Bristol Unity Players' Club

Minutes, 1937-46; correspondence, 1938-47; scripts; programmes; photographs.

The Bristol Unity Players' Club developed from workers' amateur dramatics clubs which were active in the Bristol area in the early 1930s. These were brought together by the producer Joan Tuckett (1895-1957) to form the Bristol Unity Players' Club in c.1936. Two committees were formed. The Management Committee dealt with the club's finances, publicity and general administration. The Production Committee was responsible for considering new plays, casting and performances.

The club co-operated throughout its existence with various other left wing organisations, including the Left Book Club's Theatre Guild and the London Unity Theatre. During the Second World War the club managed to continue putting on performances despite disruption due to air raids and casualties among the players. It was only after the war that the failing health of Joan Tuckett combined with a sharp decrease in membership led to the demise of the club in November 1946.

Reference: A. Tuckett, The people's theatre in Bristol 1930-45. London, CPGB Our History Pamphlet 72, 1979.

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/BUP

The deposit in the Centre was made in 1980 by Angela Tuckett, sister of the Bristol Unity Players' Club's producer Joan Tuckett, through Clive Barker of the University of Warwick's Theatre Studies department.

An additional deposit of papers was made in March 2008.