Full houses in sight for The Full Monty
Despite constant reminders, I’ve once again left this article for Barn News until the deadline – sorry, Mike… down to the wire again. But this is written after we’ve completed our first full run of The Full Monty, and do you know what? I think it’s going to be rather good.
We’ve been dancing, gnoming, girdering, and a whole host of other delights, and a lot of hard work from both cast and crew has gone into the production so far. I, for one, can already see the benefits being reaped. One thing I’m loving about Monty is its humanity – it’s not just willy wangling, it’s really got some heart to it, and there are some lovely moments that are genuinely touching (no pun intended). There are some beautiful performances coming through, and a few that will surprise and delight you – they certainly surprise and delight me, regularly.
Throughout this rehearsal period, we’ve also learned that many of the cast and crew have real personal experience, or close family experience, of the deindustrialisation of the 1980s – and the effect that had on communities, how it fuelled the 1984-85 UK miners’ strike, and the scale of unemployment that followed. I’d give you a titbit, but you’ll just have to buy a programme to find out.
As you may know, we’re holding a charity night on what would have been our preview night: 17th September. After discussions with cast and crew, we decided to support Prostate Cancer UK – it felt appropriate, and it’s a cause close to many hearts here. There are still a few tickets left for this performance, and all ticket sales from it will go to the charity.
Tickets in general are selling exceptionally well, so if you haven’t got yours yet, I’d suggest getting in quick – there are already only 21 left for the final night (as of 24.08). Come and cheer on the lads, and I’ll see you in the bar afterwards.
In conjunction with The Full Monty Charity Night, Mel Dixon is raising funds via her Just Giving page HERE.
All donations gratefully received
Hannah
Director
From the Chair
Welcome to September’s Barn News
Welcome to the beginning of the 2026 / 2027 season at the Barn! It promises to be a really successful one, with a great range of plays in the main auditorium and the Studio, as well as our very popular jazz nights and comedy nights. Matt Ward has sent us a note of thanks about the jazz nights, which is included in the main body of Barn News below.
The season is beginning at full pace. The Full Monty will sell out, so start planning for The Father by Florian Zeller, which starts in October, directed by Laura Ilinca. (Anthony Hopkins starred in the recent film of the play). John Davies directed another of Zeller’s plays, The Height of the Storm, in 2023 to great acclaim, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Christopher Wallace in the leading role, and we’re welcoming back Patrick Sunners in a key role, so buy your tickets now.
October also has our first Studio production, Blue Heart, by Caryl Churchill, directed by Steve Thompson. These two short surreal comedy dramas have an ensemble cast of Barn regulars, and I’m sure you will find them intriguing as well as entertaining.
We’re also using the Studio to welcome an outside production in November. This is The Academy by Nicole Moody, who wrote the very funny short play Loaf as part of last season’s Short and Sweet new writing festival. The Academy began life as part of John Retallack’s Oxford playwriting programme before being developed with professional actors and director Paul Ansdell. Since its first performances at the Old Fire Station in Oxford, it’s been staged at London’s Etcetera Theatre as part of the Women’s Writing Festival. We’re lucky to have the original actors and director involved in this production. These are the types of play that the Studio is designed for, with the audience close to, and part of, the action.
And that’s just the beginning of the season. Please look at the programme for the whole year, and you’ll see some plays you know and some you don’t. The latter are the ones you need to book to experience something new, as you know that the cast, crew and creatives will be bringing the best of theatre right here on your doorstep.
Building update
Over the summer, teams of people have been working to maintain and improve the theatre and, although we haven’t carried out any major building works, volunteers have been beavering away to test electrical equipment, move lighting bars, paint the Studio and dressing rooms, and continue to sort out the wardrobe and workshop. Many thanks to everyone involved, and my special thanks to our own ‘Wallace Collection’: Rob, Lou and Christopher who helped me paint the dressing rooms.
We’re still working through the planning process for air conditioning in the main auditorium and, once completed, the company who installed it in the Studio will come back during the season and install it as it should only take a few days. We’ve decided to keep and ‘tweak’ the existing hearing loop and let audience members know which seats to choose for the best reception. This seems a pragmatic compromise, particularly as, in my experience, quite a few audience members who say it’s not working well don’t have their hearing aids enabled! I’m sure we’ll revisit this in the future.
Open day
Finally, we’re having another of our open days on Sunday 20th September. This is a great opportunity to showcase the theatre and welcome the local community to discover some of the members and learn about all the things that go on at the Barn. People are always surprised by the range of props, costumes and sets, as well as discovering all the parts of the theatre normally unseen by the audience. Thanks in advance to everyone who’s volunteered to help.
As always, I’ll see you in the theatre.
Ian Major
Chair
Membership & Council
Minutes from previosu Council meetings.
Please find the minutes of all meetings of the Barn Theatre Council. Once they are approved, usually the month after, they will be uploaded here.
Our membership news depends on information we get from YOU
New members
Lucy Hanneghan-Birt – Acting & directing
Paula Hill – Acting
Amy McEwen – Acting
Em Smith – Acting & sound
Albie Snell – Sound
Audition Notice:
The Hills of California
by Jez Butterworth
Directed by Rob Graham
Playing dates: 15th to 23rd January 2027
Audition dates:
Sunday 6th September, 10.30am to 12.30pm, Studio
Tuesday 8th September, 8pm to 10pm, Studio
Wednesday 9th September, 6pm to 7pm, Room 1
Blackpool, 1976. The driest summer in two hundred years (until 2026?). The beaches are packed. The hotels are heaving. In the sweltering backstreets, far from the choc ices and donkey rides, the Webb sisters are returning to their mother’s run-down guest house, as she lies dying upstairs. When memories from their youth come flooding back, the sisters must confront their past and untangle a web of secrets, betrayals and profound emotional bonds. Relentlessly entertaining, the play draws the audience into a richly comic, yet profoundly tragic tale of working-class life and the lengths parents will go to for the sake of securing a better future for their children.
Here are a few pointers before I get into the character breakdowns:
- Playing dates 15th to 23rd January 2027. I reckon I need 13 actors with some doubling, so good stage time for everyone.
- I don’t want to be overly prescriptive about ages – in the script the young Webb sisters are aged 12 to 15 and their elder counterparts in their mid / late thirties – it’s more important that the two sets of sisters are a good match. I think it’s likely that I’ll be looking to cast girls / women who can ‘play down’ to the young sisters, so age range 16 to 25. The older sisters’ ages can be quite flexible – again it’s more important that the sisters are a believable match – ranging roughly 40-50. It would be great if I could match the younger sisters in looks to the older ones, but hey, who still looks like their 15-year-old self? The ages of all the other roles can be very flexible indeed.
- Singing / dancing – there is some limited singing by the older sisters, so it would be ideal if they can ‘hold a tune’. For the younger sisters it’s essential that they have good singing voices (and can harmonise) plus can undertake some dance moves to accompany, in particular, the number Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B. I’ll be getting some expert musical help in to ensure we nail the songs. Singing will form part of the audition process.
- I’m not expecting us to perfect a Blackpool accent during the rehearsal process, but we should aim to get reasonably close. As a general rule it’s softer than a broad Lancashire accent, so that, or even a generic northern accent (not Yorkshire, though), would be a good starting point for the auditions. Some of the male characters don’t have to be from Lancashire so there may be slightly more flexibility here within reason (and clearly the character of Luther is American).
- I’ll be rehearsing three times a week (two in the week and one on Sunday) – days TBA. Rehearsals likely to start mid-October.
- There are a lot of great plays bunched around this slot, so you may already have your eye on something else in the season. Don’t let that preclude you from auditioning for me. The play can be rehearsed in chunks, e.g. within the two timelines, so I can try and work round your schedule if at all feasible. You can always drop me a line ahead of auditions if you’ve been cast in something else to sound me out.
Scripts available from me. Email Jacqueline Clayton with your preferred audition date and we’ll offer you a 15/20 minute slot. Ok, that’s enough chat, here’s the character / role breakdown with some suggested audition pieces.
1976 in order of appearance
Jillian – The youngest Webb sister, still a virgin, who has never left home and consequently been the one to nurse her mother through alcoholism and cancer. Wants nothing more than all the sisters to reconcile. In thrall to Joan, the eldest. Generally submissive but she snaps when pushed. She opens the play in a terrific two-hander with Penny, the nurse. A large / significant role.
Audition pages 11-16, 93-96, 106
Penny – The district nurse assigned to the mother of the Webb sisters. A smaller role but appears in five of the six scenes and will double with Biddy, the housemaid in the 1950s.
Audition pages 11-16
Mr Potts – A small role, though will likely double with Joe Fogg, who has a larger presence as the piano accompanist to the Webb sisters in the 1950s. Must be a piano player (and ideally ukulele too).
Audition pages 16-18
Ruby – The second youngest sister, but closer to Gloria than Jillian. She’s been pretty much absent in her mother’s life since leaving home. A straight talker, though she’s likely to defer to Gloria in an argument. She’s generally making-do in life with her husband Dennis and children but makes light of this in some hugely funny and entertaining moments. A large / significant role.
Audition pages 18-20, 60-63, 102
Patty – Gloria’s daughter – very small role but will double with one of the younger Webb sisters.
Tony – Gloria’s son – also small part and likely to make this a female role and again will double with one of the younger Webb sisters.
Bill – Gloria’s long-suffering husband. A kind of glass-half-full man, always looking to crack a (bad) joke. A smaller role but has some nice comedic moments. Also looking for Bill to be doubled with Mr Halliwell in the 1950s.
Audition pages 87-91
Gloria – The second oldest sister, married to long suffering Bill. She’s another confident, no-nonsense, straight-talker with some absolutely belting lines. Of all the young singing sisters, she was the one least likely to make it in show business. Although estranged from her mother, she’s been aware of her decline through alcoholism. The events 25 years earlier with her sister Joan have left their mark. A large / significant role.
Audition pages 22-24, 63-65, 102-103
Dennis – Ruby’s husband. Knows when to fall in line. Dennis is a small role but there’s a great opportunity to double with Jack Larkin which is a terrific more substantial part in the 1950s as the wisecracking lodger.
Audition pages 87-91
Joan – The eldest. Will she / won’t she turn up from America to visit her dying mother is a key feature of the play – in the West End production the character wasn’t named in the programme to add to the suspense and we may do the same. Laid-back and laconic, her version of events from 25 years earlier differs from Gloria’s. Although this is the smallest of the older sisters’ roles, it’s incredibly pivotal and, significantly, there’s a fantastic opportunity to double with Veronica, the mother of the young sisters which I’d be very keen to explore.
Audition pages 94-96, 106-109, 111-112
Dr Rose – A very small part at the end of the play, likely to double with Luther.
1950s in order of appearance
Veronica – The single mother of the Webb sisters. A matriarchal figure who rules with a rod of iron and is determined to see her children succeed as the ‘next Andrews Sisters’. Except the music landscape is changing. How she reacts to this forms the basis of the play’s key moment and the consequent relationship breakdown between her and her elder daughters. An outstanding part and the opportunity to double with Joan in 1976.
Audition pages 35-37, 42-43, 80-84
Young Jillian – The baby of the bunch. A small speaking part but with significant stage time. Must be able to sing (harmonise) and ideally dance. Opportunity to double with Patty / Tony in 1976.
Audition pages 48-51 plus the song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B
Young Ruby – A performer. Confident. Again a small speaking part but with significant stage time. Must be able to sing (harmonise) and ideally dance. Opportunity to double with Patty / Tony in 1976.
Audition pages 48-51 plus the song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B
Young Gloria – The least convincing performer of the sisters. Veronica is quick to consider ditching her if it helps the other three achieve their dreams. Nonetheless must be able to sing (harmonise) and ideally dance. Possibly play the ukulele! Again, a small speaking part but with significant stage time. Opportunity to double with Patty / Tony in 1976
Audition pages 48-51 plus the song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B
Young Joan – Rebellious, sassy and the most talented of the sisters. A more significant role than the other sisters, she will very obviously be the leader / eldest. Features in the most significant scene in the play. Must be able to sing and ideally dance. Opportunity to double with Patty / Tony in 1976.
Audition pages 46-51, 82-83 plus the song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B
Joe Fogg – The piano accompanist to the Webb sisters in the 1950s. Must be a piano player (and ideally ukulele too). A small speaking part but with good stage time. Integral to the play. Will double with Mr Potts from 1976.
Audition pages 69, 84-85
Biddy – The housemaid – a very small speaking part but can double with the bigger role of Penny in 1976.
Audition pages – see Penny
Mr and Mrs Smith – Tiny roles as guests – will be picked up by other members of cast / crew.
Mr Halliwell – A small role but features in a laugh-out-loud moment. Played by Shaun Dooley in the West End. Can double with Bill.
Audition pages – see Bill
Jack Larkin – The Sea View’s wisecracking lodger and self-appointed but ineffectual agent for the young girls. Has some great comedy lines. Can double with Dennis.
Audition pages 40-45, 73
Luther – A smallish role but incredibly significant and involved in the biggest scene in the play. Am looking for an imposing actor with a big stage presence to make this scene hit home. American accent required. Likely to double with Dr Rose.
Audition pages 72-73, 80-84
Rob
Director
Audition Notice:
The Shark is Broken
by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon
Directed by Simon Wallace
Playing dates: 5th to 13th February 2027
Audition dates:
Sunday 13th September at 3pm
Monday 14th September at 8pm
Wednesday 16th September at 8pm
All auditions are in Room 1
About the play
Set during the famously chaotic filming of the 1975 blockbuster Jaws, The Shark is Broken takes us behind the scenes as three actors find themselves stuck aboard the Orca while the film’s infamous mechanical shark refuses to work. With filming delayed day after day, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider pass the time with drinking, arguing, joking, reminiscing and putting the world to rights. What unfolds is a funny, sharp and surprisingly moving look at friendship, rivalry, fame, masculinity and the unpredictable nature of filmmaking. The play runs for approximately 95 minutes with no interval.The characters
Robert Shaw (playing age 45-55) A distinguished British actor and writer. Charismatic, intelligent and often intimidating, with a razor-sharp wit and a fondness for a drink. Beneath his confidence is a man wrestling with insecurity and vulnerability. Requires strong dramatic ability and excellent comic timing. Richard Dreyfuss (playing age 25-35) Young, ambitious and full of nervous energy. Quick-witted, highly strung and determined to prove himself. He frequently clashes with Shaw but also brings warmth, humour and emotional honesty. Excellent comic timing and confident dialogue work are essential. Roy Scheider (playing age 40-50) The calm in the storm. Thoughtful, diplomatic and quietly authoritative, Roy often finds himself keeping the peace between the other two. Dry humour and understated emotional depth make this a wonderfully subtle role. A bit of background Written by Ian Shaw (Robert Shaw’s son) and Joseph Nixon, The Shark is Broken premiered in Brighton in 2019 before transferring to the Edinburgh Fringe, where it received widespread acclaim. It’s since enjoyed successful runs in both the West End and on Broadway, earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play. Although inspired by real events, this isn’t a documentary – it’s an imaginative and entertaining exploration of what might have happened behind the scenes during one of cinema’s most legendary productions. And as such, I’m not looking for people who can do impressions of these actors: I’m after people who can bring their characters to the stage. And don’t worry if you’ve never seen Jaws – it certainly helps, but it’s by no means essential for either audiences or performers. Audition information Auditions will consist of readings from the script, with recalls if required. Scripts and audition pieces are available from me – please email me at: [email protected] I hope you’ll consider coming along, and I look forward to seeing you at the auditions!Simon Wallace
Director (and Jaws aficionado / fanboy)
Audition Notice:
The Girl with the Red Balloon /
Third Carriage from the End
by Lou Wallace and George Curry
Both directed by Lou Wallace
Playing dates: 17th to 20th February 2027 in the Studio
Audition dates:
Thursday 24th September and Friday 2nd October at 7.30pm (see below).
Book auditions, obtain more info, pdfs and links to songs:
[email protected]
Questions regarding music please email George Curry:
[email protected]
Brief information about the show(s) and auditions:
These two shows were part of last season’s Short and Sweet festival. Lou’s whimsical mime piece imagines the girl in Banksy’s iconic street art coming to life, and George’s beautiful musical follows a selection of disparate characters on their daily commute. George has now significantly developed her musical and we’ll stage this alongside a reworked version of Lou’s mime. The setting for both pieces will be the same Underground station and we hope that the Girl might also appear in Third Carriage. Each audition will include solo singing and group work. These pieces are ‘organic’ and we’re looking for bold, playful actors. The audition structure will be:
7.30pm – 8.15pm approx: Girl, Narrator and Passengers 1 and 2 (individual auditions plus shared session for Girl and Narrator – see below).
8.15pm – 8.45pm approx: Group audition (ALL characters and Girl)
8.45pm approx: Passengers 3, 4, 5 and 6
Audition songs and brief character details:
Third Carriage from the End
Passenger 1: A woman (30s): lonely, organised, slightly uptight.
Audition song: Wish you were here
Passenger 2: A woman (30s): lonely, slightly disorganised, laid-back.
Audition song: Wish you were here
Passenger 3: A person (20s): trendy, on-point.
Audition song: Swipe left
Passenger 4: A man (60s): quiet, resolute.
Audition song: Until
Passenger 5: A woman (50s): neat, quiet.
Audition song: Empty nest
Passenger 6: A woman (30s): harassed, exhausted.
Audition song: Spaghetti hoops
Narrator: Any of these songs plus group audition with the Girl (see below).
The Girl with the Red Balloon
The Girl dances and interacts with the audience. A very short movement / dance piece would be great for audition. In terms of style – contemporary or ballet? We will also do a group audition along with those auditioning for the Narrator.
Lou Wallace
Director
Obituary: Brian Duffy
The Life of Brian
We were very sad to hear that Brian Duffy died on 25th July 2026, aged 90. Brian and his beloved wife, Denise, were at the heart of the Barn Theatre community through the 1970s and 1980s, contributing their time, humour, practical skill and unmistakable enthusiasm to almost 100 productions between them.
He first came to the Barn in 1970 after moving to Valley Road, when neighbours David and Shirley Shaw introduced Brian and Denise to the theatre. It proved to be the beginning of a long and happy association: over the next 25 years Brian himself was involved in at least 42 productions, while the theatre gave the couple a wide circle of enduring friends.
On stage, Brian brought warmth and spirit to roles ranging from a singing pirate in pantomime to Jackie in Close the Coalhouse Door, the political drama about the lives and struggles of northern coal miners – a subject especially close to his heart, given his family’s Sunderland roots. Off stage, his background in carpentry and construction was invaluable. Alongside his good friend John Lloyd, Brian built many memorable sets, crewed productions, supported festival-winning work and helped take other Barn-related shows as far as the Minack Theatre in Cornwall.
His contribution extended beyond individual productions. Brian and fellow Barn member and life-long friend Len Price were responsible for many of the substantial building projects undertaken by the Trust in that era, leaving a practical legacy alongside his theatrical one. The brick walls in the bar, the dressing rooms, the wardrobe conversion of the then Rehearsal Room 2… all thanks to Brian and many other committed members of the day, a legacy we all enjoy and benefit from today.
Music, mischief and friendship were never far away. Brian and Denise joined ten friends to form The Barnstormers, an old-time music hall troupe which performed fundraising evenings for local schools and organisations. Their shows were full of character, camaraderie and the kind of spirited sing-song Brian loved throughout his life. Brian was sociable, outspoken, generous with his help and always ready for a laugh. Above all, he was never happier than among friends, gathered around a piano (or any available instrument) starting the singing.
The Barn remembers Brian with great affection, and sends its warmest condolences to his family, friends and all who shared his life at the theatre. He is reunited with Denise, his wife and lifelong theatre companion, whose friendship and shared commitment helped make their years at the theatre so memorable.
John Cook
Barn Open Day
We need more volunteers to show visitors round the theatre on our Open Day: Sunday 20th September from 10am until 4pm. No expertise is required – just enthusiasm and a familiarity with the backstage area.
If you can help out, even for just a couple of hours, please email Celia Roberts via [email protected]. Huge thanks to those who have already put their names forward.
Celia Roberts
The Father – or when the familiar becomes unfamiliar
by Mel Dixon, Set Designer
The Father by Florian Zeller has given Finn O’Grady and me the opportunity to design our first set for the Barn. I’m a returning member and previously worked as a lighting technician, while Finn has an MA in Performance Design from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Having only recently joined the Barn, he was looking for an opportunity to collaborate with an existing team on his first set design here. A fortunate meeting of needs and skills!
The play is set in Paris and is told entirely from the point of view of its central character, André, who has Alzheimer’s disease. From the outset, our brief was that the set should somehow reflect his experience as dementia progressively alters his perception of the world around him. Things disappear. Familiar surroundings subtly change. As André becomes increasingly disoriented, we wanted the audience to experience some of that uncertainty with him.
Before I had even read the play, my first instinct was to go quite abstract, using bold angles and revolving trucks that could move around the actors. Once we began looking properly at the practicalities, however, the short scenes and the need for extremely slick, rapid scene changes meant there simply wasn’t enough time – or space – for revolving trucks.
Next came the idea of hinged flats, before we eventually arrived at a different solution altogether – one which we hope reflects André’s increasing confusion and perhaps leaves the audience feeling just a little disoriented too.
While the initial design concept was largely mine, I’ll readily admit that my knowledge of set building – and DIY in general – is fairly limited! But one of the great things about the Barn is that it encourages people to try something new. Finn has been a joy to work with, bringing his skills in drawing up plans and model-making to turn my ideas into something that could actually be built. I simply couldn’t have done it without him.
Those ideas were then passed to Bob Cameron and Ian Bage for construction. They faced the challenge of working out the mechanics of how the set would actually function, and I’ve been hugely impressed by the skill and ingenuity they’ve brought to solving each problem along the way.
Then came the styling. We have been incredibly fortunate to draw on the knowledge and experience of Kris Moore, Georgie Palmer and Stephanie Dunn. Their advice, research and sheer hard work in sourcing everything we need have been phenomenal.
The brief was mid-century modern, covering the two principal locations: André’s flat and the home of his daughter, Anne. That presented another interesting puzzle: how do you use many of the same elements to create two homes that need to feel both similar and distinctly different?
In every sense, this has been a wonderfully collaborative effort, allowing everyone in the set team to bring their own skills and talents to the production – and teaching me an enormous amount along the way. As for the solutions we eventually found… you’ll have to book your tickets to discover those.
Mel Dixon
Set Designer
A resplendent Studio!
A bunch of eager volunteers answered the call of Michael Merry, our esteemed facilities director, that the Studio needed a re-paint. So, on the hot Saturday morning of 8th August the job was successfully completed by this dedicated team and now looks smartened up. A very big thank-you to the following for giving up their Saturday morning:
Hannah Cobb, Dave Fairhurst, Colin Hickey, Barbara Holgate-Stuckey, Dave House, Victoria Rive, Celia Roberts, John Sparrow and Danny Swanson.
Thank you all!
Nigel
Jazz at the Barn
As we start another season, this will also be the fifth season with Jazz at the Barn being a part of our line-up. We share below a note we received from Matt Ward who devised these events after our recent end-of-year gig in the auditorium.
“A very quick message from me to say a huge thank-you to all, for the variety of parts played over the past year for the Jazz at the Barn gigs! You have all been most helpful with ticketing, box office, bar, lighting, sound, etc., etc. It’s super appreciated and I’m very lucky to be able to put these gigs on at such a great venue with lovely volunteers.
“Please pass my thanks on to all the committee and volunteers who I don’t get to meet on a regular basis, especially those who helped on Friday for the auditorium gig. It’s Jazz at the Barn’s fifth season from September onwards, so a nice milestone, and it couldn’t have been reached without all your help!
“Thanks again, and look we forward to starting again in September.”
Matt Ward
A warm welcome at the Barn
We recently received this lovely little Google Review from Martin John Blum, who was travelling and staying locally and joined us at the Barn for our Eurovision Song Contest evening:
“We booked to watch Eurovision at the Barn, having travelled from abroad and staying in a local hotel. The welcome we received was simply overwhelming. We were made to feel instantly at home. We had the most amazing evening, all thanks to an incredibly kind and generous group of people whose hospitality was out of this world.”
It’s a wonderful reminder of the difference that a warm welcome, kindness and good hospitality can make. So thank you to everyone involved in organising the Eurovision evening, and to all who came along and helped make it such an enjoyable occasion. It’s especially heart-warming to know that visitors from so far afield felt so at home at the Barn that they wrote a special thank-you to us on Google Reviews.
LTG Regional Conference 2026
As the Barn’s LTG representative, I’ll be attending the LTG Central Region Conference at the Harborough Theatre in Market Harborough on Saturday 26th September.
It should to be an interesting and enjoyable day, with opportunities to meet fellow theatre members, take a tour of the venue, hear from guest speakers and attend sessions on youth theatre, set building and lighting.
I’m planning to leave Welwyn Garden City at around 7am and expect to return before the evening production. However, Harborough Theatre is presenting The Unfriend that evening, so I’d be happy to stay for the performance if anyone travelling with me would also like to go.
If you’re interested in joining me for the conference, please let me know. It would be great to have some other Barn representation there with me. More information, including the full programme is available from the Little Theatre Guild. Harborough Theatre is a member-run venue and part of the LTG’s Central Region as is the Barn.
littletheatreguild.org/events/central-regional-conference-2026/
Romance blossoms at the Barn
There were two weddings recently, involving two couples who are very much part of the Barn family. Congratulations to both couples!
On 25th July Paul Russell and Jess Wall were united in a wonderful Commitment Ceremony on the Barn stage, beautifully led by Rob Graham. This was followed by a celebratory party and disco in the bar and Studio. Paul says: “My wife and I loved every second and were thrilled to be able to celebrate at the Barn. So many guests commented on how perfect the setting was, even giving them the chance to clap and cheer during the service (like all good Barn audiences)”.
Neil Harrison and Lisa Roberts were married at Coltsfoot Country Retreat in Datchworth on 9th August. Neil says: “We had a wonderful day, with the weather being on our side… it was glorious. Great to share it with a smattering of Barn friends among the guests too, including a rather talented and familiar photographer! Not too much should change other than the Social Secretary now being known as Lisa Harrison. Thanks to all for all the good wishes we received”.
Playing away
Tickets available from www.hdos.org.uk
Dates for your diary
Performances
The Full Monty
17th to 26th September at 8pm
Matinee 26th September at 2.30pm
The Father
16th to 24th October at 8pm
Matinee 24th October at 2.30pm
Auditions
The Hills of California
Sunday 6th September at10.30pm in the Studio
Tuesday 8th September at 8pm in the Studio
Wednesday 9th September at 6pm in Room 1
The Shark is Broken
Sunday 13th September at 3pm
Monday 14th September at 8pm
Wednesday 16th September at 8pm
All in Room 1
The Girl with the Red Balloon / Third Carriage from the End
Thursday 24th September at 7.30pm
Friday 2nd October at 7.30pm
Both in Room 1
Social and Club events
Singers at the Barn
Sunday 6th September at 7pm
Jazz at the Barn
Friday 11th September at 8pm
Next Council meeting
Wednesday 9th September at 8pm
Members’ password
TEAPOT
Archive submission link
If you have any digital archive items – photos, scans, anything – please upload them to the Archive team. Please just click here.