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What's on - Live shows Cinema Box Office Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society Contacts Find Us Links

Productions  and  Events

In common with the airlines and railways, all times are shown in 24-hour format.
Also, in common with the airlines, all times are local....

Our 2009 programme continues with:
 

•	LADS Youth Theatre presents The Dracula Spectacula by John Gardiner and Andrew Parr on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June at 19:30 and Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June at 14:30.   A spooky bubbling musical extravaganza!  The immaculate Miss Nadia Nieve and her three pupils are swung into riotous Transylvanian happenings with the irrepressible Count and his gruesome acolytes.
•	This year's Ledbury Poetry Festival will run from 3rd to 12th July inclusive.  Several events will be in the Theatre: please contact them direct for tickets and further details on 0845-458-1743, or visit their website.
•	We welcome Louis de Bernières & Ilone Antonius-Jones on Saturday 18th July at 20:00   Ilone has been working with the author Louis de Bernières (most famous for his book "Captain Corelli's Mandolin") since 2002.  They have delighted audiences all over the UK and abroad with their unique blend of poetry and music, and have had a run of sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and at the Hay-on-Wye Literature Festival.  Tickets: price £8 .

	Dates for your diary...
•	Northumberland Theatre Company presents Whisky Galore by Compton McKenzie on Saturday 3rd October
•	King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys on Friday 13th November
•	Angel Exit Theatre Company presents Moonfleet, based on J Meade Falkner's classic novel on Saturday 21st November
•	Hijinx Theatre Company presents Gulliver by Kit Lambert on Saturday 5th December
•	Ledbury Community Choir's annual Christmas Concert will take place on Saturday 12th December
•	To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Market Theatre, LADS 2010 Pantomime will be Cinderella, to be directed by Andrew Hill.  Performance dates have not yet been set (watch this space), but Auditions will take place on Friday 18th September.  Also, watch this space for times of these - there will be separate auditions for adults and children.

Box Office

Our Box Office for all live shows (ie. not the Cinema - click here for info.), unless otherwise noted above, is now the Ledbury Tourist Information Centre, who are in the Master's House in St. Katherine's car park.  Their opening hours are:

	From 1st April to 30th September	09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Saturday
	From 1st October to 31st March	09:30 to 16:30 Monday to Saturday

They offer a telephone booking service on 01531-636147 and credit card payment facilities during those hours.  Patrons may also book there in person.  Tickets for live shows may be bought on the door, subject to availability.

The Theatre is wheelchair accessible, has a disabled toilet and a hearing loop.
Please advise us of any special requirements when booking.

Cinema

The Cinema has a 20-foot screen and 5-channel Dolby sound.

Films will generally be shown on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30
and selected Friday and Saturday evenings at 20:00, unless otherwise shown.
Complimentary tea and coffee will be served from 10:00 before all morning showings.
The bar will be open from 19:00 before all evening showings.

Ledbury Film Club

These films will generally be shown on Fridays at 20:00.  You can buy a membership (phone 01531-634138) for the autumn season (titles TBA) for just £10 (seating guaranteed).

Our 2009 film season continues with:

Friday 19th June at 20:00

• Changeling (2008)     [15] - 141mins
  A mother's prayer for her kidnapped son to return home is answered, though it doesn't take long for her to suspect the boy who comes back is not hers.  Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Wednesday 8th July at 10:30

• Doubt (2008)     [15] - 104mins
  Set in 1964, Doubt centres on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student.  He denies the charges, and much of the play's quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality, and authority.

Friday 31st July at 20:00

• A Bunch of Amateurs (2008)     [15] - 96mins
  Faded action star (Burt Reynolds) leaves Hollywood for what he believes is a run of King Lear in Stratford-upon-Avon, to find out that it's an amdram performance in Stratford St. John, Suffolk!  Like Calendar Girls, this is a very British film that leaves a warm glow.

Wednesday 12th August at 10:30

• Mamma Mia! (2008)     [PG] - 108mins
  It has all been said, and sung, before!

Please note there will be no Friday evening film in August.

Saturday 19th September

• 7 Inch Cinema brings us a Special Children's Film Day :-
   
  Komaneko (2006) [U] at 10:30 - 70mins
  Directed by Tsuneo Goda (Japan), Komaneko is suitable for ages 4 and upwards.  After being given a camera, Komaneko discovers that animation can be really fun; and hard work too.  Later on she takes her camera out into the woods near her house and tries to get a shot of the Bigfoot that lives there.  This feature version of a Japanese TV series is an absolute joy, with plenty of inspiration for budding filmmakers of all ages.  The story is told in gestures and images rather than dialogue, and the attention to detail is amazing - especially the hand-made characters who act out Komaneko’s stories.
   
  The Red Balloon (1956) [PG] and supporting shorts at 17:00 - 70 minutes total
  Directed by Albert Lamorisse (France), The Red Balloon is suitable for ages 7 and upwards.  The Red Balloon is about a boy called Pascal and his friendship with a shiny red balloon.  They share everything together, until a group of bullies come between them...  This well-loved tale by French photographer-turned-filmmaker Albert Lamorisse (who won an Oscar for best short film) is still watched around the world today.

Cinema Bookings

Admission to all films will be £4 adults and £2.50 students, available on the door
(unless shown otherwise above).

See Film Club for discounts to selected Film Club showings.

Looking for somewhere to eat before or after the show, or for local accommodation?

These details have been moved to our Links page.

Ledbury  Amateur  Dramatic  Society

The Market Theatre is owned and run for the community by Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS).

LADS was founded in 1938 and now has over 90 members.  It puts on three productions a year, including a pantomime.  The Theatre is staffed entirely by LADS volunteers, who work front of house as well as behind the scenes.  LADS general meetings take place in The Market Theatre on the first Monday of the month (except January, May and August), starting at 20:00.

Find out more about
LADS, the history of this theatre, its predecessor, and of theatre and cinema in Ledbury.

 

The Market Theatre, which opened in January 2000, combines the intimacy of the old Market Theatre with modern purpose-built facilities.  It provides a dedicated venue for amateur and professional performing arts, and is of enormous benefit to the town and the surrounding area.

The Theatre is situated in Market Street, which runs through the former Cattle Market between Bye Street and New Street, very near the centre of the town of Ledbury, Herefordshire.  The area opposite our frontage is now Ledbury's Community Hospital.

Ledbury is 9 miles from Malvern, about 16 miles from Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester, 50 miles from Bristol and Birmingham and 5 miles from the M50 junction 2.  Click here to see where we are.

The Theatre has:

• A seating capacity of 128 in 8 raked and staggered rows.
• A flexible front-of-house area that is suitable for social, rehearsal or studio performance uses.
• A small bar.  This is part of the foyer, and both are open half an hour before each performance.
• A balcony overlooking the foyer, which can be used as a Musicians' Gallery.  The spindles for this were turned on a traditional pole lathe from green oak by local craftswoman, Gudren Leitz, who carried out the same task for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in Southwark, London.
• A stage area that overcomes the height and width restrictions experienced in the old theatre.  This can provide additional seating.
• The disabled facilities and indoor toilets that the old building lacked.  This includes level wheelchair access to the foyer, auditorium, stage and backstage.  There is also a loop for the hard of hearing.
• Dressing rooms and a workshop area.

Click to see a ground floor plan of the building, together with stage dimensions and a list of equipment.  The whole building, or just the Foyer or the Auditorium, is available for hire.  The Auditorium is suitable for concerts, meetings, etc, as well as for theatrical events.  The Foyer is ideal for small wedding receptions, club dinners, etc.

The Auditorium from the Stage.
 

The Stage, with the set for The Herbal Bed (April 2009).
You can view more photos of this production here

The Foyer from the Balcony.
 

The Foyer, showing the Balcony.

Note the Theatre's Masks of Comedy and Tragedy, mounted above the bar.  These are made from solid copper, and were a leaving present from the theatre in Kitwe, Zambia, to a past member, Meg Fanshawe, when she retired to England.  Meg bequeathed these masks to LADS, but sadly she did not see the completion of the new Theatre.

Youth Theatre:  The Theatre runs a drama workshop in conjunction with Hereford Courtyard on Tuesdays after school for 7-14 year-olds

New Members are always welcome.  If you would like to join us in any capacity - on or off the stage - please come along or make contact.

Contacts

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• The Theatre's postal address is:
  The Market Theatre
  Market Street
  LEDBURY
  Herefordshire   HR8 2AQ

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Last updated June 12th 2009.