The Barn Theatre, purpose built as a local community theatre, was opened in 1924.
It is largely constructed of timbers from a local 13th Century saw-mill and still
serves its original purpose of linking the town of Oxted and the village of Limpsfield
to provide a venue for social events. It now hosts plays, musical evenings and
a variety of other entertainments by resident and non-resident local societies.
Some
international celebrities have 'trodden the boards' at the Barn over the years.
In the early days Dame Flora Robson, Anna
Wing, Lady Violet Bonham-Carter, Dame
Eileen Joyce, Randolph Churchill, Christopher
Fry and Michael Tippett and recently Ray
Allen and Lord Charles, Roy Castle, Ronnie
Corbett, Richard Stilgoe and Jimmy
Tarbuck have entertained audiences.
The
theatre seats 244 and is run and maintained by a team
of volunteers, whose efforts over the years have seen many improvements both technical
and aesthetic.
The
theatre has a stage 24' x 18' which is generally dressed
with black legs and curtains or which will accommodate a complete stage set. There
are also dry ice and smoke machines and a hazer, radio microphones, orchestra
stands and lights and an electric piano. The stage lighting
consists of a 48 channel control desk and a range of lanterns, including two follow-spots,
UV, disco and strobe lighting. The sound, which is
operated from the upper level of the auditorium, includes a mini-disc player/recorder,
two CD players, float and radio microphones, all controlled via a 24 channel mixer.
There are loudspeakers both within the auditorium and on stage. There is also
a public address system, a tannoy, a backstage net, a hearing aid loop and provision
for closed circuit television. To the rear of the stage are four dressing rooms
and a fully fitted kitchen. There is also a bar and sweet shop in the foyer which
are usually run by the Friends of the Barn to raise money
for other works in the theatre.
Behind
the main theatre is the Little Barn which is also available for hire.
If
you are interested in finding out more about the theatre, please contact:
Bruce
Reed,
Oxted and Limpsfield Barn Theatre Ltd, 15a High Street, Westerham, Kent.
Telephone 01959 561811 or barntheatre@btinternet.com
or visit the theatre any Sunday morning