Chester Gang Show 56 Years On
Chester Gang Show began as "Scoutabout" as a joint venture between the 8th & 13th Chester Scout Groups back in 1953. We ran for two nights plus a matinee, starting on a very cold Friday night the 16th of January, until Saturday 17th. The original venue was in the Cathedral Refectory fitted out with a stage, while the dressing rooms were in the cloisters; if there was ever cause for a haunting by the original occupants that was it.
Within three years we moved on to another historic but more appropriate berth, the original Victorian Chester
Royalty Theatre where we performed until 1965. From then on we arrived at our present home, The Chester Gateway
Theatre in 1969 after two shows in the enormous ABC Cinema.
Our longest serving producer (Roy Fisher) with 32 shows to his credit steered the ship until 1995 and we received the Scout Association Gang Show Red Scarf award in year 2000, when Matt Davies had taken over. The next two producers were Richard Clarke, (up to 2007 after which we finally left the Gateway Theatre), and then Keith Harding in 2008, when we transferred to The King’s School. That, in a nutshell, is a an abbreviated version of our tale of rags to riches but, if you want to find out more, click on the Gang Show History or the Appreciation of Roy Fisher items on the menu.
53 Shows to date
Having finally coped with the transition to the King’s School Hall just over the Dee in Wrexham Road, in 2009 we managed to achieve what was (by general and independent confirmation) one of our best efforts so far. The next production will be part of the celebration of the centenary of Scouting in Chester. Therefore, we invite you all to join us yet again to see what we have on offer in what will be our 54th production.
If you now click on the button to call up our magic self-calculating booking form, the ultimate gateway to thrills and amazement; all will be revealed. We are not difficult to find, simply insert the King’s School postcode into your satellite navigation system or Google map and then rattle the buttons. If you haven’t been before then why not give it a try? If you came last year, then you will know that it should be well worth the effort.