The Knebworth Players are an amateur dramatic group based in Knebworth, Hertfordshire.
The Knebworth Players was formed in the Autumn of 1921 as a debating group and the first production was in May 1922 at the then recently opened Knebworth Memorial Hall, as the Village Hall should strictly be called.
The play performed was Woodbarrow Farm by Jerome K. Jerome. The first seven plays were produced and directed by H. Metcalfe Wood, a professional actor and producer. Since then, these tasks have usually been done by Society members.
There have been productions every year (except the war years 1940 to 1945). For the last twenty years there have been three productions a year, normally in October, January and April. The total number of plays performed over the years is now approaching 200, all but five of which have been at the Knebworth Memorial Hall.
In 1973, the hall was extended to provide a purpose built stage. Before that, the stage and proscenium arch had to be constructed for each production and dismantled afterwards.
Four of the plays not performed in the Village Hall were performed at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage as part of the Stevenage Festivals of 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The fifth was at the Lytton Theatre in a joint evening with the Lytton Players at a time when the Village Hall was being refurbished.
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