Armed Forces community invited to join Theatre Royal Plymouth’s military choir, drama group and comedy club

Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) is now welcoming new members to join its dynamic Armed Forces choir and production group which both restarted this month, plus its revamped comedy club which kicks off in November.

The free community groups are part of TRP’s Our Space programme, which centres around four key strands of work, including prison and probation, community, productions and the Armed Forces. Funded by the Veterans’ Foundation, this element provides weekly workshops for service personnel, family members, the Armed Forces community and long-term wounded, injured and sick. Using drama, singing and comedy, the sessions help to build confidence, support wellbeing and foster a sense of purpose and camaraderie through shared creative experiences.

The TRP Armed Forces Choir, led by Letitia Jones, was founded earlier this year in conjunction with Welsh National Opera (WNO) and culminated with a performance on the main stage at this year’s Armed Forces Day on Plymouth Hoe in June. The choir explores a range of genres of music and is now on the lookout for new members. Sessions take place each Thursday evening and entry is open to all serving military personnel, veterans and family members over the age of 18.

Drama sessions, part of Our Space Armed Forces Productions, take place every Monday, and are led by practitioners Lee Hart and former Royal Marine, Tip Cullen.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work collaboratively, build new skills, and be part of an exciting creative process alongside others from the Armed Forces community as TRP works towards a production to be staged next year.

Meanwhile, the Comedy Club begins 07 November with a comedy workshop, 11am – 5pm, followed by a Comedy Night, featuring professional comedians and an optional open mic for participants who want to share their work from the day. The free event is led by Suzy Bennett in The Lab at TRP, offering attendees the chance to learn new skills and try out new material in a supportive, creative space.

Becky Ormrod, Programme Manager for Our Space, said:
 “As a military city, there is a real need for provisions to support veterans and their families, and Our Space is a dedicated offering to bring people with shared experiences together. All the activities in our Armed Forces strand aim to build confidence and inspire creativity, with no experience needed. If you have a passion for performing or simply want to connect with others with a military background, we’d love you to come along.”

Both the choir and production group take place weekly between 7pm – 9pm at TRP’s Production and Learning Centre, TR2, in Cattedown. The first Comedy Club workshop takes place at TRP in its smallest performance space, The Lab, 11am – 5pm, with the Comedy Night following from 7pm.

For a behind the scenes look at how the choir was formed and what the original participants took from the experience, watch this video: https://youtu.be/5mp2iCUgOfo.

For more information on the Armed Forces programme, express interest or book a place, email ourspace@theatreroyal.com.