The Rattonians are a non-profit making amateur society and have been established in Eastbourne since 1984. It was then, that a small group of ex-Ratton school pupils and their drama teacher, Mark Adams, decided to 'put on a show' in true 'Hollywood style' holding a 24 hour play reading to raise money to fund a show in Eastbourne's smallest theatre, the Tivoli.
They performed Sandy Wilson's "The Boy Friend". Encouraged by audience support and the enjoyment shared by all the cast in staging such a show, a second production was planned and so the ball has continued to roll ever since, with the company growing in size and strength.
Having performed "The Boy Friend", "Guys and Dolls" and "Cabaret", the Rattonians moved across the road to the Royal Hippodrome Theatre and to the Devonshire Park Theatre with "West Side Story", "The Pyjama Game", "Oliver!", "Chicago", "Annie" and "Sweet Charity". In 1990 the challenge went up a further gear and they staged "Kiss Me Kate", this time at the larger Congress Theatre. Audiences continued to grow as has the Rattonians' reputation for staging lively, energetic shows. Since 1990 they have staged "West Side Story", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "Anything Goes", "Company", "42nd Street", "Cabaret", "High Society", "Singin' in the Rain", "Some Like It Hot" and "Crazy for You": for the latter show they were very lucky to receive a visit from Gershwin's granddaughter who thoroughly enjoyed the show, thinking it was a professional production! They then staged "Oliver!" , "Mack and Mabel" ,"Guys and Dolls" , "Copacabana" Later reprised at Wimbledon Theatre , "42nd Street" , "Into the Woods" , "Me and My Girl", "Summer Holiday", "West Side Story", "Sweet Charity", "Fame the Musical", "Fame Forever", "Copacabana", "The Producers", "Broadway Bound", "Anything Goes", "Singin' in the Rain", "Crazy for You", "West End to Broadway", "Grease", "The Addams Family", "Legally Blonde", "Made in Dagenham", 'Sweet Charity', 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', 'Top Hat', 'Shrek The Musical', '42nd Street' and 'Guys and Dolls'. Several of their large scale productions have been Eastbourne premieres.
In 2008 the company branched
out further, with the introduction of a Youth group. The first
production being the school edition of "Les Misérables" at the Devonshire Park theatre.
This having been well received, has encouraged the company to
continue with the Youth group, following up with "Just So", "The
Pajama Game", "Hairspray", "Beauty and The Beast", "Oliver!",
"Fame" and "Bugsy Malone".