08/10/2022
It is with much regret & sadness that we must announce the closure of HMS Collingwood theatre club. This is a decision not willingly made, & long before many of us feel the final act has been written, however, the establishment no longer feels it can offer us a home. There is no appetite to move the club elsewhere as our heart has & always will be with the Royal Navy in Collingwood.
It brings to an end 80 years of theatre at Collingwood, starting at the old wooden theatre many of you may remember, & continuing for the last 20 years in the Millennium Hall. It saw the appointment of the first & only civilian theatre manager on a Navy site, someone you may know better in his role as Buttermilk the Cow. A number of our members have gone on to professional success both on & off stage in London’s West End & in other areas of the entertainment industry. A legacy to be proud of.
We would like to thank you for your support over the years & encourage you to continue this with other local groups - particularly Admiral’s Players on Whale Island, Portsmouth, Sultan Theatre Club in HMS Sultan & Titchfield Festival Theatre. You just may see some familiar faces.
As the curtain falls for the last time, thank you & goodbye.
Collingwood RSC (Random Salad Company)
1939-2022
