History of Adelaide Radio Players

OUR STORY SO FAR...

Australian Retired Persons Association PLAYERS originated in about 2000 as a drama group, performing under the auspices of the Australian Retired Persons’ Association.  Headquarters for ARPA was in the old church building in Archer Street North Adelaide and ARPA PLAYERS performed in the church hall for several years before relocating to the Mile End Church of Christ Hall in 2003.  

I joined ARPA in the early nineties as a member of the Friendship Group, and when I read that ARPA PLAYERS was forming, I went along to rekindle my love of theatre and performing and to meet likeminded folk.  As performers we brought joy to many through our comedies and we were firstly under the direction of Ray Lane, then his sister Lauri Bigg.  Later our Director was Najwa Basheer, also a talented actress.

I was delighted that ARPA PLAYERS performed two of my plays, ‘Have You Done Your Homework’ and ‘The Last Laugh’, before I decided to leave the Players as I was then a grandmother and had other responsibilities.

I went along to one of the ARPA RADIO PLAYERS’ performances in a retirement village east of Adelaide a year or two later and witnessed the group’s metamorphosis from learning lines, wearing costumes and makeup, to ARPA Radio Players, reading scripts in front of microphones. Much more civilised for Seniors!  

We encourage audiences to close their eyes and believe that they’re listening to the radio plays of old.

After my husband passed away in late 2021, I was looking for something creative and rewarding to do and ventured along to the Mile End Church of Christ hall and once again in July 2023, rejoined Retire Active SA, (formerly ARPA) and joined the Retire Active Radio Players.  Owing to changes in ownership of our previous venue, we now rehearse at Brooklyn Park Church of Christ hall and put on a charity performance there annually for CareWorks SA.

I’ve found the experiences with our group very rewarding, with men and women from different backgrounds, brought together by a love of theatre, performing and thus entertaining others.  We perform at a variety of venues, retirement villages, Probus Clubs and other senior groups, bringing lots of laughs and joy to our peers.  Our talented director Jan Sutherland is ably assisted by her deputy John Graham (our former director).

Some of our members contribute scripts each year and it is indeed a rewarding experience all round.

Elaine Candlett Jenkins       2025