I, AmDram - Fringe World 2026

Reviewed by Kate O'Sullivan

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Community theatre is one of those beautiful, baffling institutions governed by its own strange laws: enormous enthusiasm, lifelong grudges, and a deep belief that this year’s production will finally be the one that runs smoothly. Hannah Maxwell knows this world intimately, down to the accurate description (with affection) of “hearts big, racism casual”. I, AmDram is a loving, razor-sharp tribute to that world.

Drawing on years inside the amateur dramatics (AmDram) world of the Welwyn Thalian Society, Maxwell brings a fourth-generation theatrical 'legacy' to life. Her humour is eccentric and eclectic, full of the understanding of the traditions, pure befuddlement and the wholehearted amateurism that community theatre is steeped in. The (somewhat) poetic ode to the long, awkward blackout (something I wish I was less familiar with), featuring a single chair repeatedly dragged into increasingly incorrect positions becomes a perfect encapsulation of clumsy theatrical convention, lovingly identified. What could feel slightly awkward in other shows becomes part of the joke here. Maxwell pokes fun at the AmDram of it all in the same way you might tease a sibling - the right balance of tongue in cheek and stabbing right to the core.

The show charts Maxwell’s teenage years in the society, including her coming out as gay, but these personal moments are constantly overshadowed by her family's theatrics and dramatics. Her family’s obsession with casting, directing and musical hierarchy within the Society takes centre stage, with the family matriarch’s bickering over My Fair Lady competing for emotional priority over anyone at the table. It’s both absurd and deeply recognisable.

By starting with a classic "Old Tyme Music Hall" sing-a-long (lyrics provided), the audience is pulled in right away. By the end, we're even recruited into a fully-fledged Am Dram musical moment with no audition required (I promise I'll learn the choreography by next rehearsal, Hannah). The choreography is so painfully on point - and had the audience in stitches.

Are there the occasional technical snafu's on opening night - yes. Did we all want a slightly larger screen to enjoy the archival footage of shows from the Society - of course! But does that play into the AmDram of it all, especially with the lightly apologetic and self-aware noting of it - 100%.

The standout moment is a reworked Gilbert and Sullivan Modern Major General, transformed into an anthem for the “Learned Urban Lesbian.” It is genuinely joyous, and frankly, the lyrics deserve to be published for public service reasons.

For anyone who has endured both the pleasure and the pain of watching enthusiastic amateurs take on a classic golden-age musical (and even more so if you've been one of them), I, AmDram is a must-see. Not because it’s amateuristic, quite the opposite. It is a performer leaning in and celebrating a world that is truely chaotic, deeply flawed, and utterly beloved. The entire opening night audience were in fits of laughter, seeing themselves and their friends in the mirror that I, AmDram really is.

Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the performer.