This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Bijou Theatre Company, and they couldn’t be more excited to celebrate with a production of J.B. Priestley’s classic comedy When We Are Married.
The play follows three Yorkshire couples as they gather to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversaries—only to discover that due to a legal mishap, they may have never been married at all! Chaos ensues as the revelation sends shockwaves through their social standing, particularly for the proud husbands who are “big men at t’chapel.” With meddling newspaper reporters, a tipsy photographer, and unexpected visitors, it’s a night of laughter and surprises.
Sarah Caplan shares her personal connection to the play:
“When We Are Married has always held a place in my heart. It’s probably my earliest theatrical memory. My father played the drunken photographer Henry Ormonroyd in Dartmouth about 40 years ago. He was also the first person cast in this production—albeit in a different role.”
The theme of When We Are Married feels like the perfect choice for the Bijou’s 70th anniversary, especially as the play itself celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2024.
Seventy years ago, Greta Huggins, the founder of the Bijou Theatre Club, stood in the stable area of what was then the Gerston Hotel and said to her friends, “Let’s make a theatre.” And so, the Bijou Theatre Club was born—a small, 50-seat venue open only to members. They produced four plays a year, with membership costing just 10 shillings.
How things have changed! The company still produces four plays a year, and Greta would surely be thrilled to see this milestone celebrated.
Join them in celebrating 70 years of Bijou at the Palace Theatre, Paignton, from 30th April to 3rd May. They can’t wait to share this special production with you!
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