Cast for Barn Theatre’s Recovery productions of Marry Me A Little and Peter Pan

Rob Houchen (Les Misérables) and Celinde Schoenmaker (The Phantom of the Opera) will take to the stage in the Barn Theatre’s new revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Marry Me A Little.

Directed by Kirk Jameson, the production will reunite the stars who previously appeared together in the 2019 London premiere of the Adam Guettel musical The Light in the Piazza.

Part of the Cirencester venue’s 2020 Theatre Recovery Season, the musical which was conceived by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene to showcase songs from Sondheim’s best-loved musicals including Follies, Company and A Little Night Music, will run from 16 October until 8 November 2020.

Produced by the Barn Theatre in association with Anthology Theatre, the production will feature musical staging by Sam Spencer-Lane, set and costume design by Gregor Donnelly and musical direction by Arlene McNaught.

Following on from the popular lockdown online activity, and the end of summer Barn Fest – Outdoor Theatre Festival, the Recovery Season’s opening production – Simon Reade’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful – will end its run on 4 October. Co-produced by Take Two Theatricals, BoxLess Theatre and the Barn Theatre, the two-hander actor/musician production is directed by Alexander Knott.

The Barn Theatre has also announced the casting of Hamilton’s Waylon Jacobs in the title role of the world premiere of Alan Pollock’s new adaptation of Peter Pan.

Conceived and directed by Kirk Jameson, the show which takes its inspiration from J.M. Barrie’s classic novel, will run from 21 November this year until 3 January 2021.

One of the performers in the venue’s virtual concert The Barn Presents: The Music of Dominic Powell, Jacobs’ recent credits also include the outdoor revival production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years at Cornwall’s Minack Theatre.

Peter Pan features original music and arrangements by Nick Barstow, movement direction by Tosh Wanogho-Maud and set and costume design by Gregor Donnelly.

The season also includes the digital world premiere of Henry Filloux-Bennett’s new adaptation of Jonathan Coe’s What A Carve Up! (31 October-29 November). Co-produced by Barn Theatre, Lawrence Batley Theatre and New Wolsey Theatre, the cast directed by Tamara Harvey includes Alfred Enoch, Fiona Button, Sharon D. Clarke, Rebecca Front, Stephen Fry, Derek Jacobi, Griff Rhys Jones and Tamzin Outhwaite.

In order to safely reopen, the Barn Theatre team has introduced measures to ensure audience safety. The theatre is running at a reduced capacity with Perspex screens placed between groups in a new seating layout which ensures social distancing is adhered to. The theatre has also announced the addition of a new and upgraded air filtration system which exceeds Government guidelines and the cast and creative team members will also follow Government guidance on social distancing and temperature checks.

The safety measures that were successfully utilised during the theatre’s outdoor theatre festival, including temperature checks on arrival, mandatory masks for all patrons over 11 years old, staggered arrival times, sanitisation of public areas and hand sanitiser at entrance and exit points continue for indoor theatrical performances.

Launched in 2018, the ambitious project to create a major producing house at the heart of the development of Cirencester’s Grade II listed Ingleside House attracted support from leading Broadway director Jerry Mitchell and actors James Dreyfus, Matthew Kelly, Heida Reed and Daisy May Cooper.

In just two years the Barn Theatre has gained national recognition for producing 12 Built By Barn shows attracting over 80,000 theatregoers and winning The Stage’s Best Fringe Theatre of the Year Award 2019.

With strong links to the local community already well established the theatre has worked extensively with charities including Cirencester Housing for Young People and Age UK Gloucestershire.

Angela Thomas