A new co-production of Kander and Ebb’s musical revue The World Goes Round will be among the attractions at the Barn Theatre’s first summer outdoor festival.
Following on from the Cirencester venue’s popular lockdown online activity, Barn Fest – Outdoor Theatre Festival will run from Friday (25 July) until 5 September 2020 and will feature a mix of family-friendly entertainment.
Staged in the grounds of Ingleside House adjacent to the award-winning theatre, the festival will include three productions from outdoor theatre company Illyria Theatre, new theatre company SCOOT Theatre’s re-imagined A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Natasha Barnes and Vikki Stone’s Funny Gals: A History of Women Being Hilarious in Musicals.
Unveiling details of the new festival, the Barn’s artistic director Iwan Lewis said: “We’re back! I am absolutely delighted to announce that the Barn Theatre, under unprecedented circumstances, is launching its very first outdoor theatre festival, BarnFest.
“Since the government statement allowing outdoor theatre to take place just over a week ago, the team have worked tirelessly to bring together a month-long programme of events featuring everything from children’s entertainment to Shakespeare. So, there’s something for all the family.
“I’d like to assure everyone thinking of attending that your safety has been paramount in planning this event. All precautions have been taken to ensure you enjoy a safe and friendly festival environment and we cannot wait to have our audiences back at the Barn.”
Giffords Circus star Tweedy the Clown will follow his hit Barn Theatre-produced online series Tweedy’s Lost & Found by getting the outdoor show on the road with his new family entertainment extravaganza Tweedy: Al Fresco! on 25 and 26 July.
Barnes and Stone will take centre stage with their exploration of comedy music written for women in musical theatre, Funny Gals: A History of Women Being Hilarious in Musicals on 5 and 8 August.
Illyria Theatre’s contribution to the Festival will be the company’s acclaimed productions of The Wind in the Willows (10-15 August), The Emperor’s New Clothes (17-22 August) and The Adventures of Doctor Doolittle (24-28 August).
Rosie Day will star in her play Instructions For A Teenage Armageddon from 10-15 August while SCOOT Theatre will present a 60-minute re-telling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (29-30 July) set within the cricket world. Directed by Joseph O’Malley, the production will feature a cast including past Barn Theatre and recent online actors Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders, Henry V) and Max Hutchinson (The Woman in Black, The 39 Steps).
The first of two new co-productions will be Simon Reade’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful. Co-produced by Take Two Theatricals, BoxLess Theatre and the Barn Theatre, the production which will be directed by Alexander Knott will play BarnFest from 17-22 August.
Running from 24 August to 5 September, The World Goes Round will be co-produced with Piers Cottee-Jones. The new version of the show which was conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman and David Thompson, to celebrate the work of the prolific partnership of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb, will be directed by Kirk Jameson with musical direction by Nick Barstow.
The theatre will be adhering to all government guidelines during the festival with further details and information regarding the venue and procedures to keep audiences, staff and performers safe available on the website.
Areas will be divided into boxes which individuals or families can purchase. Pricing for boxes begins at £40 for up to four people with disability and premium options are also available.
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.
A registered charity facing a loss of £250,000, the Barn Theatre launched the SAVE OUR BARN campaign to raise funds to ensure the venue is able to re-open when lockdown restrictions are lifted. Supporters can donate via barntheatre.org.uk.
Angela Thomas
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