CCP were formed in 1967 when the Priest of Christ Church wrote a Passion Play and wished to perform it. Members of the congregation, some of whom are still associated with the Players, took parts.

Having enjoyed the experience, they set up “Christ Church Players” and subsequently changed this to “Church Crookham Players” to reflect our wider appeal to the community.

The Memorial Hall in Sandy Lane has been the main venue for several years and the limits of the stage have been well tested with plays such as Alan Ayckbourne’s The Norman Conquests and Bedroom Farce, and other plays, such as Ghost Train, where a train had to cross the stage, Winslow Boy, which had the stage extended by four feet with a full ceiling and chandelier, and Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer, which began with a thunderstorm passing over the auditorium.

There have also been welcome diversions. In 2004, we were proud to be invited to stage the Victorian Thriller Gaslight as part of the Winchfield Festival – a weeklong feast of entertainment and events.

Touring has become important to the Players, and we generally tour one act plays and monologues to various church halls in winter, with any proceeds going to charity. It is hectic and lots of fun.

Not all our choice of plays will please or attract everyone. The Killing of Sister George (2001) was criticized in some quarters but proved to be excellent entertainment and a great success, and our last play Deathtrap (2003) received much acclaim for its setting and acting.

No one can ever accuse us of being boring or 'in a rut'.

CCP has a convivial membership of all ages and put on four productions a year, one a tour for charity, and one in the open air in the summer.

We design and build our own sets, provide Front of House facilities, design the programmes, posters and tickets, and arrange refreshments on the night - all-important jobs to give the audience a true theatrical experience.

We have our own set and property store, a small costume store, a selection of lights and sound equipment, enough to make the group self- sufficient for small shows.

Members come and go, and even come back. We try to expand and improve our technical base and find challenging plays to stage. As with all groups, we welcome new members for any of the tasks, from set building to playing a part, or even costumes.

The group enjoys an active social scene, including meals out, visits to the professional theatre, picnics, poetry readings, workshops, and, of course, a Christmas party.

Full Membership is only £10.00 per year, or you could become an associate member for £3.00 and receive our newsletters.