The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company News

The Scarlet Pimpernel Costume Fittings

23/4/2026

A Look behind the scenes at The Scarlet Pimpernel. These are our amazing Sir Percy and Margurite, and Chauvelin, being fitted for some of their costumes this evening after rehearsals.
Our incredible costume team are creating over 60 18th century costumes for the show, ranging from stunning court outfits for the Princess of Wales' ball, through to the rough rags of the rioters on the streets of Paris. Everything being made of recycled fabrics (curtains, sheets, tablecloths etc) sourced from charity shops and jumble sales.
This show is touring nationally June - August, with the public performances with tickets on sale now. The link to tickets and our box office is in the comments.
Sat. June 13th - Brixham Theatre
Fri.June 19th - Cygnet Theatre, Exeter
Sat. June 27th- Budleigh Salterton Public Hall
Sat. July 4th- Kingskerswell Village Hall
Sat. July 11th - Stokenham Village Hall
Sat. July 18th - Royal Lyceum Theatre, Torquay ( Unleashed Theatre Company)
Sat. July 25th- Buckfastleigh Town Hall and Institute
Sat. Aug 1st - Etcetera Theatre Camden, London
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a fast-moving, entertaining period drama whodunnit combining adventure, and humour, based on the novel by Baroness Orczy, including wider historical and cultural research of the time., suitable for all ages.
In 1792, at the height of the French Revolution, in Paris, aristocrats destined for the Guillotine, begin to be rescued, by a mysterious figure, who always eludes capture. This rescuer can never be found or identified, except by little slips of paper featuring the image of a small English flower, the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Meanwhile, in London, Sir Percy Blakeney; who is widely known to be the leader of London fashion, and a carefree, whimsical fop, marries Marguerite, a beautiful, intelligent French actress and friend of the revolutionary government in France, and Citizen Chauvelin, an agent of the French government, arrives in London, seeking the identity of the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel.
Huge thank you to Andrew Fagan for getting these great behind-the-scenes photos today.
Sophia Andrews Robin Buckfield Marie Buckfield Bethany Ward Margot Belcher Carol Ann Robinson
#brixhamtheatre #scarletpimpernel #theatrelife #costume #costumedesign #brixhamdevon #Brixham #behindthescences #recycling #recycledfashion #zerowaste #18thcentury #TorbayHour #TorquayEvents #Buckfastleigh #camden #budleighsalterton #stokenham #kingsbridge #kingsbridgedevon #kingskerswell #newtonabbot #devonevents #theatre #TheatreMagic #Whodunnit

The Scarlet Pimpernel - costume team underway

21/2/2026

On Wednesday our incredible costume team have been designing some of the costumes.
Our theatre production of The Scarlet Pimpernel with 14 cast, requires around 50 costumes to be made to reproduce the clothing styles of the 1790s both in England and over in the midst of the French Revolution.
How are we managing this?

In our usual tradition of both being eco friendly and managing our large period dramas on microscopic budgets, the vast majority of our fabrics, lace ribbon etc, are from second hand sources. Curtains, sheets, upholstery fabric, tablecloths, all found via charity shops and jumble sales, to be remade into these (and other) stunning outfits by Bethany, Carol and Margot.

This is the first design day of several, so our costume team were very busy before the cast arrived for evening rehearsals
Come no see our show across Devon and London - info at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html

#DevonActors #rehearsal #devon #scarletpimpernel #supporttheatre brixham gratitude behindthescenes britishtheatre recycling costume costumedesign zerowaste theatre brixhamtheatre 18thcentury perioddrama

Video by @xxbethscreationsxx

Jekyll & Hyde is done and we look forward to new shows with The Scarlet Pimpernel

18/1/2026

We finished last night at Stokenham, near Kingsbridge, with a full house and more great audience feedback.
It is a busy week behind the scenes, and also an emotional one, as one show is put away, and another prepared for. We are casting The Scarlet Pimpernel this coming weekend (if you want to audition, pop over to our Auditions section for all the info) . It is also sad as some of the cast move on to other things, and some are coming over to the next one, but then, we will also be welcoming other amazing faces this weekend.

Every single one of the team has been beyond professional, lovely to work with and absolutely divine - it’s been a divine run.
We are going to miss those not doing The Scarlet Pimpernel like absolute hell but friends forever and the door is always open to anything in the future - and for those coming back for The Scarlet Pimpernel, this week cant go fast enough til we work together again.
Love this lot more than words can ever say. What a team! And finishing the run with a full house and awesome feedback, glorious.

Wonderful turnout at Budleigh Salterton

12/1/2026

What a fabulous turnout and show fo Jekyll & Hyde at Budleigh Salterton Public Hall tonight. Every second was pure joy, our cast and crew absolutely rocked it.
Thank you so much to everyone
Photos by Sophie- lighting tech

Jekyll & Hyde at Torquay

2/12/2025

Jekyll & Hyde in Torquay- Last night we were thrilled to be on the next stage of our tour, to Torquay Royal Lyceum theatre in Torquay with Jekyll and Hyde. It was especially lovely that we welcomed several students to the audience who are studying the text for GCSE, coming to see our show to support their studies.
Audience feedback, as reported by our two amazing ticket ladies Emily and Sue, was excellent .
We now have a two week break before the next show in Exeter with lots of work going into prep for the next Jekyll & Hyde performances and also behindthe scenes work for our 20th anniversary and London debut show The Scarlet Pimpenel casting in January.

At Brixham Lights & Illuminations 2025

26/11/2025

Thank you so much to Sarah Bell of A Kick Up The Arts for the beautiful star lantern, to Crafty Cwtch for being a great meeting point, Allie and Nick of The Naked Sheep Hayle and our own Rich for helping with the parade and flying the flag (or lantern) for us, to Tristan MR FISH for being friendly and fun, Chris Slack for a couple of extra super photos, to @diverse events and Brixham Town Council for organising the parade - also lovely so see so many bright lanterns etc from everyone . We have already started planning for next year

The incredible feedback for our tour of Jekyll & Hyde keeps rolling in

26/11/2025

And the tour isnt over yet - you can still come and see us at Torquay, Exeter, Budleigh Salterton and Stokenham - tickets on sale at our box office.

A great photoshoot with the Vigilance

21/9/2025

As well as theatre shows and streaming, we also love to do themed photoshoots - usually in collaboration with other local organisations. Today several of our team had an absolutely wonderful afternoon working with the Vigilance of Brixham a stunning old fishing trawler that is currently being renovated, to recreate olden late 1800s/early 1900s photos on board, such as you would have seen from the time that the Vigilance was built. This shoot was one of our collaborations with Paignton Photographic Club with Tracey Hodges and Chris Vicenti. There are lots of photos to edit up, which will be used by our actors, the Vigilance, and the photographic club. Over the next week or two there will be lots of beautiful photos - but here is a quick look behind the scenes!
And look at the wonderful feedback from the photographers!
And - many thanks to The Prince William, Brixham for accomodating us all coming in for coffee afterwards!
There are already discussions about the next themed photoshoots, to which local photographers will be invited, and our actors/ crew as models.

Meet some of the cast and crew for Jekyll & Hyde

4/9/2025

With an amazing cast and crew ranging from BAFTA winners to beginners, and a wonderful mixture of regular and returning faces, meet this incredible team !

Meet the awesome cast

Cameron Higgins - Dr Jekyll
Cameron has been a performer since the age of 14 and has recently graduated from Bath Spa University with a First
Class degree in Drama.

In recent years, his credits include various student short films as well as plays, ranging from black comedy to period drama.

This will be his first performance with the South Devon Players.

Fun fact:
Whilst at university, Cameron was also trained in puppetry, where he had to both create and perform using different puppets.

Stewart Mckenzie - Mr Hyde

After literally decades of procrastination, and in the midst of what is clearly a midlife crisis, Stewart L Mackenzie has finally decided to have a bash at professional acting. Having been lucky enough to have performed extensively in the South Devon area over the years with various local theatrical societies, and also professionally as part of the inaugural Totnes Fringe Festival, Stewart is now taking on the role of 'Mr Hyde' in his first performance with The South Devon Players.

Joan Smith - Inspector Newcomen

Acting since aged 8, Joan is a professional BAFTA winning actress and winner of a national social media award.
Joan is a triple threat performer and her credits include TV commercials, tv pilots, touring theatre productions, immersive entertainment, comedy dining, musicals, pantomimes, theatre in education, as well as commercial and general modelling.

Fun fact:
Joan has completed the Royal Marines Commando Challenge

Rich Sandford - Dr Lanyon

A long term member of SDP, Rich has been acting with SDP for 13 years, and is currently actor, co-director and fight choreographer for Jekyll and Hyde

Fun fact
Rich used to be a Pro Wrestler who started his wrestling days in the Backyard scene right here in Brixham many years before joining SDP

Emma Harpham - Poole
Brief bit of acting work:
- I've been an extra for a film, played a supporting role for a student short-film and been apart of the two previous SDP shows.

Fun fact about me:
- I'm somehow more accident prone now, compared to when I used to run towards lakes when I was a toddler. I also have a missing piece of ear cartilage in the same place where my cousin has an extra piece

Alex Slade - Samuel Sage
Hello, my name is Alex,
I made my acting debut at the age of 3 at dance festivals with my sister and progressed to pantomime by the age of 7.
I have have been working with the South Devon Players since 2018 and Jekyll & Hyde is my 10th production.
Fun fact: I am a 1st Dan Taekwondo black belt and my mum and I compete in around 10 national & international tournaments a year.

James Hoff - Mr Utterson
I made my professional acting debut in 2023 with The South Devon Players in Les Miserables the stage show as Marius Pontmercy. A few other credits include Malcolm in Macbeth, Flute, Thisbe and Mustardseed in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Athos in The Three Musketeers and I'm currently playing Mr Utterson in Jekyll and Hyde.
Fun Fact: I'm currently with a drama school doing online classes learning about the film and TV industry.

Bella Matthews - Georgie

Isabella Matthews (Bella), 20, is proud to have been part of Showdown Theatre Arts since the age of 4. The experience has shaped her confidence and creativity, inspiring her journey as she studies to become a Vet Nurse. Her Showdown credits include Grease, Beauty and the Beast, High School Musical, The Wiz, Fame, Bugsy Malone, The Wizard of Oz, The Addams Family, Bring It On, Footloose, Chicago, Matilda Jr, Aladdin, Listen to My Heart, Carrie, Annie, and Annie Jr. She’s also proud to be part of The South Devon Players Theatre and Film Company, having performed in Romeo and Juliet and now preparing for The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde. Both companies have given her amazing opportunities to grow, connect, and pursue her passion for theatre.

Chloe Warden - Lady Carew
Chloe is a recent graduate with a BA (Hons) in acting. A main skill she improved was multi-rolling which has became a key aspect of her studies. Recent credits include Alice in Wonderland, An Acceptable loss and Earthquakes in London. The actor is based in the South West however an interest in hers which comes in useful is travelling. When not on stage or screen, Chloe can be found in a coffee shop or exploring the world with friends and family. Fun Fact: Chloe is a cheerleader and horse rider.

Kai Botha - Mr Enfield
Kai started acting about five years ago in an am-dram group in uni and this will be his fifth show with the South Devon Players. His favourite role he has performed with the Players, so far, has been Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet”.

He considers himself a jack of all trades as he also has skills in creative writing, audiovisual editing, and drawing. He can even play a few simple tunes on the guitar.

Fun fact:
He finds learning lines for Shakespeare plays easier than contemporary ones.

Robin Buckfield - The Professor

Robin Buckfield has been acquainted with the stage since the age of five and has since performed roles such as Curtis (Sister Act) and Buddy Holly (We Will Rock You).
He is currently preparing for his debut performance with SDP and is very excited for his first production that isn't a musical (he doesn't think his vocal chords could take that kind of punishment anymore).
Fun Fact:
Robin is an avid field archer and swordsman participating in numerous tournaments for both sports whenever possible.

Laura Jury - Lunatic & fortunteller

I am Laura - founder of the South Devon Players - a story told elsewhere. I have been performing in theatre and film since 1996, do a lot of work with Equity, the actors trade union especially advoicating for regional and grassroots theatre. I love playing intense quirky roles. I am playing a couple of small parts in the show and focussing on directing the show and also building up South Devon Players for everyones benefit.

A couple of fun facts - my other huge interests are swimming in the sea and cosplaying as a Jedi knight.

and some of the incredible crew

Bethany Ward - co -costumer
Hi, my name is Bethany Ward. I've been sewing since I was in primary school and have just graduated from Arts University Plymouth, studying Costume Production. I love all things theatre, but costume has always been my favourite, particularly anything historical. This will be my first show with South Devon Players and I am so excited to bring what I have to this amazing team and cast. Fun fact: I have performed onstage with Chris Rankin, who played Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films, in a pantomime production of the Wizard of Oz. Obviously he played the wizard

Sophie Kira Ross - Lighting

Sophie Ross is more likely to be found off stage than on stage, though she is no stranger to acting in the local village pantomime and singing at Open Mic Nights in her local pub.

Sophie comes from a theatrical background, with most of her family being involved in theatre and ballet through the decades.

Sophie is currently part of the Stage crew responsible for lighting and Jekyll and Hyde is her second show with South Devon Players.

Fun fact: not revealing her age in anyway, but Sophie first dabbled in lighting about 45 years ago in a Southern African country. Theatre lighting has changed a lot since then.

Sue Slade - Education outreach & Chaperone

I started working with the South Devon Players in 2018. First as an actor chaperone for my two child actors.
Then post Covid as company chaperone, as time has progressed my role has expanded in administration, grant research and educational outreach, where our productions appear in theatre and literature syllabi

Madison May - co-costumer

Madison May, 30, has never acted a day in their life

Been sewing on and off since age 10, more recently sewing almost daily for the past year. No formal training in costume production, but love the joy of taking a character and working out what I can say about them visually, to tell more of their story through their clothing.
Fun fact about me: I play the accordion in a pirate band (which I made a lot of the costumes for!)

A huge thank you to Brixham Pirate Festival 2025

8/5/2025

A HUGE THANK YOU TO The Brixham Pirate Festival for our stall and to all the lovely people who came along and joined in the wet sponge fun, jewellery, games etc. this allowed us to raise everything we need to get the team to perform at The Birmingham Black Box Theatre & Events with our coming tour of Romeo & Juliet with minibus and driver, fuel etc, and realated supplies for our projects. Also a massive thank you to Crafty Cwtch cafe over the road from us, for keeping us going with coffee and snacks! You have made this all possible!

As a Brixham-based theatre team founded 20 years ago to help local people launch or further careers in the creative industries , bringing classical literature both to theatres, non-traditional spaces and schools; and audiences who don’t always get to experience live theatre; and so far not lucky in securing grant or sponsorship funding to achieve this; fundraising like this, is critical to our survival.
More info on our up and coming public shows at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html