About Us

Accomplished! Our return to the Theatre Royal stage with Company. Now we are preparing for our Autumn show – Alan Ayckbourn’s hilarious Season’s Greetings.

Here are our future plans – we are still working on the schedule given the uncertainty that remains around the loosening of restrictions.

  • Season’s Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn – 9 to 13 November 2021 – ON SALE NOW – visit the show page for more information
  • Christmas entertainment – watch this space!
  • Me and My Girl by Douglas Furber and L Arthur Rose – April 2022
  • Summer fundraiser at the Theatre Royal 2022
  • Hello Dolly! by Jerry Herman  – Autumn 2022
The Irving Stage Company is one of the oldest theatre groups in Suffolk and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2019. It was formed in 1959 as The Irving Club by a group of enthusiasts anxious to present high quality theatre. We now perform primarily at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds – the country’s only surviving working Regency playhouse, which marked its 200th anniversary in 2019.

Our History

Paving the way for success...

Since 1959 the company has established a fine record for classical and contemporary theatre in the region. The Irving Youth Company was founded in 1986 and merged with the main company several years later where it still stages up to three productions a year. In 2019 we will be celebrating our Diamond Anniversary.

The company played a major role in supporting the restoration of the Theatre Royal both during the 1960s and the recent tremendously successful project of 2005-2007.

Priding itself on presenting a wide range of musicals and plays, the theatre group gives opportunities to those who have done it for many years (the oldest member being in his 80s) as well as those who have never trod the boards before.

@IrvingStageCo on Twitter

Join us for Bobby’s 35th birthday? https://t.co/4Fu8PExfwD https://t.co/dm8d9Vu7EZ

Posted on Monday 29th March 2021 18:56

Would you want to miss this? Really? Honestly? https://t.co/Vvu25t4cdS https://t.co/e4vhUFk1fZ

Posted on Monday 10th February 2020 21:09

All I want is a room somewhere.... #myfairlady @TheatreRoyalBSE https://t.co/WQw9OMUOAm https://t.co/VDR5iTWm5n

Posted on Wednesday 17th July 2019 20:12

Sounding amazing! https://t.co/uGQWMMaAKE

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 12:12

An empty pit https://t.co/KaJxVkn1pO

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 11:39

Sitz Probe preparation https://t.co/dduZmmSUBa

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 11:28

Each game of chess... https://t.co/WDWmxGEwHO

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 10:54

Pit preparations https://t.co/lrWjzzsdim

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 10:06

Sound man Phil has checked in... https://t.co/6FHrp4hGMd

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 10:06

Home for the week! https://t.co/ZYmjFDzp8v

Posted on Sunday 10th March 2019 10:05

#lovetriangle #chessthemusical #theatreroyal #irvingstagecompany https://t.co/zsGh59W8D2

Posted on Wednesday 6th March 2019 10:48

Grudge match. @TheatreRoyalBSE March 12-16. In chess and love...who will conquer? #chessthemusical https://t.co/cBx1vR4PIc

Posted on Wednesday 6th March 2019 10:46

Grab your @buryfree @NKTJournal @haverhill for a preview of what’s coming up! We’re mega excited! @TheatreRoyalBSE https://t.co/QhfyKPydim

Posted on Thursday 28th February 2019 20:11

Each game of chess means there’s one less Variation left to be played https://t.co/gulVtbXXpQ

Posted on Friday 22nd February 2019 22:33

Press conference #chess https://t.co/oZb7UMWXt7

Posted on Tuesday 15th January 2019 19:19

And onto the next show.... #Chess #Merano https://t.co/J2vbyZ5S6g

Posted on Monday 19th November 2018 20:19

Opening night @TheatreRoyalBSE . Absolutely fabulous show. Well done all involved! #alloallo https://t.co/j41CqczXcW

Posted on Tuesday 6th November 2018 22:23

While Allo Allo! Steps onto the stage @TheatreRoyalBSE next week, Chess rehearsals are underway! https://t.co/65UW8bdf7C

Posted on Wednesday 31st October 2018 20:07

It is I. Leclerc.... https://t.co/Qim9crhg2c

Posted on Sunday 14th October 2018 10:13

Good moaning! https://t.co/DbWSTMoYor

Posted on Sunday 14th October 2018 10:09

Mdm Edith, ‘entertaining’ the customers in Rene’s cafe... https://t.co/16AxygwUsl

Posted on Sunday 14th October 2018 10:05

Capt Bertorelli, Colonel Kurt Von Strohm & Helga. https://t.co/S2NsRbAf02

Posted on Sunday 14th October 2018 9:59

Very excited to be at the first Sunday rehearsal for Allo Allo! Very excited! Some pics to follow.... https://t.co/yth0AJe2rC

Posted on Sunday 14th October 2018 9:28

Our chess director, Sian, getting in the mood... #eachgameofchess https://t.co/jZ9qWn25F4

Posted on Wednesday 3rd October 2018 18:10

Have you booked tickets yet? If not... What a mistake-a to make-a! @TheatreRoyalBSE https://t.co/IyyrLAtwrh

Posted on Wednesday 3rd October 2018 14:27

We hope you’re coming to see Allo Allo! November 6-10. @TheatreRoyalBSE https://t.co/yGEOmxfrtj

Posted on Wednesday 3rd October 2018 14:26

It’s opening night.... Hope to see some familiar faces this week. Thank you for your support! @TheatreRoyalBSE https://t.co/Wkt3FUfby7

Posted on Tuesday 13th March 2018 16:45

Tech rehearsal about to start @TheatreRoyalBSE Have you got your tickets? https://t.co/xfquAorkTG

Posted on Sunday 11th March 2018 18:32

Band call for the producers! We are performing @TheatreRoyalBSE 13-17 March https://t.co/Fn6NeFFL9l https://t.co/INlTyPF8bf

Posted on Saturday 3rd March 2018 16:02

Our Goals

A diverse range of productions

The Irving Stage Company has a uniquely strong tradition of regularly performing Plays, Musicals, revues and in special events for charity.

We try and be diverse with our production choices and welcome feedback on these from our membership and audiences. We are also always interested to hear suggestions for future productions so please get in touch with the committee if you think you know of a musical or play that you can see the Irving Stage Company doing well! You can look at a list of the shows that we have performed on our ‘Past Productions’ page.

Recent years have seen us perform musicals have included Oklahoma!, West Side Story, Jesus Chris Superstar (NODA award), Hairspray, Footloose, Jekyll and Hyde and Sweeney Todd.

Plays have included two Agatha Christie thrillers, And Then There Were None and The Unexpected Guest; The Crucible, A Streetcar Named Desire, Stepping Out and A Chorus of Disapproval.

The group also ventured outside and performed Romeo and Juliet in the St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s cloisters.

Get Involved

Interested in being part of The Irving Stage Company?

We are always on the lookout for fun, enthusiastic people to work behind the scenes. Here you can find some of the areas you could get involved with, these are the jobs that make sure our productions run as smoothly as possible!

We would love to hear from you no matter whether you are experienced or have never been in a theatre before! You can find our contact details on the Contact Us page. Or if you prefer, you can use the form below and send us a quick message.

Front of House
selling programmes and raffle tickets as well as greeting audience members during show week.

 

Backstage Crew
helping the show to run as smoothly as possible by moving scenery/curtains between scenes.

 

Props
helping to source the props and making sure they are in the right place at the right time during show week!

 

Hair & Make-Up
perfect for you if you’re interested in hair and/or make-up design for stage and would like to gain some more experience.

Costumes
helping to source costumes and make sure that we have the right “look” on stage.

Get Involved

The Committee

2019/2020

Chairperson Julie Merrick

Treasurer Sian Couture

Business Manager Darian Vomund

Secretary Christian Jenner

Elizabeth William

Alex Telling

Julia Foulsham

Elected at the Annual General Meeting held 25 May 2021