New Malden theatre group celebrates 60th anniversary with original musical comedy

Community theatre group St James Players will mark its 60th anniversary year with the premiere of an original musical comedy, Entertaining Retirement, at St James Hall in New Malden from 3–6 June.

Written and directed by local creatives Gemma Dunn and Nicola McDonald, the show is set in Forest Stay, a retirement home for retired entertainers where life is anything but quiet. When the residents' beloved home comes under threat, they decide to fight back the only way they know how – with performance, humour and a healthy dose of drama.

What makes the production particularly special is that it has been written specifically for the St James Players cast. Created by two local women and developed entirely from a blank page, the show places women at the centre of the story while celebrating friendship, resilience and the importance of community.

Director Gemma Dunn said: "We wrote Entertaining Retirement specifically for the group and the people in it. There aren't many plays and musicals that give women the opportunity to lead the story, so creating something centred around these characters felt important to us. Taking the show from a blank page to a full production has been a huge challenge, but the cast have brought so much energy, humour and commitment to it throughout rehearsals."

Co-writer and director Nicola McDonald added: "At its heart, Entertaining Retirement is about refusing to fade quietly into the background. It's about community and continuing to do what you love. We hope audiences enjoy meeting these characters as much as we've enjoyed creating them."

Alongside its original story, the production features a selection of well-loved songs from the musicals, helping to create a feel-good evening packed with laughter, nostalgia and memorable characters.

Performances take place on Wednesday 3, Thursday 4 and Friday 5 June at 7.45pm, with a Saturday matinee on 6 June at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 and can be booked online at stjamesplayers.co.uk/buy-tickets or by calling the box office on 07587 354327