Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society (HIADS) have been performing plays and pantomimes for over 60 years on Hayling Island, Hampshire, UK, where they built and now run the Station Theatre. More information on the society is available at the HIADS Website

A brief history of HIADS

The official start of Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society

On 23 October 1947 a group of friends met at 'Springfield', the home of Arthur and Betty Oliver in Brights Lane. At this get-together HIADS was inaugurated and by the end of its first year boasted 72 members at one guinea a year. The driving forces behind this new venture were Dennis Collett as honorary secretary and Arthur Oliver as honorary treasurer. The minutes of the first meeting proclaimed that the Society was formed for the purpose of 'providing relief from the dreadful monotony of the winter on the island'.

At that time HIADS had no permanent home, but had to be content with finding somewhere to perform. Community life had been disrupted by the war which had finished two years earlier and residents were now beginning to drift back on to the Island. Amongst those making the Island their home were a group who felt they needed an outlet for their theatrical aspirations.

HIADS and The Barn Theatre

For the first few years shows were performed at a variety of venues until in 1949, Captain Ivan Snell, the owner of Mengeham House, offered to build a stage inside his Barn. In the following March the newly constructed Barn Theatre stage saw its first production with 'And No Birds Sing'. Much of the stage had been constructed using the old planking from the Bailey Bridge which had joined the Island with the mainland and was now being replaced. Many old stagers remember the rounded bolt heads pressing through their shoes and the stage furniture that refused to move in the right direction. In addition there were gaps between the ill-fitting planks.

When Captain Snell died in 1958, his WIDOW Marjorie Snell became President of HIADS. She shared her late husband's interest and enthusiasm for the theatre and was more than delighted to allow the Barn to be used for this purpose - free of charge. In 1967, the principal of the School of Dancing felt that the stage was unsuitable for dancing displays and it was decided to rebuild it at a cost of AbOUT £130.

HIADS 100th Production

In 1983, in order to celebrate the societies 100th Production three Full-Length Plays were staged running in repertory over three weeks. These were 'The [...] of Sister George', 'Dial M For [...]' and 'Barefoot in the Park'.

The Final Play at the Barn

For the final production at the Barn Theatre, it was decided to repeat 'When We Are Married', the classic Yorkshire comedy by JB Priestley. The performance ran from 18 to 25 May 1996, and was the final performance at the lovely Barn Theatre. The original production of this play in 1970 was the one which got HIADS back onto its feet after a spell in the doldrums. Vice-President Derek Oakley, who had appeared in a leading role in the play, directed. and eight of the 1970 cast, Eric Dossetter, Pem Hampton, Derek, Pam & Neil Oakley, Betty & Jane Oliver and Paul Covell came to see it.

HIADS had become an important part of Hayling life and continues to contribute to the culture and entertainment of the Islanders. The Barn Theatre, thanks to the continued support of the Snell and Selby families, was arguably the most attractive amateur theatre in Hampshire. It had atmosphere, tradition and charm, and audiences to the Barn always found a warm welcome and undoubtedly a polished and imaginative production, worthy of the best amateur dramatic societies.

The Move to the Station Theatre

In December 1992 the Society heard that the future of their tenure at the Barn Theatre was in doubt and it led them to seek new premises. The ambitious project to turn the old Goods Shed at Hayling Station at the end of the Hayling Billy railway line into a 144-seater theatre soon caught local imagination. Vice-chairman of HIADS, Eric Dossetter decided to talk with the Selbys now in the late seventies to see what might happen to the Barn when the family passed on. It was unlikely that the estate would continue as it was, and although HIADS had no wish to leave, they really had to think about the future. The Selbys were most understanding about it and gave HIADS their full backing. Eric Dossetter took over as chairman of a small Project Committee, and under his guidance the Station Theatre project proceeded.

HIADS would move a mile and a half westwards across the Island to their own new theatre. It would undoubtedly be warmer and more comfortable with more amenities like loos and a larger stage, backstage facilities, workshop, foyer and bar, but the lingering atmosphere of memorable productions at the Barn still remain with many of the older members and supporters. There are nostalgic memories of smoky fires, draughts through the many cracks, pigeons in the auditorium, a cramped unisex dressing room and the cold, wet walk to the outside toilets. The show always went on, the audiences were appreciative and the plays compared very favourably with the best in the amateur theatre. But above all, that era will be remembered for the friendly and accommodating families of the Snells and Selbys who made it all possible. They helped us to find 'relief from the dreadful monotony of winter on the Island'.

HIADS at the Station Theatre

The Station Theatre

For a full description of the history of the Station Theatre and its close connection with HIADS, please see Station Theatre (Hayling Island).

Film Shows at the Station Theatre

On 3 July 1998 the first film was shown on Hayling Island for 37 years thus bringing yet another attraction to the Station Theatre. They opened with ‘Mrs Brown’ starring Judi Dench and Billy Connolly and it was a sell-out. Since then with the help of more donations, they have bought their own screen and projector and films are normally shown about once a month with a matinee and evening performance.

Plays Aplenty

During the first five years HIADS continued its policy of producing comedies (such as Murdered to Death, Season’s Greetings, Habeas Corpus & Haywire), thrillers (such as Gaslight, Blood Money & Dead Guilty), costume plays (Gaslight, The Cherry Orchard & Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime) and an annual Christmas production (Toad of Toad Hall, Cinderella and Aladdin) plus many others. They were lucky to have at least eight experienced directors, and others have developed since. Acting membership remained fairly steady in numbers, but faces changed as actors inevitably grew older or moved away.

Youth Theatre and HIYA

Yvonne Hawley had been running a theatre youth group at the Barn before the move, and continued for a further four years. Some of her charges went away to drama colleges and some have remained and are now taking leading roles. The Youth theatre performed in several shortened plays (Little Women, The Sleeping Cutie & A Midummer Night’s Dream) as well as appearing in full productions and pantomimes. Unfortunately this Youth Theatre closed in 2000 due to lack of resources. In 2007 a new youth group started called Hayling Island Young Actors (HIYA) run by Jenni Spice and aided by Rob Finn and Andrew Griffiths. This group not only act in the HIADS Pantomimes and other plays, but also produce their own childrens show each year.

Into the 21st Century

The new century saw a rise in acting and associate membership, many of the former being younger. Several more modern plays such as ‘Amy’s View’, ‘The Memory of Water’ and the British amateur premiere of an Australian play ‘Dead White Males’, which was also featured in Amateur Stage as their ‘Play Produced in February 2004. These plays taxed the directors, and actors alike, while the back up in stage management, props, wardrobe, lighting and sound have continued to be of a high quality.

Up to the middle of 2004, HIADS had performed 46 plays at the Station Theatre and welcomed over 50 visiting groups or individuals, ranging from a military band concert to Old Time Musical Halls, dancing displays to light opera and many professional one-nighters. We have supported Havant Arts who have held workshops at the Station and welcomed local Societies such as Hayling Musical Society and the Island Tap School. The theatre is in use six days a week and the box office is manned every weekday morning by volunteers mostly from amongst the associate members.

200th Play

The 200th play involved nearly all members of the Society either on stage, back stage or in support front of house. Two full length comedies are being performed on alternate nights over a fortnight in August. Rob Finn directs The Miser a classical play by Moliere adapted by Miles Malleson, while Yvonne Hawley directs a more recently written Discworld fantasy Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs. Only two actors appeared in the 200th play, Lesley Barker and Derek Oakley, who had appeared in the 100th, ‘Barefoot in the Park’.

Of the 200 plays performed, four plays were repeats: ‘Ladies in Retirement’ (1951 & 1979), ‘When We Are Married’ (1970 & 1996),’ The Owl & the Pussycat Went to See’ (1977 & 2002) and ‘Blithe Spirit’ (1981 & 1999), the last directed on both occasions by Martin Stevens. It is impossible to record how many actors have trod the boards of the Barn and the Station but it is well in excess of 1,000 excluding Dancing Schools and visiting shows, with nearly 50 different directors in charge.

HIADS Now

HIADS 60 years on

HIADS continues to go from strength to strength with continued enthusiasm from its members and support from the people of Hayling Island and surrounding towns.

References

• HIADS (2004). "From Barn to Station: A Brief History 1947-2004", Captain Derek Oakley, Holbrook Printers Ltd.