Abingdon Drama Club (ADC) is the oldest and largest drama club in Abingdon. We have presented over two hundred productions since our formation in 1944. In 2004 we celebrated our 60th anniversary with a number of events including performing our summer production "The Canterbury Tales" in Belgium.

Abingdon Drama Club was founded from the remnants of the Guild of Abbey Players. The Club Magazine reported the collapse of the Guild as follows, "It was no petty dissension which broke the Guild of Abbey Players but incredible disloyalty in the higher command. When an unimportant, disgruntled minority received covert support from within the very citadel, the fate of the Guild was sealed". The traumatic break up still influences us today by ensuring all members are as active as they wish and great store is set on everyone having an equal voice.

Most of our plays are produced in the Unicorn Theatre, a wonderfully atmospheric and intimate theatre in the beautiful Medieval Abbey Buildings. When the Unicorn Theatre was created in 1953, Abingdon Drama Club was asked to stage the first production. We chose to do "The Two Angry Women of Abingdon" by Henry Porter (gent). We also perform one act plays and take part in local drama festivals throughout the year.

In 1947 the Daily Mail wrote, following a one act play festival in which the Drama Club performed "I won't say that many West End Productions are amateurish, because there are, in fact, many amateur companies whose productions, within their necessary limitations, are quite brilliant. I will name the Abingdon Drama Club for a start".

F W D, drama critic of the Oxford Times and Abingdon Herald, on the occasion of our 40th anniversary in 1984 wrote " Having as a theatre critic, experienced 35 of these years of laudable achievement I have no hesitation in saying that the Abingdon Drama Club, always setting its standards high, has shown enterprising, catholically-ranging taste in its choice of plays and sensitivity, stylishness and artistic integrity in their direction and performance....a salute to the past and a hopeful, confident look to the future".

The critics’ accolades continue. After we staged Kindertransport by Diane Samuels at The Unicorn in 2011, they wrote: ‘Kindertransport is an excellent play, as is this production, and the setting of the theatre, in the medieval Abbey is extraordinary. A brilliant way to spend an evening.’ And ‘This could easily go to the West End.’

ADC continues to put on high quality productions and to experiment with new performance styles and events. Come along and take part. You’ll be made very welcome!