Sedos is a London amateur theatre company, staging seven to 10 shows a year.

We produce both plays and musicals, with most of our season taking place at the Bridewell Theatre, where we have been the resident theatre company since 2012.

Sedos is an amateur company, but we strive for professional standards in both performance and production values. Read Sedos reviews here.

In addition, we do everything in our power to ensure everyone involved in our shows, on stage and backstage, enjoys themselves and has a good experience – we are all volunteers, after all.

All our London auditions are open to everyone, members and non-members, and are free to attend.

Sedos is a founder member of London Drama Societies, which commits each member society to the following statement:

“Collectively, we commit to take constant steps to be more inclusive and attract members and audiences reflecting London’s diversity.

“We will identify and remove barriers to create a safe and inclusive environment. We want everyone to feel empowered to participate, on stage or off. We want stories to be told authentically.”

Sedos is a registered charity (no. 1173896) with elected trustees and members of a management committee. Find out more about how Sedos operates and who currently serves on the trustees and management committee.

A potted history of Sedos

Sedos stands for the Stock Exchange Dramatic and Operatic Society. The society was founded in 1905 by senior members of the stock exchange, but the membership now includes an eclectic mix from all over London.

The senior members of the stock exchange who founded Sedos in 1905 were led by Charles Dickinson and Cyril Bathurst. Their principal aims were twofold:

  • To take advantage of the great variety of stage talent they saw scattered around the house, and:
  • To use what was no doubt an actual extension of the virtuoso talent employed by the members on the trading floor at the time to raise funds for charity.

With the exception of brief intermissions during the two World Wars, since then the society has presented musical and dramatic productions of all kinds and in so doing raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for a variety of charities. At its height the society mounted four large-scale productions each year at the Scala Theatre attended by members of the Royal family and employed a full-time general secretary.

Some of the better-known names who performed for the society in the early stage of their careers include Dame Anna Neagle (who danced in the chorus as Marjorie Robertson), Franklin Engelmann of post war BBC fame, Patricia Roc, Guy Middleton and Rosalie Crutchley.

More recently television luminaries such as Nicholas Parsons and Faye Barker have made guest appearances.

If you want to find out more about Sedos, please email membership@sedos.co.uk for more details, and our membership secretary will be happy to get back to you!

Sedos' 2019 production of A Swell Party at the Minack Theatre

Sedos' 2019 production of A Swell Party at the Minack Theatre