Jan.

New members who wish to be involved in  productions are welcome, as well as anyone who would like to be a  Friend.

To learn more about Thorpe Players, who were formed in 1972 and have performed more than 130 unique prodctions, visit www.thorpe-players.co.uk or get in touch via thorpeplayers@gmail.com