Pam died on 6th December.

In the Welwyn Drama Club, before the formation of the Barn Theatre Club, Eric Farlie is first mentioned lighting a production in 1957. After a flirtation with FOH jobs, Pam assisted Eric with lighting in many productions for the Drama Club.

In the period immediately after the amalgamation in 1969 Pam started as ASM for Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be, the inaugural show. Forming a lighting duo to accompany Eric’s many set designs, she was involved in 34 productions in 10 years. They seemed ever-present, available, skilful and made useful suggestions to directors. Their enthusiasm can be deduced, for example, in the early summer of 1983: at the Barn they lit the spoof cartoon strip The Fosdyke Saga in March, The Dresser in April and Joe Orton’s farce Erpingham Camp for the Welwyn Festival in June. These latter two went on to play on consecutive evenings in Northampton and Buxton festivals, winning both, and playing in other locations during the month. Pam and Eric lit both, as well as their commitments to the Campus Music Hall and the occasional one-night stands of The Barnstormers. Quietly professional, they were inevitably in demand, not only because of their theatre skills but because they were a pleasure to work with. They were involved in many festivals and won a plethora of stage presentation awards.

Pam also tried her hand at stage management, very successfully. She was a quiet but firm presence. Once, when we were taking a set down on a Sunday morning, and well aware of my lack of handyman abilities, she put a hammer in my hand and said ‘Do as little damage as possible!’.

The list of productions in which she was involved, often but not always with Eric, dominates large sections of the archives. Also, the archives reveal that at some time, all four of their children were involved in Barn activities. Even their choice of abode seemed Barn-oriented: their three successive houses moved closer to the Barn over the years, ending on the doorstep in Barnside. They were also with The Interluders / Hertfordshire Players from the outset in 1964.

Pam seemed a quiet personality but had a ready wit and a firm opinion. She enjoyed the social side of club affairs and the company of other members. Highly knowledgeable on theatrical matters technical, she was not afraid to air her opinions of the club’s productions. Her last outing was assisting with set construction for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in 2003.

We send our condolences to the family and her many friends. It’s easy to say that the Barn will not seem the same without her, but it’s true. We had not seen much of her for a couple of years as her health declined, but we will miss her in so many ways.