October 2022

Editor extraordinaire Mike Smith

Well tally ho! With a bing and a bang and a buzz buzz buzz!

With the start of any new season comes a flurry of new activity: auditions are cast, plays start up and rehearsals get under way. A buzz takes hold of the building and the spaces which were once silent throughout summer now come alive with chatter and laughter. The clubroom echoes with the beat of jazz one minute and the ring of a buzzer for another; there’s a song being sung in the Studio, or should I say ‘parlour’; and along the corridors chuckling can be heard through the walls.The most infectious of this glorious sound emanates from Room 1: it’s hypnotising and compels one to investigate further.

I walk in though the door and the sight that greets me runs in contrast to the sound: visually, it’s 1917, the frontline at Ypres, and there are a group of soldiers about to go over the top.

Someone has a cunning plan – a plan as cunning as a fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University – only no-one gets to hear it as once again the soldiers fall into fits of giggles. A deep voice reverberates, “OK, let’s try that again” – and some kind of order falls back into place. KT has spoken. He is the commanding officer of this outfit but, unlike a certain General Melchett, Mr Thompson is well and truly ‘dug in’ with his men.

The rehearsal recommences and a quick glance at KT’s battle plans suggests this is not as straightforward as it seems. “There’s a fundamental difference between filming a script for television, and directing a television script for stage. For starters, on television, you can cut from one scene to another, and actors are already there; there’s no need for a scene change, or for exits and entrances.”

He is, of course, referring to his October production of Blackadder Goes Forth, and identifying one of the many challenges that face him and his company in bringing this classic comedy to the Barn stage. From his notes I can make out the words ‘uniforms’, ‘aeroplanes’ and ‘rifles’. We choose not to dwell on those but rather talk about Blackadder and what drew Keith to propose this production for the Barn. He loves the series, the characters, and he’d seen a successful production play in Harlow a few years ago, with none other than Clive Weatherley in the title role. Keith is also no stranger to adapting TV shows to work on the stage, having previously directed Dad’s Army back in 2008.

For those of you uninitiated in the best of British comedy, Blackadder is a series of not-quite sitcoms, set in different periods of history, and telling the story of the Blackadder dynasty – from the Middle Ages (season 1), through to Elizabethan (season 2) and Regency (season 3) eras, right up to the Great War of 1914 to 1917 for season 4! Each series comprised six episodes; too many for a single show at the Barn, and so one of my first questions was fairly obvious: Which episodes and why?

“I’ve gone for ‘Corporal Punishment’, ‘Private Plane’, ‘General Hospital’ and the famous finale, ‘Goodbyeee’. This choice of episodes was mostly down to the practicalities of staging; I left out the play requiring a theatre as it would be one set too much for our small stage space.The other episode left out was the one I did not consider to be as funny as the others. I think what we have left will work on the Barn stage, there are still the challenges of multiple locations and trying to minimise scene changes, but I’m confident that with some slight alterations to locations, and some clever lighting design work, from John Cude, that the shifts in setting will not disrupt the pace necessary for the comedy.”

I also questioned him about his approach to the characters: was he going for completely new interpretations, or was he going to be paying homage to those audiences are familiar with on screen? “Our characters hardly look like the TV originals but have been encouraged to adopt as many of their characteristics as possible,” Keith explains, “and they’re supported by some of the best comic dialogue ever presented on TV.” It becomes evident that this latter thought is perfectly true as the company descend into laughter once more. The cast are clearly having a ball on this production and it’s hard not to get good vibes about it from these early rehearsals. “These fits of giggles are frequent,” I’m told, and I can well believe it. There is a real pedigree among the company: Barn stalwarts like Paul Russell (Blackadder), Carl Westmoreland (Darling), Andy Read (Baldrick), and Steve Deaville (George), are joined by newcomer Andy Mills as General Melchett, and together they are producing some fabulous entertainment.

As I leave, I hear the final lines from the ‘Goodbyee’ episode and they seem kind of apt for all involved in this production, and with Parlour Song: “Good luck, everyone.

Blackadder Goes Forth opens on Friday 28th October and runs until Saturday 5th November.

Simon Wallace

A slice of Hertfordshire life comes to the Studio

What follows below is a shameless plug by the director to urge you to buy tickets before they’re all gone…

I’m delighted to be putting on Parlour Song in the Barn Studio this month. The play looks at seemingly ordinary lives that are spinning out of control. Set in darkest Hertfordshire, where the writer Jez Butterworth went to school, it references many places familiar to all of us. It’s beautifully constructed and written – imagine Abigail’s Party combined with The Office and a sprinkling of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal thrown in.

It’s unsettling to direct because it has an elusive quality, a feeling of knowing and not knowing at the same time, a bit like real life!

The Studio is a great place to present something naturalistic as the actors have no space to hide, no divide between the audience and themselves. Each move, each thought is seen in close-up. It calls for a high level of technical control and the ability to act ‘in the moment’.

Luckily I have a superb cast for this production. Emily Fairman, Mike Curry and Rob Graham all learnt their lines before the first rehearsal so we could focus on the more exciting stuff and find those interesting choices. The Studio also allows you to risk a bit and try things out because it doesn’t have the same pressure of getting bums on seats that a main-house production has.

We’re rehearsing in the week before we go up 10am-10pm every day. It’s a throwback to the intensity and fun many of us in the Youth Group had working on Simon Turner’s ‘Productions in a Week’ which we did way back in the early 1980s. I’m also including plenty of improvisations to help the cast feel how their character would act in any given situation outside the events in the play.

So, if we’re still talking to each other and still awake, we can’t wait for the first night to open on 25th October for five performances only.

Danny Swanson

Director

From the Chair

Welcome to October’s Barn News

Welcome to October’s Barn News – as I write, the final touches are being put to The Ghost Train, our season opener. As ever, a huge thank-you to Cliff Francis and his team for working

through the summer and early autumn to bring this classic to us.

Elsewhere there are rehearsals a-plenty, auditions and room bookings bringing the Barn back to life. Working hard to keep the rooms in use and without clashes is Victoria Rive who is one of many unsung volunteers who keep things working like clockwork over the off-season. An enormous thank-you to everyone who has got things in order and ready to go.

Hannah Humbles and her social team have also been busy as you will have seen – we have already had two social events, the jazz night and Just a Minute. It’s fabulous to have all this activity and Hannah tells us that she and her team have something planned for us to enjoy every month for this season – so much to look forward to!

As most of you will know, my term as chairman ends at the end of the year – so just a few Council meetings left for me. The next two will deal with the usual business of course, but each will also have a single issue to deal with – October will see us focusing on marketing.

Without this hard-working team we would sell many, many fewer tickets, but we’re

conscious that we can always do more to raise interest and encourage people to visit and take part, so we’re going to spend some time chatting over all things marketing with the people who do the work.

In November we’re going to look at the Barn’s future – as the Barn Council changes, and new members join, I want to leave a few thoughts on what might be the focus for the next couple of years – sustainability, inclusion, building development, number of shows, use of the Studio and benefits of membership come to mind immediately – I’ve already had one very thoughtful email from a member following my request a month or so back, but more suggestions always welcome!

For the time being, though, I’m going to look forward to the first few shows!

Finally, HELP WANTED! Lucy Winston has, for the last few years, been doing a wonderful job running the administration for Barn Youth, but now needs to stand down. Please will you consider spending a few hours a week looking after class numbers, fees and the like.

If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with Lucy at [email protected]

Simon Parr

Chairman

Membership & Council

Minutes for the Council Meeting September 2022

Please find the minutes of the July meeting of the Barn Theatre Council approved on
13th September 2022.

Our membership news depends on information we get from YOU

Keep us up-to-date by emailing us here:

GET IN TOUCH

Get in Touch

New members

Eric Williams
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: audience only

Michelle Williams
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: acting

Mark Snelling
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: acting

Jessica Hall
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: acting

Michelle Ward
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: admin, acting, box office, stewarding, wardrobe

Matthew Neal
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: set design and set building

Harry Harding
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: acting, bar, box office, directing, house management, production management, promoting, stage management

Andy Mills
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: Acting

Christine Neal
Membership level: Ordinary
Interests: props, set building, set design, set dressing, set painting

Welcome to the Barn!

Audition Notice - Peep

By Jodi Gray

Directed by Jan Palmer Sayer

Playing dates: 15th - 18th February 2023

Audition dates:
Sunday 16th October at 12 noon
Sunday 23rd October at 12 noon
Both in the Green Room (although do let me know if neither of these is possible for you – alternatives can be arranged).

“A black comedy that is genuinely creepy is a rarity. But Jodi Gray’s Peep manages to spook the living daylights out of you, because wild though its premise is, it actually seems possible… and not even in an alternative universe.”

Emer O’Kelly, Irish Independent

Synopsis

First performed at Bewley’s Café Theatre, Dublin, this play, by exciting new (and award-winning) writer, Jodi Gray, is a darkly comic, claustrophobic tale of voyeurism and sexual politics. The play is set in Dublin, in the present day. Caitlin and May, two Dublin women, are sitting at the window…. it emerges that Caitlin is the tenant, May a kind of interloper.

They’re there because the flat’s living room window overlooks another living room window where the curtains are never drawn: it belongs to the unnamed man who has ‘had’ them both, and is fully occupied having lots of other women on a speedy conveyor belt. And Caitlin and May are busy watching the antics: it’s (it seems) suitable revenge for having discovered that ‘our hero’ video-ed them both on the job.

Peeping can work both ways, and their revenge is to waylay their successors and co-opt them as watchers also.

And, by the way, they can’t stand each other despite their spooky pact, and there’s the rub. The play has a heart-stopping ending… but you’ll have to read it to find out!

Characters

The age of each character is fairly immaterial, but there are references to one of them at least being of child-bearing years (although don’t let that put you off), and ideally, they should be contemporaneous with each other. They are different characters, and I suggest you simply read the text and decide which you’d like to go for. Caitlin is more brooding than May who is funnier and more flighty, but both are excellent roles.

Caitlin: the first of his women.

May: another of his women. She needs to do one very fast, fabulous change of clothes and make-up towards the end of the play.

I came across this play adjudicating in Gibraltar last year, and consequently read it before I saw it. It’s a genuinely creepy piece which scared the living daylights out of me when I read it and on seeing it, I found myself watching the watchers with the sort of fascination you get when you’re watching a snake that’s just about to strike. It’s truly staggering writing from this young playwright, and these two roles are about the best two roles for women that I’ve ever come across outside the classics. I’m really excited to be doing it.

The playing dates are mid-February, and I reckon the best way to tackle the thing is to audition it as early as I’m allowed to, for the actors to learn it before we start rehearsals (yep – don’t audition if you’re not up for that) and then for us to spend a concentrated 4-5 weeks on it, starting after Christmas. Owzat?

I’ve so far recruited my lovely husband Derek to head up my Creative Team, but please do stick your hand up if you’d like to be involved.

Jan Palmer Sayer
[email protected]
07768 431870

If you are keen to help backstage contact:
Derek Palmer
[email protected]
07860 573896

Jan Palmer Sayer

Director

Audition Notice - Treasure Island

By Bryony Lavery
Directed by Laura Eddy and Rosemary Bianchi

Playing dates: 24th March to 1st April

Auditions

Wednesday 9th November at 7.30pm in Room 1

Thursday 10th November at 7.30pm in the Studio

Sunday 13th November at 10.30am in Room 1

BEAT TO QUARTERS!

Brave buccaneers
Actors with and without sea legs
Swarthy old and young sea dogs
Upper-class heroes
Lower-class heroes
Yarn tellers
Dead men tell no tales; the theatre does.

The Admiral Benbow Inn… Bill Bones, a terrifying stranger… a sea chest he guards with his life… young Jim paid a silver fourpenny to keep “a weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg”.
The adventure unfolds from the cold, stormy West Country to the Hispaniola, crewed by a brigade of cut-throats and desperados to the midst of an island, a Treasure Island!
It’s every man, woman and parrot for themselves…

AVAST!

You don’t need telling who can be what or should be he or she! No parts are gender-specific. So, here be the characters, Barn yarn tellers – you choose…

Jim Hawkins – A teenager and storyteller
Grandma Hawkins – GSOH
Doctor Livesey – Doctor, magistrate, busy
Squire Trelawney – Upper-class, big mouth, posh
Crossley – Driven by church and booze
Red Ruth – Willing bystander, brave
Lucky Micky – Willing bystander, important
Job Anderson – Willing bystander, crucial
Shanty Band Person – Sings a lot, loud and proud
Bill Bones – Haunted villain, troubled past
Black Dog – Eight-fingered villain, octopus?
Blind Pew – Delivers the Black Spot, plot kick-off
Captain Smollett – Commanding sailor
Long John Silver – One-legged cook, crook and charmer
Joan the Goat – Headbutter extraordinaire
Isreal Hands – Clumsy Brazilian, waxed
Dick the Dandy – Pirate voguist, RuPaul fan
Killigrew the Kind – Gentle killer, pre-Covid
George Badger – Malcontent, moans
Captain Flint – Feathered, puppet
Grey – Forgettable – not a puppet
Ben Gunn – Marooned, hair growth, excessive wig

“Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest,
Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum,
Drink and the Devil have done for the rest,
Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!”

More details from Captains Eddy and Bianchi, on the lookout for actors who can fill these roles. Scripts from Bos’n Keogh.

Directors

Laura Eddy – [email protected]
Rosemary Bianchi – [email protected]
Production Manager – John Keogh – [email protected]
Costumes – Tiffany Breeze and Penny Coyston
Stage Manager – Brenda Onyon

Laura Eddy

Director

Looking ahead

It's not too early to start thinking about 2023-24!

Don’t panic – I know we’ve only just opened the curtains to the 2022-23 season but my job as Artistic Director never stops. And I’ve already got a handful of contenders for next year. I’ve never felt the need to publish a ‘call for entries’ as the Barn’s lucky enough to have a strong and growing bank of directors with the willingness and enthusiasm to keep our audiences (and financial director!) happy. And next season will, I’m sure, be no exception.

But I do often have to disappoint directors who simply come to me too late – at a time which may feel still early but all the slots are filled. And that’s the reason for this article. If you’d like to direct something for 2023-24, the earlier you let me know, the more successful you’re likely to be.

Putting the season together is a huge juggling act. As well as assembling a balanced and varied programme, I also like to keep the directing talent fresh. If you didn’t direct one season, I’ll be more likely to include you for the next. But then the play has to be right. So there are no guarantees! And if you’re a new director, cutting your teeth in the Studio is a good idea. But again, no hard and fast rules.

One key area that’s vital for the Barn’s future, and one that’s enjoying much discussion, is upping our credentials on the issues of inclusion and diversity. If you have an idea for a show that examines these themes, or where they’re intrinsic to its production, do let me know. And let’s start rising to the challenge, for this and future seasons.

Thanks for reading!

Clive Weatherley

Artistic Director

Social Scene

Jazz joy

Thank you to everyone who came to our debut of ‘Jazz at the Barn’ in September. I think we can all agree that it was a huge success and I’m pleased to announce that this will now be a bimonthly event. The next Jazz Night will be held on Friday 18th November at 8pm, with doors open from 7.30pm.

Tickets for this will be available to members and to the public, just like before, and will cost £7 each. You can secure your place for this one by heading to the Barn Theatre website.

Hope to see you there!

Spellbinding social

As you may remember from September’s Barn News, our next social event is ‘A Spellbinding Night at the Barn’. Join us for an evening of magic and illusion by the insanely talented Darren McQuade. Save the date for Saturday 12th November: the doors will be open from 7.30pm and the event starts at 8pm.

Darren has been performing magic since the age of five, learning his first tricks from Ali Bongo’s Book of Magic and a Paul Daniels magic set. He spent his childhood learning, performing and watching magic. Since then he has gone on to perform around the globe, amazing thousands of people along the way, both in close-up settings and on stage. He has invented and published his own effects, used by many magicians across the world, and worked as a magic consultant for television. He is also a producer, having put together a top regular magic night in London.

This event will be open to the public as well as Barn members and will be ticketed. That said, members are getting prior notice and discounted tickets using the code APPLE.

Members’ tickets will be £5 using the code APPLE: the regular ticket price will be £7.

If you’d like to secure your place, click HERE.

Hannah Humbles

Social Director

Haunting Julia

Cast and Crew

Cast

Joe – Doug Brooker
Ken – Neil Harrison
Andy – Harry Harding
Voice of Julia – Tammy Wall
Male voice and pianist – Peter Farrell

Creative Team

Director – Maureen Davies
Stage Manager – Michael Merry
ASMs – Lucy Winston, Hannah Humbles
Production Manager – Brenda Tomlin
Lighting – Nigel Sadler
Sound – John Gardner
Set Design / Prompt – Stephanie Dunn
Set Dressing – Kris & Pete Moore
Props – Georgie Palmer, Gerry Gritzman, Bev Triber, Linda Miles
Set Painter – Colin Hickey
Photography – MeltingPot Pictures, John Davies
Costume – Barn Wardrobe Team

From the Archives

Historical Documents
If you’ve explored the Barn website recently (www.barntheatre.co.uk) you’ll have noticed that a new feature has been added in the Archive section. The new feature, Historical Documents, is where I intend to add various historical documents about the Barn Theatre for all to see.

As a starter, I’ve added the history volumes starting with those created by the late Harry Stull including the Welwyn Drama Club which predated the Barn Theatre Club. I’ve also added all the volumes created by myself which now includes two new and previously unpublished histories covering the periods 2004 to 2009 and 2009 to 2014.

These volumes can either be viewed online or copied.

More documents will appear during the coming months so keep an eye out. In the meantime, I hope you find these of interest.

Robert Gill

Archivist

Who's Who

at the Barn Theatre Club

Directors

Chairman
Simon Parr – 07891 637532
c [email protected]
Finance
Ian Major – 07789 728997
[email protected]
Marketing
Vaccant
Membership
Nigel Rive – 07768 867534
[email protected]
Facilities
Michael Merry – 07973 238346
f [email protected]

Non-Executive

Sheila Grimmant – 07970 929290
Administration
John Davies – 01707 882209

Ex-Officio Council Members

President
Louis Davis
Company Secretary
Linda Miles – 01707 335718

Non-voting Council Members

Social
Hannah Humbles – 07940 226917
Stage Director
John Cude – 01525 374616
Artistic Director
Clive Weatherley – 07773 044801
[email protected]
Studio Director
Cliff Francis – 07547 373326

Other responsibilities

Archives
Robert Gill – 01707 324572
Barn News
Mike Smith – 07774 849606
[email protected]
Bar Manager
Martin Moore – 07768 650660
Child Protection
Linda Miles – 01707 335718
[email protected]
Club Nights and Social Events
Hannah Humbles – 07940 226917
Coffee Bar
Sue George – 01707 330274
Costume Hire
Margaret Wallace – 01707 321059
Direct Debit Admin
Ian Major – 07789 728997
FoH Admin
Wendy Bage – 01707 331494
[email protected]
Library
Vacant
LTG Rep
Robert Gill – 01707 324572
Photography
Simon Wallace – 07875 423550
Photo-Studio Hire
John Davies – 01707 882209
Private Hire
Victoria Rive – 01707 336446
Properties
Barbara Foster – 01707 694237

PR
Simon Wallace – 07875 423550
[email protected]
Rehearsal Rooms
Victoria Rive – 01707 336446
[email protected]
Singers at the Barn
Lesley Thomas – 01707 872125
[email protected]
Site Manager
Sharon Francis – 07885 421051
Stage Lighting
Nick Mogg – 07802 866843
Stage Sound
James Rowles – 07958 427927
Website
John Cook – 07973 221617
[email protected]
Workshop
Norman Merry – 01707 326089

Youth Theatre

Admin
Lucy Winston – 07888 838260
[email protected]
Barn Errol
Louise Parr – 07875 436317
Barn Pigwidgeon
Georgina Scotchford – 07923 620163
Barn Hedwig
Louise Parr – 07875 436317
Barn Hermes
Sean Scotchford – 07814 236260
Green Room / Bar – 01707 330672
Theatre Box Office – 01707 324300

Dates for your diary

Auditions

The Height of the Storm

by Florian Zeller

Directed by John Davies

Sunday 2nd October at 2pm

Wednesday 5th October at 8pm

Both in Room One

Constellations

by Nick Payne

Directed by Coral Walton

Sunday 9th October at 2pm

Sunday 16th October at 2pm

Both in the Studio

Peep

by Jodi Gray

Directed by Jan Palmer Sayer

Sunday 16th October at 12 noon

Sunday 23rd October at 12 noon

Both in the Green Room

Treasure Island

by Bryony Lavery

Directed by Laura Eddy and Rosemary Bianchi

Wednesday 9th November at 7.30pm in Room 1

Thursday 10th November at 7.30pm in the Studio

Sunday 13th November at 10.30am in Room 1

Performances

The Ghost Train

by Arnold Ridley

Directed by Cliff Francis

Friday 30th September to Saturday 8th October at 8pm

Matinee Saturday 8th October at 2.30pm

Parlour Song

by Jez Butterworth

Directed by Danny Swanson

Saturday 22nd to Tuesday 25th October in the Studio

Blackadder Goes Forth

by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton

Directed by Keith Thompson

Friday 28th October to Saturday 5th November at 8pm

Matinee Saturday 5th November at 2.30pm

Box office reminder

Member tickets are £11 on the opening Friday of most main-stage productions. To access the member price, customers will need the password ‘APPLE’.

Box office telephone: 01707 324300 (Mon to Sat, 9am to 5pm) – a £2 booking fee will apply for all telephone bookings.

The theatre box office will also be open every Sunday from 1pm to 3pm (from 3rd September).

Michael Merry

All photos used in Barn News are courtesy of John Davies and Simon Wallace (MeltingPot Pictures)

Table of Contents

MEMBERS' TICKET PASSWORD MASK

October 2022

Well tally ho! With a bing and a bang and a buzz buzz buzz!

A slice of Hertfordshire life comes to the Studio

From the Chair

Welcome to October’s Barn News

Membership & Council

Minutes for the Council Meeting September 2022

Our membership news depends on information we get from YOU

New members

Welcome to the Barn!

Audition Notice - Peep

By Jodi Gray

Directed by Jan Palmer Sayer

Playing dates: 15th - 18th February 2023

Synopsis

Characters

Audition Notice - Treasure Island

By Bryony LaveryDirected by Laura Eddy and Rosemary Bianchi

BEAT TO QUARTERS!

AVAST!

Directors

Looking ahead

It's not too early to start thinking about 2023-24!

Social Scene

Jazz joy

Spellbinding social

Haunting Julia

Cast and Crew

Cast

Creative Team

From the Archives

Who's Who

at the Barn Theatre Club

Directors

Non-Executive

Ex-Officio Council Members

Non-voting Council Members

Other responsibilities

Youth Theatre

Dates for your diary

Auditions

Performances

Box office reminder

Get in touch

MEMBERS' TICKET PASSWORD
MASK

By Bryony Lavery
Directed by Laura Eddy and Rosemary Bianchi