IN December 1991 The Mail reported how Ulverston’s  ACT Youth Drama Group was due to present its Christmas show at the Coronation Hall.

‘They’re not short on ambition as they take on two productions in the same night,’ stated the report.

The seniors were due to perform the comedy whodunit Snoek with Everything and the juniors were tackling the traditional nativity No Room at the Inn after the interval.

Snoek would take the audience on a trip down memory lane to post-war England, to the times of rationing, shortages and black-market food.

GLORY: Stephen Wharton, David Clark and Charlotte Mennell in a scene from To Death and Glory in 1994

GLORY: Stephen Wharton, David Clark and Charlotte Mennell in a scene from To Death and Glory in 1994

In the show, thanks to the efforts of the local spiv there was no shortage of luxuries at the Manor House Christmas party.

But just as the party started to swing, the gossip started and personal grievances reared their ugly heads.

Less menacing was the nativity No Room at the Inn, where the audiences was encouraged to join in with the carols.

In 1992 several deaf theatre goers and sign language students enjoyed a signed version of ACT youth theatre group’s production of Smith at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston.

SCENE: A scene from To Death and Glory in 1994

SCENE: A scene from To Death and Glory in 1994

Chris Mellor of Blackpool and Noreen Williams of Carlisle stood at the side of the stage and interpreted in sign language the dialogue, which was based on the popular children’s book by Leon Garfield.

The play was one of three in the county to be signed for deaf people, funded by the Cumbria Deaf Association and South Lakeland District Council Leisure Services.

About 20 members of a sign language class at Kendal saw the show, which also attracted deaf people from a wide area, including Barrow, Kendal, Preston, Blackpool and the north of Cumbria.

In June 1994 ACT was due to premiere its new production To Death and Glory.

SMILES: Fiona Simpson as Alice and Richard Kitchin as Tom in To Death and Glory in 1994

SMILES: Fiona Simpson as Alice and Richard Kitchin as Tom in To Death and Glory in 1994

The show had been written by ACT leader Liz Loveless with 20 original songs by her son Alex, 16, who also directed the production.

It told the story of two young suffragettes and the disruption and conflicting loyalties brought about when World War One shattered the lives of their generation.

More than 40 youngsters were involved in the production, at the Coronation Hall.