Jul 23, 2026
Thanks to everyone who attended our annual meeting on Tuesday 21st July 2026. The minutes from the meeting will be circulated on email shortly.
The current committee was re-elected unanimously:
Jez Ashberry – Chair
Su Toogood – Secretary
Fraya Grove – Treasurer
Patrick Markham – Technical
Vicky Ashberry – (Licensing & Safeguarding)
Anita Quigley
No new productions were agreed, but some suggestions were put forward and we will be staging some informal readings next year to help us to decide.
Jun 24, 2026
To celebrate 25 years of Common Ground we’re throwing a party at the Queen in the West pub in Lincoln, where it all started a quarter of a century ago.
Saturday 5th September 2026
6pm onwards
Queen in the West, Moor Street, Lincoln LN1 1PR
Everyone is invited to celebrate our anniversary with drinks, nibbles, birthday cake and a quiz.
We hope to see you all there!
Jun 23, 2026
Everyone at Common Ground was deeply sorry to hear of the passing of Ray Longmore earlier this month.
Ray was an Honorary Life Member of Common Ground and a tireless supporter of our company since we were first created in 2001.
Our first productions were staged at Croft Street Community Centre (St Swithin’s) in Lincoln, where Ray worked for many years as caretaker. Without his support and interest, given the lack of other suitable venues in Lincoln at that time, we might never have got off the ground at all.
We’ve staged 43 productions over the past 25 years and we believe that Ray saw them all, except the last one – he was sadly unable to attend The Birthday Party in April 2026.
The Quakers, where Ray attended every Sunday, have offered to host a memorial meeting for worship at the Quaker Meeting House in Lincoln in July or August.
Jun 7, 2026
Please save the date for our 25th AGM as we would love to see as many people as possible there!
Tuesday 21st July 2026, 7.30pm
The Victoria, Union Road, Lincoln LN1 3BJ
Everyone is welcome to attend, have their say and find out the latest. We’ll be looking back at our last production, planning future productions and discussing other aspects of the company.
We’ll also be electing our committee as usual, so if you’d like to stand for a position, get in touch!
Whether you’re an existing member or new to the company, get a drink at the bar and then come upstairs and join us!
May 21, 2026
We will be organising three informal play readings over the summer, and the first on the list will be a bit different!
We will be gathering at Liquorice Park in Lincoln on 24th June to read scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.
This will give everyone a chance to get a feel for the outdoor setting which we will be using in July 2027 when we stage a full-scale production of the play.
Wednesday 24th June 2026
7pm (note the earlier start time)
Liquorice Park
Lincoln LN1 1HL
Meet at the viewing platform overlooking Liquorice Park on Carline Road – and bring a picnic blanket or a folding chair to sit on!
Please note: this is NOT an audition, just an informal reading and an introduction to the play for those who don’t know it.
Further play readings will take place at the Victoria pub in Lincoln at 7.30pm as follows:
- Wednesday 1st July – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
- Wednesday 5th August – An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
Everyone is welcome and we really hope to see lots of you there!
May 20, 2026
Director Colin Brimblecombe has announced his cast for our autumn production of Under Milk Wood: A Play For Voices by Dylan Thomas.
Congratulations to the following actors who will make up the ensemble, each playing a number of different roles:
Ruth Andrews
Dot Brooke-Taylor
Laura Davies
Gemma Howat
Bianca Hutchings
Sam Mitchell
Louise Power
Lindsay Slapp
Sharon Sycamore-Batty
Su Toogood
David Hitchings
Su Toogood will be the producer for this play and Hannah Borrill will be the musical director.
Under Milk Wood: A Play For Voices by Dylan Thomas will be performed at the Broadbent Theatre in Wickenby from 22nd to 24th October 2026.
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