MY FAIR LADY - VENUE UPDATE

Knaphill and St John's Operatic Group (KASJOG) announced in September 2024 that they had decided to relocate their March 2025 show, My Fair Lady, from the Rhoda McGaw Theatre in Woking to the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton; this is a well-equipped community theatre which is familiar to a lot of our members and audience, and is run by a supportive team of volunteers. The group will continue to rehearse in Woking.

This decision was driven by a deterioration in the audience experience at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre and serious operational obstacles for hiring groups, resulting from actions taken over the last two years by the theatre's management, ATG. KASJOG's Committee will continue to engage with ATG constructively to address these issues, with ongoing support from other local dramatic groups and Woking Borough Council. We have been performing at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre for thirty years and we hope that it will be possible to return in the near future.

Mark Lewis, KASJOG's chairman said "The decision to relocate My Fair Lady has been a difficult one, as we very much regard the Rhoda as our home. But ultimately it is fundamental that we can be confident of a quality experience for both our audiences and the volunteers who produce and deliver our shows, and this has become too great a challenge at the Rhoda for the time being.

"Equally, we are excited to be playing at Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, and we are looking forward to starting rehearsals for My Fair Lady in October. We welcome new members who want to participate, both on and off stage, and we'd encourage our loyal audience, as well as anyone new to KASJOG shows, to come over to Walton to see our show in March. It's going to be fun!" (September 2024)

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Notes:  Built in 1974, the Rhoda McGaw Theatre was protected for community use when the New Victoria Theatre and the ATG Cinema were built in 1992, and is used by several other local dramatic groups and dance schools. It is managed by ATG Entertainment, who lease the premises from Woking Borough Council. ATG Entertainment is a subsidiary of Ambassador Theatre Group, who are controlled by Providence Equity Partners, a financial investor. Knaphill and St John's Operatic Group (KASJOG) is a registered charity based in Woking and has been performing light opera locally since 1968. The Cecil Hepworth Playhouse is a registered charity based in Walton on Thames town centre, and the venue hosts a broad range of productions and community events throughout the year.