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The school opened in 1930 with its first production taking place in 1932. Not much seems to have happened during the following few years but in the Summer 1937 school magazine there is mention of a "Play Reading Society": This society meets on Fridays at 4 p.m. in Mr. Appleby's room and although its activities have so far been confined to the reading of plays, its ultimate ambition is to "do it in action." The chairman and moving-spirit is I.A.W.Peck (Lower V), the secretary and treasurer J.R.Upton (Upper V) and the two other members of committee are F.J.Crawley and S.J.Cutmore (Upper V). Its principal difficulty is to obtain sufficient copies of plays and therefore it has had to confine its attentions so far to "Ten Modern Plays." There are hopes however that a sufficient number of copies of some of Shaw's plays may be obtainable. "Enough; hold or cut bow-strings".

In the Autumn 1937 edition of the magazine we have "The Play Reading and Acting Society": This society has held meetings regularly on the Friday evenings of this term. We have moved for these occasions to the library, to our greater comfort and convenience. Our membership continues to increase and The Headmaster and Sherwood have joined the committee. We were sorry to lose Upton. The present sees us concentrating our activities on a play of Richard Sheridan, copies of which have been secured by several members. Just now, circumstances are tending to limit our practical scope, but we all expect great things of the future.

In the Summer 1941 edition we have: After a lapse of five years, drama has once more been restored to its proper place in the school with crimson coconuts having superceded les femmes-muettes. The very successful first (and last) night of the two plays has undoubtedly whetted our appetite for more, and everyone concerned, from the leading lady to the ubiquitous scene-shifter is to be congratulated for recreating a dramatic sense in the school.

[In the Summer 1936 magazine: Musical Society Notes - Christmas concert on 12th December 1935; The second part was devoted to instrumental works and a capital sketch by the VIth form "La Femme Muette"]

Back Row: Peter Clark, Michael Payne, Richard Nobes, David Hill, Mr.M.S.Cheale, Richard Sherwood, Poppit (Mrs.Cheale), David Pope, Dave Hanger, Richard Blunt
Middle Row: Michael Leach, Terry Wood, Paul Coleman, Robert Buckler, Neil Sinclair
Front Row: Chris.Norman, David Powis, Philip P.Jones, Michael Prior, Alan Robinson, Ralph Baxter

?, Payne, Short, Larkins, ?, ?, Pope (rear), ? 9front), Pitcher (next to David Pope at the back), Coleman, Pryor (in front of Coleman), Southward, Powis, Leach (rear), ? (front), ? (rear), Sincliar, Neville (front), Nicolas (with warming pan), Craddick.

Neil Sinclair: The drama master of the time (name unknown) was complaining in the staff room one day about lack of support for the stage sets. Ivor was listening and volunteered that his Railway Club members would do something for him and so it all began. From then forward, the Autumn Term Railway Club was always devoted to preparing the stage for the Christmas production. We did some model railway building in September and October but progressively became more ‘stage work oriented’ as the term progressed. For the final two weekends before the play began we would spend all of Friday evening, all of Saturday until late in the evening and often Sunday afternoon preparing the set. We would also be on duty as stage hands during the productions themselves – hence the ‘photos were probably taken after the final performance on the last night. We were very proud of the sets which did take a vast amount of time. It is only now, looking back, that I realise the incredible team management skills that Ivor had. Each year, he would take a bunch of unskilled lads and produce some fine sets on time. Although I cannot remember fully, I think we did the same for the house drama competition – giving each house equal attention! The stage units were stored in the bunker behind prefab 19 (Beery Ward’s room).

Bob Buckler: I was at the Grammar School from 1957 to 1963. I was a member of the Railway Club and therefore enlisted to help with School Plays. On approaching the Sixth Form I assisted John "Ernie" Huddart with the lighting. The bug now started to bite and I shifted scenery, worked in the "flies", and helped lighting at other local productions at the Palace and Lyric in Wellingborough and also at Rushden and Kettering.
Instead of going to university from the 3rd Year 6th in 1964, I "jumped ship" and joined the BBC as a Technical Operator in 1963. Not very popular with "Harold" Wrenn!
After nearly 40 years working in TV Sound, Studios then Outside Broadcasts, I took early retirement in 2001.

Tony "Jug" Cox, Paul Knight, Pete Bougourd, Phil Smart, Pat Fitch, John Margetts, Ed Crawley, Ivor Cheale, Mark Cleavely,
Dave Patrick, Adrian "A" Lewis, Lenny Heighton, David "D" Lewis, Phil Longstaff.
(Photo courtesy Phil Longstaff)

Phil Smart: After the last night of one of the plays (either ZZ or MM), actors and staff were invited back to Carlos Stevenson's house for an "aftershow party". Carlos lived just down the road from the school in Warwick Rd. It was quite a novelty as a schoolboy to be partying at a master's house, and I arrived from the school on my bike. Rumour has it that I was later spotted weaving my way up Doddington Road in an unsteady fashion...

Wellingborough Grammar School and Wellingborough High School for Girls joined and became a comprehensive school in the autumn term of 1975. The final WGS school play was performed in December 1974 and titled "The Dragon". The school was re-named the Wrenn School and one further play, "A Man for All Seasons", was staged in late 1975 by the usual drama team, fronted by Mr Geoff Dean. In 1976, both Mr Dean and Mr David Wilson left the school. Mr Wright passed away in 1977.