The Tarrant Valley Players are an amateur dramatics group in North Dorset, producing plays, musicals and pantomimes for local audiences. The group began when a few people in the Valley got together to read plays, and has grown into a community organisation that stages full productions at Tarrant Keyneston Village Hall (Anne Biddlecombe Hall).
The Tarrant Valley Players started life as a small group of people sat around a table, reading scripts together — and over the years it has grown into a fully-fledged local theatre group with regular productions. Public descriptions on the group’s official channels reference the beginnings as a play-reading group and a history spanning more than two decades.
Along the way, productions have expanded in ambition and scale — including large musicals. “Oliver!” has been staged as a headline production and is often cited by audiences as a standout show in the group’s history.
Front of house is run fully in-house by the team, helping create a friendly, well-organised experience from arrival to curtain call. At most events there is food and drink available, including a wine/drinks bar, and a raffle is commonly run for selected shows and pantomimes.
Lighting and sound are also run in-house using a professional-style setup. A dedicated lighting bar is the focus, allowing productions to make full use of stage lighting and audio for atmosphere, timing and impact.
Performances take place at Tarrant Keyneston Village Hall (Anne Biddlecombe Hall). The venue is fully accessible for disabled guests, with a disabled entrance and disabled toilets.
For location details and an embedded map, see Venue & accessibility.
The Tarrant Valley Players is run on a charitable, community basis. Nobody is paid — members volunteer their time freely, on stage and behind the scenes. Fundraising is a key part of what the group does: show proceeds support good causes and the group has a charity roadmap, with cheques regularly presented to charities.