Barn_Theatre,_Welwyn_Garden_City

Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City

Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City

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The Barn Theatre, located in Welwyn Garden City, England is a Grade II listed, 17th-century timber-framed barn converted to a community theatre in 1931.[1]

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It is owned by The Barn Theatre Trust and used by a local amateur theatre company, The Barn Theatre Club. It has two performance spaces: a main auditorium and a studio.

History

The original barn or barns that form the current building were constructed from timbers dated to 1597 by dendrochronology in 2014, most probably sourced from nearby Sherrardspark Wood.[2]

The building in its current form was constructed on its present site on Handside Lane in or around 1830, as part of Lower Handside Farm.[3]

It was converted from a cowshed to a theatre in 1931 and opened in January 1932.[4][5] In 1969 the Barn Theatre Club was formed from the combined Welwyn Drama Club and Welwyn Folk Players.[4]

The building was Grade II listed on 4 November 1980 and bought by the Barn Theatre Trust in 1984.[6]

Building

There are two performance areas:

  • a raked 121-seat auditorium, refurbished in 2016[7]
  • a smaller, flexible studio, extended and refurbished in 2014[8]

The building also houses a bar, green room, dressing rooms, rehearsal space, workshop, and properties and costume stores.

Use of the building

The resident theatre company, The Barn Theatre Club, presents monthly productions in the main auditorium and other shows in the studio, alongside other community and club events. The club also participates in theatre festivals and provides basic youth theatre training.[9]

The venue also hosts the annual Welwyn Drama Festival (since 2015) and Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival.[10][11]

The building was also used as a film location for Hot Fuzz.[12][13][14]

References

  1. [1]
    "The Barn Theatre". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. [2]
    Moir, A K (2014). "Dendrochronological analysis of oak timbers from The Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England". Tree-Ring Services. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. [3]
    Eserin, Angela (2013) [1995]. "Chapter 5: Community Spirit". Welwyn Garden City. Images of England. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7524-0133-1. OCLC 41290832.
  4. [4]
    Rook, Tony (2001). "Chapter 8: Town Structure". Welwyn Garden City Past. Chichester,East Sussex: Phillimore. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-86077-141-5. OCLC 54633732.
  5. [5]
    Busby, Richard J. (1976). The book of Welwyn: the story of the five villages and the Garden City. Barracuda Books Ltd. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-86023-023-6.
  6. [6]
    "THE BARN THEATRE". Historic England. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. [7]
    Davies, Alan (7 October 2016). "By Jove! Jeeves and Wooster open new season at refurbished Welwyn Garden City theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  8. [8]
    "Studio and Stair Extensions to the Barn Theatre". WEAL Architects. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. [9]
    "The Barn Theatre Trust Limited Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements". Companies House. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  10. [10]
    Davies, Alan (3 May 2015). "Welwyn Drama Festival finds a new home in Welwyn Garden City". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. [11]
    Davies, Alan (11 March 2016). "Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival winners announced at Barn Theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  12. [12]
    Clugston, Harriet (17 August 2017). "Eight movie scenes you didn't know were filmed in Hertfordshire". Hertfordshire Mercury. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  13. [13]
    Davies, Alan (6 October 2011). "Open day at Welwyn Garden City theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  14. [14]
    Hot Fuzz (2007) - IMDb, retrieved 23 February 2020
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