Seventy years of experience
The Henley Players amateur theatre group is based in the celebrated town of Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. The Players offer acting, directing and stagecraft opportunities for the dedicated amateur.
Founded in 1948, The Players have been active for 70 years, performing at The Kenton Theatre in the heart of Henley-on-Thames. We currently have around 80 members, and are hoping to grow our membership. Please get in touch for information about how to join us.
The Kenton Theatre
We are proud to perform our full-length plays at The Kenton Theatre. The Kenton Theatre is the fourth oldest working theatre in England, and a centrepiece of historic Henley. For information about forthcoming shows and the theatre itself, please visit The Kenton Theatre website.
Our productions
We produce two full-length plays each year, one in the spring (March) and one in autumn (October). Play-readings are held ahead of auditions, taking place at least 4 months before production date. Potential members are very welcome to attend readings, and most auditions are open to non-members. Please see the homepage for details, or contact the Secretary (secretary@henleyplayers.com). Ideas for future productions are always welcome!
Rehearsals
Rehearsals generally begin around 3 months ahead of performance dates, and take place twice a week at first, sometimes increasing to three times a week in the month prior to the show. Our rehearsal venues vary, but are either at our usual venue Harpsden Hall, or within Henley town centre. Rehearsals run from around 7:45-10:00 pm, but this is at the discretion of the director. When time allows, we like to make rehearsals a social event, and often go to the pub for a quick drink afterwards.
Festival fever
Each year, The Players produce one or two short plays (<50 minutes) that are entered into two or three local theatre festivals (competitions) in Oxfordshire or neighbouring counties. These are perfect opportunities for members to try their hand at directing, stage-managing, or acting. Please get in touch with the Secretary (secretary@henleyplayers.com) if you have a play in mind that you think would be great for The Players, or wish to become involved in any other way.