Another Opening, Another Show...

A brief history of the so far short but eventful life of The Purple Theatre Company.
For more details of the shows click each show or visit the Shows page.

1997 - “From the cradle to the grave”

The Purple Theatre Company is launched by students at Brunel University, originally under the name of ‘BAD’ (Brunel Alumni Drama). Ironically these early comedies have a certain morbid quality:Terry Pratchett’s Mort; Murdered to Death; and the murder mystery dinner, Where There’s a Will There’s a Way. It’s not all doom and gloom, though as this year also sees the comedy night Whose University Is it Anyway? and the new musical Swimming With Dolphins.

1998 “Arms and the man”

Another Pratchett play, and Brunel students fall about laughing as one of their most respected lecturers, Dr. Simon ‘Sam’ Taylor, takes a bath on stage for Men at Arms.

1999 “So cool a purple”

The company outgrows its Brunel infancy, and moves to the Compass Theatre. The first play as the Purple Theatre Company, Pratchett’s Maskerade, sees ‘Phantom’ get menaced; followed later in the year by the classic farce Wanted – One Body.

2000 “Of mobsters and monsters”

Hoodlums splurge the stage in the musical classic Bugsy Malone; followed by the adult farce Don’t Dress For Dinner, and a return to Discworld with the vampiric Carpe Jugulum.

2001 “All comedies are ended by a marriage”

This year begins with the first ever UK amateur production of the smash West End hit musical comedy, I Love You,You’re Perfect, Now Change. How could we top that? By tackling our first ‘serious’ play with Willy Russell’s Seventies social satire Stags & Hens.

2002 “Lords and owners”

Purple’s fifth birthday is celebrated in style with the world premiere of Much Ado About Shakespeare, written and directed by our very own Peter Burnett. Not content with that, the Bard took a further hammering with Pratchett’s ‘Dream’- like Lords and Ladies.

2003 “Time and tide wait for no man”

In a reverse of the ebb and flow of the previous year, 2003 begins with another Pratchett, Interesting Times, before bringing another home-grown world premiere to the stage with Peter Burnett and Toby Vennard’s hilarious .

2004 sees Purple returning to the Seventies with the risqué character farce Fur Coat and no Knickers... then back to the Sixties with the musical satire A Slice of Saturday Night.

Over the years we have collected almost £2,000 for charities including The Orangutan Foundation, The RNIB Sunshine House Appeal, Comic Relief, BBC Children In Need, The Hillingdon Hospital's Tiny Smiles Appeal and Purple Dreams.