The Algarveans Celebrate 35 Years

This September, The Algarveans theatre group is celebrating 35 years of community theatre in the Algarve.

in Community · 27 Sep 2026, 08:01 · 0 Comments

Credits: Supplied Image; Author: The Algarveans;

While we may just be spring chickens compared with older theatre ensembles, such as the Comédie-Française, founded in Paris in 1680 and generally considered the oldest active theatre company in the world, The Algarveans have grown steadily and their passion for theatre remains undiminished.

The Algarveans Past

It all started when after placing an advert in the local paper in 1991, a handful of interested people gathered to found a theatre group. The founding committee consisted of Jerry Lane, Lloyd Delderfield and Jenny Grainer, alongside founding members John and Jean Luckman, Sian Hughes-Roberts, Ruth Flower, June Simms and Alison Greening. Alison is still with the group today and fondly recalls those early years.

‘The real founders regarding funding were Jerry and Hazel Lane, although the amount of money wasn’t huge. We gathered in their sitting room and hashed out some ideas. Subsequently, meetings and rehearsals took place at various people’s houses including my own. I have never laughed as much as during those times around my pool. Eventually Jerry decided to fund the first proper show. We started by asking for contributions to pay costs as the idea was to become a non-profit but self-funding amateur dramatics group that The Algarveans is today.’

Alison remembers the challenges met by the expatriate community back in the early 1990’s. ‘I still wrote letters to family, as I’d done when I first moved to the Algarve in 1988. The waiting time to get a telephone installed was estimated at 10 years! Even with the phone installed, it could take 30-60 minutes to connect an international call. There was no UK television, and all those factors and others demonstrated a clear demand for some community and entertainment.

‘As a group, we became famous for our winter pantos; the first show we ever produced was Puss in Boots, performed on a small stage at the International School at Porches.

‘We tried to perform two other shows a year: a comedy and a drama. The group gained more interest, members sold tickets to generate funds and within a few years we were performing at the auditorium in Lagos. There was no automated scenery, so a stage crew changed the backdrops. Pantos required five hand-painted backcloths, and two sets of flats on each side of the stage. Painting was done at a rented farm barn, but once an overnight storm blew up and shredded our canvas for Cinderella. Panicked painting ensued for opening night. As well as the barn we rented a warehouse near Lagos for rehearsing and storing sets and costumes. All the costumes were made 'in-house' or occasionally rented.

‘Over the years, there have been many changes but it’s wonderful to see the group going from strength to strength. I think I can say on behalf of all the founding members that what has been achieved was unimaginable back in 1991.’

The Algarveans Present

Twenty-one more pantos have been produced in the intervening years, testing the growing inventiveness of the props and carpentry teams as well as the imagination of the costume department.

But The Algarveans’ range extends beyond pantos; while comedies and farces are very popular with audience members for their light relief, the group has also staged numerous mysteries and thrillers such as Gaslight (1992), Wait Until Dark (1997) and Deadly Nightcap (2015), thought-provoking dramas such as Kindertransport (2017) and Whose Life Is It Anyway? (2018) and numerous dance and musical shows including The Wizard of Oz (2019), Sister Act (2024) and recently I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change featuring live musicians on stage.

Thirty-five years later, The Algarveans may have gone through a Portuguese name change but they have come full circle with a panto. Alice in Wonderland to be performed in the Carlos do Carmo auditorium in Lagoa, directed by Frank Remiatte is sure to be a hot ticket in November. Casting for the show has attracted new younger members who are keen to go down the rabbit hole and be part of the wonderland that is live theatre.

But aside from two full shows a year at the auditorium in Lagoa, The Algarveans use their newest rehearsal space secured in 2021. The União Juventude in Sesmarias, affectionately dubbed The Little Theatre, was the group’s ‘comeback venue’ after a forced hiatus due to pandemic-related restrictions. It provides the perfect space to hold classes on various aspects of stagecraft, social events such as line dancing, quiz and themed nights, and experimental productions. Membership has never been higher and you are always certain of a warm welcome. The group also supports other ex-patriate community initiatives such as organising a choir for Carvoeiro’s Carols on the Cliffs and assisting fundraising events for APAA (Association for the Protection of Animals in the Algarve).

The Algarveans, however, dislike the idea of being considered just another amdram group. They have very high standards and work hard to achieve them, as recent audience members will testify. As president of the group Angela Theobold says, ‘If you’re charging a ticket price, you have a duty to your audience to deliver a great show.’

For information about joining The Algarveans or forthcoming shows, please see our website at https://www.thealgarveans.com/