The Matchgirls musical play is based on actual events around the London Matchgirls strike of 1888 and focuses on working conditions at the Bryant & May factory in Bow, which had women and children suffering from ‘Phossy Jaw’ where the white phosphorus from matches would rot their jaws away. This was combined with sanctions and fines imposed by management if you were unable to work due to illness.
The match-cutters finally rebelled against their working conditions and this is their story. The incongruously named ‘Hope Court’ is the setting for much of the play, for it is there the workers live in shabby tenements. Desperation turns Kate, the tenement girl, into a reckless strike-leader, and complicates her courtship with Joe, a docker. Annie Besant, the liberal reformer, champions the strikers’ cause and plays a vital part in bringing about their ultimate victory over what was then a callous management.
Tickets are now available for just £15. Buy online or from the Box Office.
Take advantage of our £29 meal deal with Terranova Italian Restaurant in Stanborough Park which includes a 2-course, pre-show meal from the set menu with a glass of wine and a ticket for the show. Download the menu
Not available Sundays and Mondays.
Home-Start provides a unique service for families – recruiting and training volunteers to support young families with children at home. Home-Start volunteers will visit families each week, supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or just where parenting is a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope. Read more on the Home-Start website
If you are a parent or grandparent and have a couple of hours to spare each week to befriend a family, Home-Start Herts would love to hear from you. Please contact us on 01438 367788 or via the website.
You may UNSUBSCRIBE at ANY time via the link contained in every email we send out.
© 1960 - 2025 Barn Theatre Trust Limited, Barn Close, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6ST
Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in London, No. 1604619 | Registered charity No. 284143
Privacy & Cookie Policy | Website designed, hosted and maintained by ZIC Media Limited
Do you have a question? Do you need help?
Feel free to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
If you need to contact a specific department eg. Box Office, please select it from the dropdown list.
At the Barn we are committed to promoting equality and challenging discrimination in all its forms. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the cast and creative team, regardless of their race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity and will work to prevent any form of discrimination or harassment within our organisation.
