The local community drama group has been providing theatre to Whitchurch since 1958 and has called the Parish Hall home since 2015. They aim to put on two productions per year and often put on other events such as Murder Mystery dinners and Poetry & Prose evenings, which are open to all. They are the reason for the spotlights on the ceiling and the stage curtain. WADS are an important part of the Parish Hall as well as the community surrounding it.

Club Night is every Tuesday at 8pm, with the exception of the school summer holidays, and anyone is welcome to come along. We are always looking for new members both on stage and supporting - actors, seamstresses, set builders and decorators, hair & make up …

To be added to the WADS supporters’ list, please email wadswhitchurch@gmail.com

WADS’ next production will be The Government Inspector (or, A Little Local Difficulty), adapted by Philip Goulding from Nikolai Gogol's classic comedy. The play will run for three nights at Whitchurch Parish Hall from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 June.

WADS has chosen this play partly as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with Ukraine - Gogol was born there, in the village of Sorochyntsi - and partly because it’s a very funny play; a farce about corruption in a small town.

Winston Churchill said, just before WWII began, that “The arts are essential to any complete life. The State owes it to itself to sustain and encourage them”. He is also alleged to have said, in response to a suggestion to cut arts funding to support the war effort, “Then what would be fighting for?” In fact, he didn’t say that, but then he also didn’t wear a suit to the White House when he was a war leader.

There will be a collection during the play and we would appreciate any cash donations you can spare. There will also be the opportunity to donate electronically but we would rather the funds go to an official humanitarian charity than to the booking mechanism - just this once.