The Manchester Athenaeum Dramatic Society is, we believe, the oldest independent amateur dramatic society in the world, and that's not just the age of the members!  

The group started in 1847 and apart from the World Wars has continued performing since then.

The 'ATH' or sometimes 'MADS' (not to be confused with 'Macclesfield ADS') as we refer to the Society, began as a Dramatic and Literary Reading Society and was a group within the 'Manchester Athenæum Institute'.  The building is now part of the City Art Gallery and if you would like to see the theatre (sadly the stage is no more) go up to the Craft and Design Gallery on the top floor.

The Ath, was, of course, a Gentlemen's Society (no women allowed) but by 1850 they were performing to mixed audiences, using professional actresses, who were, "...no better than they should be!"

In the 1870's a fire destroyed the original top floor of the building including the sports hall, (where plays were staged,) the library and other rooms.  Fund-raising and the insurance settlement provided money to construct the existing top floor and performances continued for many years in a proper theatre, with state-of-the-art, dimmable gas lighting - hall and stage; air conditioning and heating.  Many premiers were staged, also operas and several G&S productions.  

By the 1880's, the members' women folk were allowed to perform - this was more to do with finances than women's suffrage - the professional actresses were costing too much!  Though we understand that this cramped the men's style a little - no more wall-to-wall bodies or "ladies of ill repute" at the after-show parties, now that the wife was in the play!  The ladies were in the shows, but still only as guests, not members.  "After all, M'dear, it is a gentlemen's club, y'know!"

We continued performing at the 'Athenæum Theatre', women finally becoming members in the 1920s, though they could not serve on the committee. We were rehearsing in September 1939 when Hitler got in the way.  A number of the members went off to serve in the forces, as others had, in 1914.  Sadly, many never to return, but those who remained kept the society going. Women are now full participants in the society; actually, we outnumber the men, particularly on the Committee. (7 to 1 in fact!)

Famous Members:
Charles Dickens used to give lectures; Stanley Houghton ('Hindle Wakes') was Hon. Secretary; Tom Conway (actor in 1940's Hollywood "Falcon" films and brother of George Sanders) and Dodi Smith (author of "101 Dalmatians" and many plays) were all members.
Recent members have also won awards and gone on to act professionally; written plays which we have performed; published poetry; and have had a really good time performing, just for the love of it.

Our history is long and has been glorious, as well as shaky, troublesome and downright hair-tearingly frustrating. But on the whole, satisfying when it all comes together and the audience has enjoyed a good night out with us.