For anyone who has endured both the pleasure and the pain of watching enthusiastic amateurs tackle A Chorus Line or The Pirates of Penzance, this show is for you. Not because I, AmDram is amateur—quite the opposite.

It’s a lovingly crafted tribute to a very specific slice of theatre: the amateur dramatics society. Enter the Welwyn Thalian Society (recently rebranded the Thalian Theatre Company) from the English town of Welwyn Garden City (look it up – they staged Kinky Boots last year) and performer Hannah Maxwell, a fourth generation Am Dram devotee. Her family is the backbone of the company, and she inherits a legacy that is equal parts dubious, chaotic and very funny.

Maxwell is an Am Dram triple threat – she can sing (strictly alto, but that doesn’t stop her from attempting the high notes), she can dance, and she can act. This performance also showcases her skills as a musical director, accompanist, director, lighting designer and stage manager. 

In an hour, Maxwell brings her musical-obsessed family to life. She shares with us her awkward adolescence and coming out story, which is completely overshadowed by the family matriarch's bickering over who is best placed to direct My Fair Lady. And she transforms the stage to a full blown, well-rehearsed Am Dram musical, with the audience recruited into the performance – no audition required. 

At the heart of this show is a seasoned storyteller with formidable acting chops who celebrates what it is to grow up in a family that accepts you entirely but still insists you try out for Eliza Doolittle even though they know deep down, it’s not in the right key. 

This one’s a little gem. Go on – join the fun.