Dinner

Dinner parties can delight and entertain; they can also cruelly humiliate and end in tears. Moira Buffini’s deliciously bad-taste comedy Dinner does both, mixing familiar and unfamiliar ingredients to create startlingly original drama - exploring the frustrated lives of the rich and apparently successful, whilst creating recipes that are “definitely not the kind of thing you find in Delia Smith”. On a night of thick fog, the fabulously elegant Paige is throwing a celebratory dinner in honour of her husband, Lars, and his best-selling pop psychology book ‘Beyond Belief’. She has been preparing the menu for months: ‘Primordial Soup’, ‘Apocalypse of Lobster’ and for dessert ‘Frozen Waste’. She’s even employed a professional waiter especially for the occasion…

Photographs: Sean Owen of Reflective Arts

The reviews of this cracking black comedy started to arrive as soon as the bows had been taken after the first performance. This show contains strong language and adult themes, and is not for the faint-hearted; but if you like your theatre to be thought-provoking, hilarious, shocking and surprising, this was clearly an evening not to be missed. We would add that there was one gentleman in the audience on the final night who was making his FIFTH visit to the show, he enjoyed it so much...

"I've just been to see the production of Dinner at Sewell Barn. An excellent evening of theatre. The cast were superb playing the roles in a very understated manner and it genuinely felt like you were attending a dinner party with them. The tension simmered throughout without it ever feeling over done and the peaks of anger and venom were excellently judged, again without being too much. The comedy landed where it needed to and it never detracted from the drama. As someone who is involved in a small community run theatre, please keep supporting the fine artistic work going on at Sewell. I'm looking forward to my next visit!" Colin B

"Thought provoking and blackly comic. The whole cast were superb." Becky B

"Seeing 'Dinner' was an absolute treat! The expert acting and high tension of the script were incredibly absorbing, which made the ending even more impactful. I loved it!" Elle G

"A whole string of fine performances from a stellar cast in this one. Well done, all!" Trevor B

"Stupendous performance -- and I do not say that lightly. Congratulations to all concerned." Janet H

"Best production I've seen at Sewell Barn, and I saw it on opening night. Sat with the proud parents of the play's director, and told them that they had every reason to celebrate the achievement made by their daughter, and all the cast & crew that went to make this play so successful & enjoyable! A pitch-perfect dark comedy with a great ending to boot!" Jack S

"I have just got home exhausted after the opening night of Dinner. Horror and hilarity combined to give us a gruesome feast of an evening, which made us laugh and wince, sometimes simultaneously. First rate performances all round, razor sharp direction and a great script made a fantastic evening. I would like to come back for a second helping..." Barnaby M

"Dinner is one of the best plays I have ever seen. And I've seen rather a lot . . . Go and See It if you possibly can." Golda C

"We are well prepared for the tone of tonight's production, as we enter the theatre/stage we are greeted by a dark sombre set, and hanging over the dining table a chandler of knives, very subtle. Then the fun begins, as the wonderful hostess joylessly rips into her special guests. No undercurrents of tension, the emotional turmoil is on the surface. Threats linger in the air, words, even food, which may be alive but is dying to feed them. Perhaps death is waiting here, but for who? Pressure, disbelief, shock and anger plus the wonderful relief of painful humour. Laughter and comments greet stinging events, even profanity, is funny, if targeted correctly. Add rivers of drink, crazy food, fitting costumes, and all is ready for your gourmet evening. Don't miss, relish this very bittersweet comedy. :-)" Mark M

"This is a terrific night out - riveting performances and a script that's hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time. Heartfelt thanks to all involved." Jennifer S

"Congratulations to [Jen Dewsbury] and all the team from both of us!  I think it's the best production that the Barn has done this season, with others previously setting very high standards." Phillip W

"Well done Ginny Porteous, John Holden, James Thomson, Sabrina Poole, Jen Dewsbury and all the rest of the cast and crew. What a great show and a fantastic twist at the end. Don't miss it!!!"Ruth H

"Tastes vary and may it ever be thus but if you’re partial to indulging strange appetites then you could do a lot worse than attending Sewell Barn’s current production of Dinner, written by Moira Buffini and directed by Jen Dewsbury.

Equal portions of dysfunction and artifice will be served at a middle class soiree that’s anything but middle of the road. The hosts and their guests are supposed paragons of intellectual and economic success but all of them exhibit deep inabilities to live up to basic cultural norms despite consciously placing themselves as opinion-formers, zeitgeist surfers, or keepers of state secrets.

Paige, who lacks any form of real purpose, has convened the evening to ‘celebrate’ her husband Lars’s new book, a monstrous misreading of Nietzchean thought wrapped up as advice literature. His undergraduate sweetheart, Wynne, is a conceptual artist who arrives fresh from the failure of her relationship with an MP called Bob and appears to latch onto Lars as her new concept. Hal and Siân are newlyweds for whom the honeymoon is definitely over. Their careers, ages, and outlooks are painfully mismatched and they find themselves trapped between past horrors and future consequences. Bob’s place at the table is taken by Mike, a van driver who was unknown to the party until an accident in the fog outside the house forces him to ask for help. Mike’s presence and ability to slice through the façade has a precipitating effect on the tensions that are simmering around the table. The cast is completed by The Waiter, an unnerving character who serves Paige’s perverted culinary creations as well as the true objective of the evening.

This ensemble cast features some of Norwich’s brightest stage talent. With no slack whatsoever they play with language (often proudly rude), class, and their disgusting food. Strong affect, even olfactory if you sniff hard enough, is at the top of the menu with Dinner. If all this sounds grim then be assured that it is and deliberately so, but the audience on the opening night was rolling with laughter as often as they were gasping with surprise or struck dumb by the evening’s events. Be sure to book your own place at the table before April 14th." Karl H

"...this was a stunning drama, with the most excellent acting.

Ginny Porteous [Paige] can create for us the most damaged of psyches imaginable, yet maintain our sympathy and love. A consummate actress, indeed. Harriet Waterhouse [Wynne] is another who makes perfect acting look easy. Sabrina Poole as Siân had less to do but admirably found extra layers. Trevor Markworth's role was that of arguably the real monster, Lars, and his unfussy approach was perfect for that, almost exuding a chill at times, while James Thomson made Hal into an unhappy and yet effective foil for his unsound philosophy, and a much-needed humaniser in general. Will Haragan confidently brought in common sense and assurance in the person of Mike, and John Holden completed the ensemble with the very effective ominous strangeness of the waiter.

Beautifully paced throughout, and the sharp bits of rapid action slick and natural... So - what a treat: seven experienced players, strong, confident, fluent, and flawless, in a very strong drama [with more laughs than I'd expected], in the middle of an enthralled, sometimes shocked, but always genuinely happy audience. I'm not letting you know any more about it - the excellence of the Sewell Barn should be enough – but there are four more performances, so do go. It's highly recommended!" Rob F-W

The Killing of Sister George

Frank Marcus' iconic 1964 play is a wonderful combination of broad comedy, deep pathos, vicious relationship manipulation and pastiche.

Four highly skilled performers create the world in the flat of June Buckridge, who plays the beloved Sister George in the radio soap Applehurst (a thinly-disguised reflection of The Archers). Ironically, at the time of writing (25th February) the latter show has just dramatically killed off a much-loved character - a case of art imitating art?!

Photography: Barry Parsons

We have been delighted with audience reactions to the first three performances; do come and see what it's all about as it continues between 28 February and 3 March.

"[We] would just like to say how much we enjoyed the production last night. The performances were exemplary in a play that was beautifully paced and subtly nuanced and I, for one, was left wondering why there hasn't been a professional revival in recent times. It would be difficult to single out one actor for especial praise but I thought Gill's performance was the finest of all the plays I've seen her in. Those audience members who braved the cold last night were clearly delighted by what they saw." Peter W

"I was at last night's performance... and HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! [Five stars]" Eve P

"An excellent production from Clare Williamson, seamless direction, flawlessly paced, very enjoyable, with a tour de force from Gillian Tichborne as the eponymous George. A thoroughly nasty bullying creature, yet Gilly showed us moments of vulnerability and occasional tenderness, a well rounded performance.
I love Mandy Kiley, so this appraisal is biased. She was brilliant. Showing a saccharine sweetness disguising a steely predatory cunning. Excellent!
An accomplished debut performance from Sophie Blythe. She resisted overtly showing us her self interest, but it was there alright.
A very funny and mature performance from Joy Davidson completed a quartet of very polished performances.
Good set too, and I loved the Archers parody of music interspersing scenes and act.
Bravo to you all." David W

"We are sadly now well prepared for abusive relationships the gender, and sexuality, of the protagonists irrelevant to the ongoing need for total control of the victim. And when the abuser loses control of her working life she becomes even more desperate and cruel in her relationships.
BUT Wait! This play isn't hard going and 'heavy' it's crammed with passion and laughter and fierce energy that streams from George, who seems to only just control it at times. This play has a historical feel, but the sensitive cast have made these characters so real, you care for them all, following their ups and downs, even the outrageous George. It is really captivating to watch. The cast as we expect are perfect in their portrayal of these characters, and it is lovely to watch their expertise and experience, especially when the title character, and actress, could easily overwhelm the stage, but instead she, of course, gives space for the others to play, this is what acting is about, re-acting to each other. It really was a pleasure to watch, a master class, as has already been mentioned.

It's not often 'Whoops!' of enjoyment accompany the sustained applause in the Barn, but it happened this night and was well deserved. Really don't miss....." Mark M

Blood and Ice

It's 200 years ago this month (January 2018) that Mary Shelley's iconic novel was published, and we're delighted to be celebrating this milestone with Liz Lochhead's dark, powerful play about Mary and her world.

Photography: Sean Owen of Reflective Arts

We were especially pleased to be given a double-page spread of advance publicity in the Eastern Daily Press about the show, and you can read the online version here.

The show has been greeted with great enthusiasm, and here are some of the reviews...

"Went to see Blood & Ice at Sewell Barn last night (17th Jan) and it was fantastic. Such a strong show, actors were excellent, particularly the young lady who played Mary Shelley. She had so many lines and delivered them incredibly well. I thought it a very credible performance. Well done." Dawn T

"... tension is brilliantly maintained throughout, with the whole space of the theatre used for action above, below and around us..." Charlotte Valori (click here to read the whole review)

"I didn’t know what to expect as I didn’t know the play. It was brilliantly performed, the effects were excellent and scary at times. I was on the edge of my seat! A play that combined an element of horror with a moving story line. Not to be missed. Congratulations all round." Jill F [Chair - Sewell Barn Committee]

"Went to see Blood & Ice last night. What a pleasure it was! A fascinating study of Mary Shelley and the creation of Frankenstein. Strong direction, clear communication and a very effective set all enhanced the experience. I'm happy to say that my Norwegian sister in law followed every word! We'll done to all involved for a fantastic evening out. Lots of food for thought and isn't that what the best theatre should be about?" Clare W [Joint Artistic Director]

"Very atmospheric with some great set pieces... visually stunning." Barnaby M

"Very thought provoking play. Some very good performances and wonderful direction. Costumes were excellent too." David W

"A night of dark interest as we went to see Blood and Ice The life and sometimes frightful times of #frankenstein author Mary Shelley Directed by our beautiful and talented friend (gents she's single;)) @sabz_101 this being my first visit to a theatre. It was a real treat and kept me gripped from start to finish." Carl S

"Blood and Ice. Sewell Barn Theatre. Fantastic play, wonderful acting, inspired directing. A thrill to watch!" James T

"Tightly directed, beautifully characterised and well focused." Cassie T [Joint Artistic Director]

Book at St George's Music Shop (by phone or in person), or online; visit our booking page for details.

Talking Heads

Alan Bennett is well known for his observant, hilarious, often painful creations. His Talking Heads monologues - two series, each of six characters, one male and five female - are widely acknowledged as being some of the finest solo works in the theatre.

While we were sad at the Sewell Barn to have had to cancel our planned June production due to casting difficulties and illness, we couldn't be more pleased with its replacement. Two of the Passion Play cast join director Judi Daykin to portray three very different women telling their stories.

Photography: Michael Stanislaw

In A Lady of Letters, lonely spinster Irene watches the world from behind net curtains, writing to complain about anything she sees. But when a couple across the road seem to be abusing their child, should she intervene?

Recently widowed Muriel faces a series of challenges and revelations after the sudden death of husband Ralph, not least from her two children. As the truth about the family is uncovered, will she manage to keep Soldiering On?

Lesley is a young aspiring actress, so she is not about to miss Her Big Chance when it comes along. But is the film she becomes involved in as good an opportunity as she thinks? Can she learn to water ski and play chess in time, or fit into the dress and bikini they need her to wear?

What our audiences said...

"Had a hugely enjoyable afternoon yesterday at Sewell Barn Theatre's, production of Alan Bennetts "Talking Heads." Wonderful tragi-comic performances, very innovative direction, loved the way the audience got to "dip in and out" of the three central characters stories before their final revelations!" Janice C

"Very enjoyable indeed, the 3 actors were very convincing as their characters ... brilliant thought provoking perfomances ... 10 out of 10 from me." Kathy S

"Saw this last week. Can't recommend it highly enough. It was brilliant." Morgan

"Thank you to the three excellent actresses who held our attention so well this evening, and thanks to the crew too." @NchCathVerger

"Great evening @sewellbarn , delightful dark undercurrents to Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, absorbing performance by engaging performers." Daren L

"An excellent evening... three very accomplished actresses... roars of laughter as well as gasps of surprise throughout." Barnaby M

"I am impressed by @sewellbarn #AlanBennett #TalkingHeads" Daniele F

"I pity the fool who doesn't go and see Talking Heads @sewellbarn before the run ends on Saturday." Karl H

"Went last night, with a friend, to see 'Talking Heads', and so glad that we gave up a beautiful evening to see a brilliant acted and staged set of monologues. It far exceeded my expectations, especially when I’d been to the Theatre Royal the previous evening... I enjoyed a master-class in finely delivered roles that relied so much on the words rather than plot per se." Jack S

"Saw this tonight at Sewell Barn. As [other have said] this is a real masterclass in acting. Superb! Please get a ticket and see this brilliant show. Well done Judi Daykin, we loved it," Laura M-J

"Saw a lovely production at the Sewell Barn last night. Alan Bennett's Talking Heads superbly and inventively directed by Judi Daykin was a delight. Splitting the action between the 3 monologues was inspired, and increased the anticipation of the outcome of the fate of the three very different women.
The acting was confident and extremely enjoyable to watch. Dawn Brindle, Hattie Scopes and Judi Daykin were all excellent. A very enjoyable, amusing and thought provoking evening. Thank you all." David W

"... we are privileged to witness three masterclasses in performance skill. The stagecraft is first-rate, the focus on character complete, and the integrity absolute. One might not like these people - they would in all three cases be dubious social company - but, my goodness, we believe in them, and feel for them and with them. And that, perhaps, is one of the greatest achievements - of Bennett's writing, Daykin's direction and of all three performances - to ensure that we care very much about what happens to people that we wouldn't necessarily want to share a room with." Cassie T [Joint Artistic Director]

"Wonderful set, costumes, sound, lighting and acting. Splitting the monologues up and interspersing them with each other worked brilliantly, I think better than having them as stand alone monologues if I'm honest! Three superb actors showcasing their talent :)" Emma K

"Congratulations to the cast and crew of Talking Heads for a wonderful show. Cross cutting between the monos was a brave directorial decision but it works absolutely, creating a thought provoking and cohesive piece of theatre. The audience were absorbed throughout as the three stories unfolded, beautifully conveyed by three actors who inhabited their characters with great control, precision and artistry. Go and enjoy for yourself!" Clare W [Joint Artistic Director]


NB: please excuse the (implied) strong language below, but anyone attending the play will understand why it was both relevant and funny!

Kissing Sid James

A disastrous follow-up to a disastrous first date: a weekend in rainy Blackpool. As director Angela Rowe put it, "If you have ever been single, if you have ever wanted everything to turn out alright, if you have wanted something better or you just want to see great theatre then come and see Kissing Sid James." This fabulous two-hander has been delighting audiences during the first week of performances; don't miss your chance during the second half of the run (Wed 10 to Sat 13 May).

"You MUST see this rather wonderful comedy/drama.
I know, I KNOW, you get so many people saying, YOU MUST SEE THIS! These are usually posted by friends or advertisers hidden behind the cloud of social medias masses, not me, er well...not this time anyway.
Two characters, just 2, away for a 'dirty weekend' grab our attention from the first few moments, then the laughter begins. These are people we know, perhaps even us sometimes, coping with life while searching for 'love' and fun. These characters are full of life and 'talk' ...to much sometimes, as show hilariously in the brilliant bed sex scene. There are also moments of pure fun, and caring, anger, and incredible drunken stupidity.
This two actors are really amazing creating characters that zing with life and humanity, they use the dialogue, all those words, to brilliant effect making us laugh and love and sigh, but mostly laugh.
And with a superb single set that represents all the scenes so well, this play is a joy as soon as you walk into the theatre.
Take a break from the tedium of a Saturday afternoon, Or have a dose of delicious comedy on a Saturday evening, before you dive into the nocturnal night life of Norwich.
All live performance has something special to offer, and the best plays capture some of the magic that there should be in life. 
I think this one has a touch of that. 
Really don't miss." Mark M

"Last night I actually managed to get to see Kissing Sid James at Sewell Barn Theatre. Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great script, interesting characters, laughs and moments of poignancy. If you have this afternoon or evening free I urge you to go..." Rebecca W

"What a great play - laughed out loud lots! Stellar performances from Matt and Chloe ... Highly recommended ..." Jo M

"It was brilliant last night... haven't laughed so much for ages!!!" Jill F [Chair - Sewell Barn Committee]

"Another excellent evening at the Barn. A very funny and entertaining show which was led by two very accomplished and likeable performers. The pace never dropped. Bravo!" Barnaby M

"...that's one of the funniest, and most painful, portrayals of human relationships I have ever seen. On a beautifully created and painted set, the two actors moved us from belly-laughs to understanding and emotion as we came to comprehend their back-story and their lives. Two massive roles - especially Eddie - with almost no time off stage nor place to hide, handled with sheer professionalism and deep integrity, creating a scenario that was utterly believable." Cassie T [Joint Artistic Director]

"Kissing Sid James... excellent production. First class professional acting: incredibly believable characters. Well done to all." Reg W

"Matt Scantlebury is terrific as the outwardly effusive but inwardly crumpled Eddie, who somehow manages to persuade the differently broken Crystal (played with a heart-breaking, fading spark by Chloe Norris) to check in with him for the dirty weekend... This is a chillingly real and entertaining tale of the search for love, butting up against the reality of vices amongst the ices. Go see." James Goffin - Eastern Daily Press [click here for full review]

The Kitchen Sink

With a functioning kitchen, a beautiful set and a cracking cast and crew, The Kitchen Sink is a gentle, reflective, poignant and very funny observation of the challenges of real life. Here are some comments from our audiences.

"Theatre is a lovely thing. I went along to the Sewell Barn tonight with absolutely no expectations.  I didn't know the play, didn't know the playwright, didn't know who was in it or who directed it, and I was treated to a little gem of a play, warm, witty, true to life, and so believably played by the cast. If I say it was small, this in no way derogatory, it was heartwarming and lovely. Well done everyone! Go and see it, you'll love it." David W

"You [Ruth, playing Kath] were amazing!!! I loved the play so much and you were the cornerstone of an amazing cast!!" Wendy A

"That was a very warm and intimate play, full of very sympathetic characters. A very reflective piece, enjoyed it very much." Barnaby M

"Go along and see The Kitchen Sink at the Sewell Barn! It's a well written gem of a play, with some lovely performances from the cast. Funny, poignant and sweet. Well done everyone! xx" Mandy K

"How do people really get what they want? And when what people want, and how they get it, also changes over time, what effect will this have on the companies that provide a particular service. What is the true nature of failure? What history and immediate provocation will cause one person to lash out causing floods of blood, and another person, of water? So many questions!

Yes there is a lot going on in this not dysfunctional family, and it has a real family feel to it because the cast inhabit the characters so well. We believe in the mum, keeping cheerful and trying to keep her husband and children the same, but even she may be pushed too far by some problem plumbing. Her husband, the milkman, supporting his family but not sure how to show his support in other ways. Perhaps he is the one who needs help? The son, daughter and her boy-friend have their plans but they will have to be changed to. Success, or failure, both demand a lot of work.

We expect the 'slightly' older members of the cast to be good and of course they are wonderful, but the 'youngsters' too were captivating, creating characters we could enjoy and emphasize with in their moments of embarrassment, simmering anger and confusion. They bring this family to life so well, giving us something to laugh, and think, about. With a realistic 'Kitchen Sink' set in a 'real' kitchen, and some very special FX, this show must be seen and experienced.

Yes there are many other 'pleasures' to be had on an April evening in Norwich but live theatre is special and should be relished as such. Enjoy." Mark M

"The Kitchen Sink is a demonstration of unique and individual strengths and weaknesses, and comments on how we approach challenges and change. Peter [Wood] has put together a solid cast for this production, who clearly establish the development of their respective characters with great realism. Reuben’s portrayal of the stoic and committed Martin complements Ruth’s range of emotions as the selfless, encouraging and sometimes impulsive Kath. Charlotte conveys the troubled Sophie as a ticking time bomb, as someone itching to articulate herself; whereas Will frustrates us as Billy, who the audience urge to stop overanalysing and follow his dreams. Nathan Mills is to be praised for expertly articulating meaning without words. His actualisation of Pete’s growing strengths through numerous hardships are heart-warming to witness.

The set has been exactingly designed with a clear duality, simultaneously drawing you in while also reminding you of the character’s conflicts of being little fish in a big pond. Complemented by naturalistic lighting, sensitive choice of music and precise incidental sounds, you feel right in the heart of their (almost) fully functioning kitchen.

I encourage you step into the home of this small family from Withernsea, and experience Peter Wood’s humorous, charming and touching portrayal of their hopes and dreams." Jessica H

"A splendid kitchen was presented to us on entry to the Barn theatre last week - yet another example of the high standard of set design enjoyed by patrons of the theatre. Thank you, Myles and team.

The play told the story of a working class family living near Hull, who are "just about managing"! The author, Tom Wells, grew up in the north east and made his debut as a playwright at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. He writes about the people of the country he knows well. He sympathetically articulates the hopes and dreams of the decent down to earth residents with both humour and poignancy.

As the stereotypical Yorkshire man,  Martin (Reuban Mackness) nicely pitched the phlegmatic father who is having a tough time with his milk round, especially with a decrepit milk float. His wife (Ruth Bennett) found both humour and pathos as she tried to motivate her family towards a less pedestrian life. Her efforts to widen and brighten her family’s horizons by introducing them to exotic cookery recipes did not succeed, but brought out our sympathy along with the laughter. The three young people were nicely played. They worked so well as an ensemble both physically and in their repartee. Sophie (Charlotte Ware) - typical of  a disillusioned teenager - delivered some subtly judged dialogue. Her brother (Will Sellgren) was a convincing young man with dreams of going to Art School, who made us feel for his agonies of indecision. Their friend Pete (Nathan Mills) made a realistic transformation from shy awkwardness to a young man who realises his ambition.

The actors really made us identify with this family in their trials and tribulations, and brought us some fine humorous moments. With a great sound track of music linking the scenes, we enjoyed a very entertaining evening. Congratulations  go to Peter Wood for his first production at the Barn, and all the backstage people who gave us such a good evening." June G

Timon of Athens

It's not unusual for a Shakespeare to be included in the season at the Sewell Barn. However, Timon of Athens is an unusual show and seldom seen in performance - so here's your chance! It plays 16-18 and then 22-25 February.

The cast works superbly as an ensemble in this modern setting, using mostly women and a great deal of multi-casting. It's challenging, absorbing and wholly relevant to a twenty-first century audience, as the reviews are telling us.

"Saw the opening night of Timon of Athens at the Sewell Barn yesterday - brilliant production of a play which should be performed much more often. Debt, bankcruptcy and being abandoned by your friends - a story for our times." Fiona D

"Just seen Timon of Athens @sewellbarn. Great show, well done, all!" Rosamund W

"Really enjoyed your performance last night of Timon of Athens. Excellent throughout. Don't know why this play doesn't get put on more." Dan F

"Thank you @sewellbarn for bringing so much joy and hard work to us all! You are all truly incredible! Looking forward to next show!" Chris H

"Timon of Athens, so much local talent... very impressed." Kayte R

"Once again, another excellent production from the Sewell Barn. A very striking and thoughtful production. A parable for our times, relevant and fresh. Thank you." Barnaby M

"I do love Shakespeare and usually read and study a bit before watching a performance. With this play I was busy and distracted so time rushed by. But it was so good to be surprised by Shakespeare, and this play draws you in and then the tale twists, sometimes even creating bursts of shocked laughter.

Timon just seems too nice, distributing his 'huge' wealth amongst his 'friends' with banquets and presents, without any thought for the costs, indeed ignoring the evidence. I wonder at his history that made him feel he has to buy these friendships. But of course if he ever was in trouble these same friends would certainly look after him, wouldn't they? Who would remain to offer help if he ever lost everything? And how would his outlook on life change if this ever happened?

Shakespeare's use of language is legendary for his insight into the human condition and also its sometime unintelligibility, but understanding was never a problem in this performance. With a brilliant, bland, simple but very effective set as the backdrop the characters are highlighted as they should be. The scenes, settings and physicality of the action told the tale, with the dialogue forcing home the message. This cast bring the play to life with engaging energy, creating very interesting and sometimes intense characters that we can believe in and feel for. Watch this play and wonder how you would behave if you had lost everything, or had the power to provide help and save someone from falling. Enjoy." Mark M

"So you take a play that’s over 400 years old that nobody ever does. You update it into a completely contemporary time-frame and play it on a bare stage dominated by a hostile grey abstract structure that transforms in your mind into a multitude of settings – interiors, city walls, a rocky wilderness. You cross-cast many of the characters so that you have 10 women and 2 men, most of them playing a whole range of small parts. In this body of actors some of them are vastly experienced, some are very new to theatre and one joined the team only a week before opening night. It’s either total madness or a total miracle. But this is the Sewell Barn Theatre, chaps – so what you get is the miracle….

Huge congratulations to director Rob Tiffen and his entire team after the launch of Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens last night. And perhaps the most miraculous thing is that a play which is also totally dominated by its main character (an astonishing tour de force from Greg Lindsay-Smith as Timon) turns into a real ensemble piece, and through the commitment of the complex network of major and minor characters the unfamiliar story-line comes across with total clarity. One minute bitter, stark and harsh – the next, unexpected flashes of dry humour – and the whole? Well, according to most of the audience afterwards, tremendously satisfying and – much to their surprise, apparently – really enjoyable. No spoilers here, though – you’ll have to come and see it. And I mean, you *have* to come and see this. It’s not an easy night out but my God it’s rewarding. Thank you, guys!" Selwyn T [Secretary to Sewell Barn Committee]

There Came a Gypsy Riding

Photography: Sean Owen of reflectivearts.co.uk

This beautiful play is quirky, challenging, full of light and shade, Irish superstition and humour, tears and reflection and hilarity. It was referred to by the cast and crew as 'the Irish play' as we'd hit so many challenges along the way: by the time the show went up, we were on our second directing team, our second Simon and our FOURTH Louise - all for very understandable reasons. Our set designer was taken ill with the final painting and set-dressing still to do. And the East Anglian snow set in on opening night. Yet this fabulous tale withstood those challenges, and continued to delight.

"What a wonderful way to kick off a new year - select a top-notch play by a master of the craft, equip it with a superb cast in sparkling form, give them a simple but beautifully imaginative and evocative setting, complete with sound effects - then sit back and enjoy! I know this simple recipe involves an enormous amount of hard work beforehand but the end result was a fitting addition to the SB canon and deserves to take its place amongst the top ten productions during my theatre-going at the Barn [c. 30+ years.] Please convey my congratulations to the whole team - let's hope the weather improves swiftly, along with the attendance figures." Stephen S

"That was worth the wait. A fine and very moving drama, wonderfully performed. I also really appreciated the lyrical nature of the piece and the beautiful set. Well done to all, I look forward to the next show x" Barnaby M

"We both enjoyed Gypsy very much. The second half in particular was very moving, especially the scenes between Mel and Reuben, but everyone gave engaging and sympathetic performances. The direction was unfussy which let the script and the performances breathe. You should both be very pleased with the results." John H

"Some stunningly beautiful performances from Rachel Godfrey-Bennett and Abbe Swain as well as Bridget, Simon and Dad (sorry I don't know your names). Incredibly moving and at the same time funny. Well done Sewell Barn, you've done it again!!!! X x x" Wendy A

"Just to say how impressed [we] were with your play last night, very enjoyable, Bridget & Louise superb, the accents were accurate... I have met women like Bridget long ago, the turn of phrase, humour and sorrow portrayed fabulous. Congratulations to everyone. All doing it for the love of their art. I am so pleased I went to see it." Kathy S

"What a wonderful evening at the theatre. A beautifully written play full of conflicted characters, and acted to perfection. I haven't seen a play in a long while that has me laughing out loud and then nearly in tears within seconds, before back to laughing! This was an emotional journey for both the characters and the audience but it's one well worth going on. Five more chances to see this and I'd strongly encourage anyone to go if they can. Well done to all involved." Emma K

"Went to see the incredible There Came a Gypsy Riding at the Sewell Barn Theatre tonight. Both of us were very moved. Great acting, beautiful set, fab script. 😊 Well done all." Moira H

"Saw it last night. ....fabulous. Heartbreaking and hilarious." Joanie G

"There are many difficult questions we face in this strange state we call living. Some are very long and complicated but have very short, not always easy, answers. Then there are those questions that strike to the heart and soul and have answers that could fill a lifetime, WHY!, is one of them.

"Here in Ireland a family gather in their seaside holiday home for a difficult anniversary. Even the most celebratory of family gatherings can have their problems can't they, and this isn't one of them. Tension builds as the characters struggle to deal with a troubled past. There are places that can't provide answers, perhaps sometimes it's better not to know?

"The cast carry a taste of Ireland to Norwich with 'colourful' language and accents, essential when producing a play based in a country famous for its use of language. Characters appear fully formed on stage, solid and ready to engage both the audience and each other. We are taken through all the range of emotions as the drama plays out its course. But we are given chances to laugh as well. With the usual wonderful, very effective set, to work with and good costume, the cast have a perfect place to create and they do brilliantly, but also they are making us think about the big questions. Appreciate this production, I certainly did. ;-)" Mark M

"Your production was truly splendid - funny, moving and poignant in equal measure. First-rate performances too." Peter W

"I experienced a fantastic range of emotions during the performance .. I was amused by Bridget, the dotty cousin, while feeling a degree of pity for her loneliness; I felt empathy for the family, having lost Eugene in tragic circumstances; I also was impatient with them as they were reluctant to let him go. The young ones really wanted to get on with their lives and I felt sorry for their plight. A simple set offered a lovely background, with cleverly interspersed sea and seagull sounds to add to the atmosphere. It was a well put together production and all the cast did it proud. Well done to all concerned. It is definitely one to see, so book up quickly. It runs tonight and Wednesday through to Saturday next week." Jill F [Chair - Sewell Barn Theatre]

"Congratulations to the There Came a Gypsy Riding team - lovely performances and direction - all the best with the rest of the run!" Luke O

"...see a poignant, charming and engaging production of "There Came a Gypsy Riding". Beautiful performances from all the cast including Abbe Swain and Rachel Godfrey-Bennett. You'll be glad you did!" Steve A

"Funny, sad, thought-provoking, and beautifully acted. Can't recommend this play enough." Sandra B

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

This hilarious show, based on a short story by Oscar Wilde and bearing all the hallmarks of his wit and characterisations, proved a great success.

"Here we see the iconic characters of intelligent butler and nice but dim Lord, brought to life, and in unusual close up for me as I was in the first row for a change... Using the ease of well known characters the audience are quick to engage with the action, in the comfort of thinking they know what to expect, amusement soon rippling around the theatre. But brilliant and very amusing surprises are waiting. The cast instantly produce really vivacious, strong characters that were so easy to warm to, you could feel the pleasure of the audience in every burst of laughter. With the cast working so well together creating realistic relationships both loving, and not. With a stunning set, and some excellent props and FX this is one to sit back and relish. So if you like classic comedy that is full of solid characters and explosive energy don’t miss this." Mark M

"Once again a great show at the Sewell Barn! An explosive and finely executed comedy which kept us highly entertained. It was full of energy and enthusiasm and the cast were clearly enjoying themselves. Excellent." Barnaby M

"Just back from the last night of this fabulous production! Well done Rob and all the cast! You milked all the humour and then some!!" Robin S

"Well done to Matt Scantlebury tonight - sterling performance chap, always a class act to watch. Also Nic Myers, brilliantly played, best comedic tears ever, finally Chloe Norris great little cameo role." Martin R

"Really enjoyed the show last night, well done. People: go and see Matt Scantlebury in his play - very fine comedy acting." Chris T

"Well, that was fantastic fun, well set, brilliantly acted and engaging to the end. I kept expecting to know what the next faux pas would be but the twists kept me guessing, and laughing! Well done all involved with Lord Arthur!" Emma K

"A most enjoyable evening . Haven't laughed so much in ages. Well done to all the cast!" Karen S

"Took a friend last night. Lord Arthur Savile's Crime turned out to be a wonderful piece of whimsy, deftly handled by the cast. We were tickled pink and came away grinning broadly. Not bad from two hard bitten theatre goers :)"Annette B

"Went tonight and was great - funny! Happy to go again... It was hilarious - highly recommend this show - some great comedy performances. " Jo M

"Really enjoyed myself this evening, well done to all the cast and crew especially Rob Morris [director]." Ruth H

"This was such fun to watch. Well done to all involved." Ruth E

The History Boys: reviews

The History Boys was a resounding success - both artistic and financial. The show was an almost total sell-out, and the feedback from our audiences on social media was wonderful.

Here are some reactions from Facebook:

"Outstanding performance last night by all the cast. A wonderful evening of entertainment, thank you." Kathryn W

"Top marks all round! Wonderful play about the quality of humanity and its transforming role in education. So many good things it's unfair to pick one name, but I have to say that David White as Hector, the teacher who all teenagers deserve, brings perfectly-judged sympathy, humour and understated wisdom to this key role. And the boys? They are a class of all the talents. Thank you Michelle Montague (director) for an evening to remember." David N

"Well done Michelle and all, a great production." Kirsten R

"I had very high hopes for the production of The History Boys at Sewell Barn this evening with Charlie Skinner and David Nicholas Green and I was not disappointed. All those who know me, know how critical I am when it comes to the theatre and how high my standards are, so when I say that it was like watching a professional company I mean it. Congratulations to the director as the brilliant yet demanding script and the space available must have made the task challenging but I can say ,with ease, that the direction appeared faultless and creative. The whole cast played their characters with excellent timing, depth and subtlety. I especially admired the seamless and creative scene changes. A thoughtful, funny and heartfelt performance of a brilliant play and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Congratulations to all involved xxx" Laura W

"Absolutely brilliant production of The History Boys last night. Really believed the boys were in class together for many years! Excellent." Barnaby M

"What an amazing show... everything about it... lost for words... so much to take in that I may have to go back again next week. Massive congratulations to everyone involved." Ruth H

"Congratulations to all of you in the cast. A fantastic performance which captured the poignancy, power and humour of Alan Bennett's great play. You brought 80s Yorkshire (and beyond) to life superbly. Loved it." John B

"Incredible professional performances all round, well done to everyone." Matthew D

"Great opening night! Congratulations to the whole company, you have a brilliant show xxx" Rachel L

"Went to see a wonderful, thought provoking production of The History Boys at Sewell Barn tonight. Huge congratulations to Miche Montague and her team. This was a marvellous, creative and absorbing interpretation. I loved the songs too! Pass it on, pass it on and go see it while you can!" Clare W

"The History Boys at the Sewell Barn was bloody brilliant! Well done to David Nicholas Green, Charlie Skinner, and everyone else involved!" Victoria P

"Congratulations to the cast and crew of History Boys. Went to see the show last night and it is both a credit and testament to the work of Miche Montague. Not just on this production, not just her work at Sewell Barn, but her work in the wider Norwich drama community. The sheer strength and ability of the boys in this production (all of whom have come through the ranks at the Theatre Royal under Miche's teaching and mentorship) is a delight. I'm sure they would have given the boys in the original professional production a run for their money. This isn't intended as a review but I feel I have to call out two exceptional performances: Luke McCulloch (Posner) and Joe Darbyshire (Dakin) pulled out performances way beyond their years. I'm sure both have a very bright future in the profession. Luke's natural ability and timing is a rare, innate, talent (possibly a future stand up comedian?) and Joe's brooding stage presence clearly demonstrates that he has "it". This is not to denigrate any of the other performances. this was a show that relied on the ability of a strong ensemble performance. And they all delivered in spades... An absolute credit to Sewell Barn. Well done." Nick M

Elsewhere online, we've had a lovely review from Deborah at Outline; you can read the whole article here. "A well produced and very enjoyable version of this play."

and Twitter:

" 'History is just one thing after another' but History Boys is one great scene after another. Catch it @sewellbarn a must-see" @jbultitude

"Saw @LukeMcCulloch as Posner in #TheHistoryBoys @sewellbarn lst night. What a fantastic performance! So very proud." @theactorsclass

Brimstone & Treacle: reviews

Photography: Sean Owen of Reflective Arts

From the very first performance, we have been delighted with the positive feedback on our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

"Sometimes the Sewell Barn offers up a production or a performance that is outstanding, even stellar. Personally, for me it has happened on two occasions: the chilling production of Festen, a couple of years ago, and Joe Wills Derbyshire as Caligula, last season, will always stand out in my memory, and last night I saw a production and performances that rank with those two.

Brimstone and Treacle, superbly directed by Jen Dewsbury, and featuring riveting performances by the cast, will long remain in my memory. Jonathan Massey was diabolically intense as Martin, and was admirably matched by the gentle, trusting, hopeful persona portrayed by Abbe Swain as Mrs Bates. These two commanded one's attention throughout the play. Sabrina Diane Poole performed the difficult role of the catatonic daughter with sympathy and intensity, and Stewart Thompson .showed us the dark politically loathsome side of Tom Bates well. A fantastic, uncomfortable , and perversely enjoyable event. Congratulations to you all."

"Go and see Brimstone & Treacle - strange and unsettling, brilliantly acted!"

"Amazing first night. Well done to all involved."

"Congratulations to @sewellbarn for a great opening night of Brimstone and Treacle. Powerful performances and excellent direction. Well done!"

"Really powerful production of Brimstone and Treacle at @sewellbarn tonight. Strong, committed cast - @JPPMassey and @Sabz_101 outstanding!"

"Brimstone and Treacle...amazing, horrifying, funny, sad. Don't miss it, well done to all the cast and crew you were brilliant."

"WOW - all of the above and more, well done to all!"

"Superb production of "Brimstone and Treacle" tonight. Sabrina Poole was outstanding as Pattie. A great theatre experience."

"Excellent production as always, superb ambiance, superlative acting, great set..."

"Brimstone and Treacle. Sewell Barn. Awesome. You watch a play and you wish you were worthy of the words to describe the depth, the acting, the direction. It was, everything you could watch from such a hideous story."

"F*** me backwards! That was intense. If you haven't seen Brimstone &Treacle yet, get your ass off the sofa and go do it at Sewell Barn Theatre before the last show. Laughed! Cried! Wanted to get out of my seat with the sheer amount of angry. And....it turns out I work with one of the lovely, talented actors doing their amazing thing tonight. Seriously! Go see it before it's gone. Thank you muchly for the invite Wendy. It was awesome but I feel I need a bit of emotional recovery after that xD lol"

The Burial at Thebes: reviews

The first night is over, and we're thrilled to have received several overwhelmingly positive responses already this morning. The show plays tonight (14 May) and tomorrow, and then resumes Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21. Why not come along and see what all the fuss is about?

"I saw The Burial at Thebes tonight. It was a great production of a great play with a visceral translation by Seamus Heaney. Really good work by David Nicholas Green, his cast and creative team!"

"I want to pass on my praise for the burial at Thebes last night. The audience was scandalously small for such fine performances. Beautiful set and language. Very moving in places. Thanks to you all. I truly hope you get better audiences."

"Many congratulations on a stirring piece of theatre."

"This was one of the most amazing productions I have seen for a long time. It's so rare to get the opportunity to see a script such as this (Greek Tragedy) and then for it to be brought to life in such a capable way by David Green I couldn't have asked for more. The set design and "technique" with the sand (I won't give away spoilers, because you just HAVE to see it) was something I had never seen before. David had gathered together a very capable and strong cast who tackled long passages of script with ease and competently took us on a journey. A big well done to everyone involved, get and see this whilst you can."


"Just back from seeing this tonight ... We thought it was superb from the set, acting and directing. Well done all involved. 'It's a must see'."

And a very lovely review here:

"Ok folks, here's a tip for you : 

If you find yourself in need of a dark, thought-provoking, intense, tragic, dramatic, well-acted, imaginatively staged piece of theatre either tonight or tomorrow, I'd suggest you treat yourself and get yourself off to the Sewell Barn. Their current production of 'Burial at Thebes' has only two more days to run and is a quite captivating and entertaining , one-act play. (So it's quite short...)

Huge congratulations all round to the cast, crew and especially whoever designed the stage-set (apologies for the lack of names to drop here - I forgot to grab a programme!) which makes quite the most innovative use of the Barn's space I've seen since their production of 'Bedlam' a couple of years ago. 

Bravo! Outstanding!"

The Beauty Queen of Leenane: some lovely reviews

The show opened on Thursday 31 March and has been greeted by several generous and highly appreciative reviews already.

From Facebook:

"Saw a wonderful play at the Sewell Barn last night. Great performances. I mean great! Well done Gilly, Mandy, Christopher and Matt. Make an effort to see it. Great achievement by Team Montague! (The) Beauty Queen of Leenane. See it!"

"Please go and see this. Easily one of my favourite things I have seen at the Sewell Barn."

"Fantastic show, wonderful set, brilliant acting... don't miss it, congratulations to all involved."

From messages:

[to the Director]: "You clever, clever girl. It is a wonderful production, great set, wonderful cast, and seamless direction. 

Gilly was exceptionally good. She has such a presence on stage. Conniving, fearful, malicious and totally believable. I loved her! 

Mandy gave such a heartfelt performance. I so wanted it to end happily for her, but knew in my heart that it wouldn't. Please congratulate her for me.

Christopher Whitley, who is new to me, was lovely. I don't know if he is Irish, but he looked Irish. Soft, gentle and lovable. They would have been so happy!

Matt was funny and real, playing out of his comfort zone. A fine performance, Matt.

So, another winner Ms Montague, well done."

[to the Sewell Barn]: "Spot on performances last night, Sewell Barn company. Lovely use of the space too. We all enjoyed it very much. 3 peeps had never been to SB before but they will defo be back. They couldn't believe the fab standard of production. I was blasé "Oh it's always great here" and I wasn't telling porkies. Thanks SB for keeping really good theatre alive in Norwich."

From Twitter:

"Just seen The Beauty Queen of Leenane, again another amazing performance from @sewellbarn . Defiantly (sic!) recommend going to see."

And finally, a detailed and appreciative view from member Rob Fradley-Wilde:

"On a set so superb that, hours later, one seems to remember the smells of damp and peat smoke [and of course a certain other aroma], which weren't [I trust!] really present, four good actors gave us a grand interpretation of this not exactly profound but definitely rewarding and deservedly famous modern play.

Gill Tichborne's huge competence made a lovely meal of the selfish and cunning Mag, in strife against her disappointed daughter. Mag struck up in us a very happy though slightly horrified fondness, from the word 'go' – if I may put it that way. Maureen was played by Mandy Kiley with the consummate skill and, I want to say, a kind of fluidity, that enables this actress to so often completely become her character, and in this specific case, to play so believably with the movements of its fragile struggling mind. Another immaculate performance came from Christopher Whitley, very natural and true; what I shall always think of now as the ladder soliloquy moved everyone in the theatre. Indeed, I don't know if it has happened on other nights, but each of the play's scenes ended with spontaneous applause. Whitley's character might just have been a tiny bit too decent, bearing in mind the short time between the letter [definitely not imagined, as the railway station was] and his transatlantic engagement – though he was of course on a sort of rebound. The fourth cast member, Matt Rolls, convinced us admirably as the restless younger brother full of childish and provincial enmities, whose weakness precipitated the tragedies.

Irish accents varying from adequate to excellent; a really full house would have softened the accoustic and perhaps given some of the more dynamic passages a better precision to the ear. Nothing else at all to demur at. Ably and I think cleverly directed by Michelle Montague, this was one of those events where the definitions of amateur and professional overlap and blur into meaninglessness.
A few more performances still. Go if you can, for a very worthwhile and most enjoyable experience. [If for nothing else, it will gladden your heart to witness the strike to the vitals of the Health and Safety movement, delivered by that unsecured ladder and that unfenced platform!] Seriously, though - Thank you, everyone involved at the Sewell Barn, for such continuing excellence."

The Go-Between

Absolutely delighted to receive this wonderful review, both of our theatre and of our current play The Go Between, on our TripAdvisor page.

"Watched "The Go Between" on January 16th. It was our first visit to the theatre as we live 130 miles from Norwich. What a fantastic little gem, the front of house staff were very helpful and the play itself was a professional performance from amateur players. I will not single anyone out for special praise but will just say that the evening was exceptional - and I am usually very critical of "amateur theatre". Thank you to all concerned with the performance."

We were also delighted to receive a detailed and thoughtful review from our friend and theatre member Rob Fradley-Wilde:

"A very satisfying evening at the final performance of 'The Go-Between'.

Some of the success surely was in the participants' safe forwards and backwards negotiation of the set! This armature of poles and dry paper foliage at first sight seemed to fill the stage, yet through this reminder of the net or cage of social restrictions at the turn of the last century there was still plenty of room for humanity's evergreen wellings of emotion to surge to and fro quite freely; and, helped by the well-chosen minor props coming in and out of our focus as the plot required, we always understood its more prosaic suggestions of house, shed, grove, or pavilion. A clever and memorable design by ...? [the programme gives no clear attribution].

I saw less variation in playing skill than one would expect from the range of experiences brought together here: essentially we had nine good actors working their way together through a sound plot, supporting each other and enjoying themselves. A mother that any child would love, Wendy Atkinson, and her son Leo, played by Josh Oram with impressively sure command of a boy's unsureness, his innocence resistant to giving way under the growing drive of teenage vitality, together comprised the lower-middle-class insertion into the world of the landed and renting gentry. Jonathan Gale pushed into it from the other side, giving us a well-crafted study of the sharp surly antagonist Ted Burgess, awkward and brusque in his inarticulate frustration with the establishment as one of its tenant farmers. At the centre, responsive to natural feeling despite all the tight strictures of the Victorian class system at its height, was Marian Maudsley, and Emma Kirkham's clever interpretation left me always just a touch suspicious of the true proportions of helpless passion and manipulative self-interest in her character's makeup.

The Viscount [Matt Rolls] was a sympathetic figure, kindly, undeserving of any false treatment, whom we never suspected of intrigue, even when his fiancée did. The Maudsley sons, convincingly played by Jack Rumsey and Bradley Flint, were stereotypes strengthening the frame, automatically ready to lead the plastic Leo into the right paths. However the force of the family resided in Mrs Maudsley, and the strong, clear, and authentic performance of Glenda Gardiner left us in no doubt at all about this. And all the time the perfectly-cast Terry Cant ghosted the old Leo's way around and through these memories and scenes of his own past, sometimes, invisible but feeling and hurting, in the thick of things, at other times merging with us, the merely curious. His new understanding of his own repressed life as a consequence of this first trauma is the painful underlying and unifying theme of the play.

The novel's fuller ending is minimised in this version, quite rightly I'm sure. Roger Parsley also made alterations from his earlier adaptation, made for an airier playing-space, so as to focus more on intensity of feeling, and this has worked well in the Barn's tighter atmosphere, and he has managed to retain in full the suspense and drama of the book. Good use also was made of the variety of off/onstage connections available here. Plenty of interesting business with clothes, balls, etc, nothing staying static for long. Despite some unfortunate but unavoidable breaks in the continuity of direction during rehearsals, the play's movement was flawless, keeping every audience member attentive all the time, happy to be carried along at just the right pace; much credit there for everyone involved.

I'd like to complain a bit, but can't really find anything substantial enough. Maybe there was too much contraction in the latter stages; for instance [as was remarked to me] not enough time given to make Ted's suicide seem appropriate, or proportionate - not just to young folk, but to those who are old enough to remember people who lived through those actual social mores and conditions. But on the whole the balance, within the constraints of the medium, was fair and good.

Costumes quite charming, lighting good, stage management faultless; altogether a very enjoyable entertainment, with the valuable addition of plausible and sympathetic light thrown on the atmosphere of this fin de siècle period of our social history, and an important example of the development of English literature's class conflict theme leading up to Lawrence's work. Well done again, Sewell Barn – thank you, all!"

Twelfth Night

This delightful romantic comedy was much enjoyed by audience and performers alike. Here are some comments from our ‘feedback blackboard’ in the theatre foyer.

“The Sewell Barn Company once again triumphs, offering a production of both young and experienced actors.”
“A successful cocktail of high energy Shakespeare.”
“A lovely warm welcome to the festive season.”
“What a wealth of young and older talent!  Superb!”
“Brilliant – the best performance of Twelfth Night I have ever seen.”
“Wonderful production – loved every minute.”
“A truly imaginative rendition of Twelfth Night!”
“Splendiferous!”

The Thrill of Love

A review from David Porter of the EDP:

Poignant story with a punch

"There’s something about sitting almost with the performers, as the audience does at the Sewell Barn, that makes everything so intimate, so absorbing.

This play packs a punch exploring the tragedy that was the life and death of Ruth Ellis. Notorious as the last woman in England to be hanged, she is superbly portrayed by Abbie Eastwood - the frail, petite platinum blonde who dreamed of Hollywood but got Holloway.

The abuse she suffered and the dying of her dreams in the reality of life in seedy nightclubs was the backstory while the police inspector-cum-narrator (James Thomson) grappled to understand the woman who shot her lover.

Her speedy confession, explanation of all the facts except how she got the gun and her rejection of a final appeal comes over with shocking clarity. Director Ginny Porteous brings out her vulnerability amidst the wheels of criminal justice which contributed significantly to the abolition of the death penalty.

Friends who care (Jen Dewsbury, Hayley Evenett and Verity Roat) catch the 1950s period with its values and struggles to support the telling of this poignant, memorable true story."

[You can also see David's review on his own blog here.]

Review on Facebook:

"Absolutely enthralling and powerful production last night. The Thrill of Love tells the tragic story of Ruth Ellis through an eavesdropping view of her emotions leading up to the murder and the acceptance of her fate. Just five amazing actors hold your emotions in their hands and squeeze them till you come away realising that the death penalty can never be right.

The entire cast starred, each bringing the characters back to life for the night, perfect casting as you really believed they were Ruth, Sylvia Vickie, Doris and Jack whatever the programme said their real names were.

I have always found the theatre perfect for some productions and this was certainly one as we sat at the table with the cast."

Email from audience member:

"[We] were at the theatre on Friday night to see the Ruth Ellis story "The Thrill of Love".  The acting was superb and all are to be congratulated.  We did not go home hopping and singing - but thoughtful, and feeling it was a very worthwhile experience."

Copenhagen

An email to Jane, who plays Margarethe:

We came to watch Copenhagen at the Sewell Barn last night. As you may be aware we go to most of the performances. What an undertaking. With only 3 characters, you all had so much to learn!

I was so pleased that we have been watching The Saboteurs on More 4 as it is about the same event but from a slightly different perspective. It helped me to feel that I knew a more detailed background of the setting. The two men managed very well to make the physics accessible to people like me...I got a 9 at O level science as I did not bother to revise stuff that I could not understand. I assume that I wrote my name correctly at the top!!

Your character stopped it from becoming too dull and brought in the humour and the human touch. You carried that off so well.I also enjoyed the way that you all...you in particular...managed so well to alternate between narrating and being your character.

I like to leave the theatre with something to muse on and this play did that for me. I assume that the conversation has been a source of speculation, without anyone really knowing the complete truth. How scary to be left with the idea of the alternative conversation. It doesn't bear thinking about!

I felt disappointed that the theatre was not as full as you deserved. I do hope that it does not make the directors move towards easy watch theatre as we get enough of that in the mainstream theatres. I hope that you get good audiences next weekend. Thank goodness for places like the Sewell Barn.

Very well done. An amazing achievement.

***

Some audience feedback:

We were at the first night. Well done to all of you for an extraordinary performance . The script was so detailed and must have been difficult to learn. The story is still under discussion here, and the secret is one that we will not know for certain. 

The Sewell Barn puts on really challenging plays and this one is outstanding. Thank you for all your efforts in this and I hope you have a good run.

***

Want an intelligent, thought provoking evening? Go and see Copenhagen at the Sewell Barn Theatre. Lots to think about, and some laughs too.

***

More audience feedback, both on Copenhagen and praising the season it concludes:

We would like to congratulate the Sewell Barn  company for an excellent season of drama. You have taken on controversial subjects which have been challenge to perform, but have executed to the highest degree. 

Last night we attended ' Copenhagen ' which the players took on with such professionalism. It was intriguing and thought provoking and caused great debate. It was made more difficult by the content of the play. Well done to all involved and we look forward to the next season.

***

Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 18 July 2015

Michael Frayn’s 1998 play is based on a secret 1941 meeting in Copenhagen between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. It’s a gripping drama – what really went on when they talked?

Danish Bohr (Kevin Oelrichs) and German Heisenberg (Rob Tiffen) had been friends before the war; now Denmark was occupied by the Nazis who were looking to beat the allies to the atomic bomb.

The non-linear play is a clever construct set after their deaths as Bohr’s wife, Margrethe (Jane de la Tour) helps the men rehearse various ‘drafts’ of what could have been discussed and its profound consequences.

Politics and physics, friendship and trust, idealism and reality intertwine in an evening that the actors handle with skill and thought, ably directed by Carole Lovett. The play is neither comedy nor tragedy, the language doesn’t contradict logic yet is a mix of the present and the past, history and ‘what if …’

The evening leaves the audience glad the Nazis didn’t get the bomb and wondering about all the shadows, hopes and ideas that swirled round the world in those war years. Thoroughly recommended.

Mint

Beautifully restrained yet emotionally charged piece about a decent family dealing with (or not dealing with) a crime and its punishment. Both the writing and the performances exemplify the dictum 'less is more'. Make time to see it.

***

Well done guys. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

***

Extremely professional cast, very clever set, and beautiful music! Very enjoyable and loved the shifts from laugh out loud funny to awkward and uncomfortable! Congratulations cast and crew!!!

***

Great play - very impressed with the youngest lady on the cast, but all were fab. Well done.

***

Review from Cassie Tillett - click here

***

A well-conceived symmetrical set focussed us from the beginning [from before the beginning!] on Alan as the nucleus of this drama, then unfolded and changed as his centrality began to shift, through the first half, to be revealed in the second rather as the epicentre of a domestic social earthquake. The play itself, like the set, is deceptively simple, and despite the undoubtedly skilful writing, I can imagine it being unjustifiably brought down to the level of social-realism dreariness that has become fashionable, if attempted by mediocre artists.

But certainly not here. Full personalities emerge from what could, in the wrong hands, be so-ordinary characters, and everyday difficulties that so many ordinary folk have to endure have their sharp depths shown to us, often profoundly. It's a short play, but doesn't feel like it, because it's real – I can't find a more suitable word - all the time. Jen Dewsbury has done sterling work in getting to the foundations of things, and her actors have responded with power and sensitivity.

Time and pace are used for a lot here. I'm not sure if the projections between scenes of dates and memorable current events are original to this production; they were interesting, and definitely helped those of us not in the first flower of youth to find an authentic flavour of setting; but I did want them to follow one another a bit faster. However, what no fault can be found with is the treatment of spaces in dialogue – even in the action, occasionally – reflecting the spaces between the people. As is well understood by any playwright, what on the stage affects us as real is actually pretty artificial. There's a huge danger in just copying what goes on in the real world; and one of these pitfalls is in the naturalness of pauses and silences. In this production the director has been very daring, pushing these spaces to the limit, not just those charged with passion, but also the awkwardnesses and embarrassments, the uncertainties and hesitations that could so easily bog down a staged dialogue with a plot to keep moving along. It could have gone wrong – some of these 'gaps' were right on the edge of acceptance; but, again, the company must have so well and intelligently explored this piece that every space came to us as entirely relevant, telling its own tale, pushing on the story.

Glenda Gardiner as the mother trying to be kind through the damaged shell of respectability was perhaps the best exponent of these 'filled spaces', showing the working of a shocked mind wanting distance or closure, and fearful of more discoveries; an admirable control of a role; while the husband Roger Gardiner provided the contrast of jerky frustration and repressed rage, inarticulate until at breaking point. Rebecca Wass's character had less strong, more diffused, emotions to deal with, but she proved the same mastery of silence over rich subtext; and Rachel Godfrey-Bennet showed us splendidly in her now assured and spirited stride the rapid life-changes and character development of the other sister. A great pleasure indeed to watch all these acting skills. The child of the piece [alongside which [along with animals], one should never act, as the old adage runs!] in this instance did not steal the show from the adults – they were too good for anything like that to be possible – but, my, how well she did. Connie Reid must have been acting, because she must have been aware of stage and audience etc, and her character was of a different age; yet one would never have guessed. The charm and humour of a small child's actions and mannerisms, all authentically there. And last of this small and intimate and so-mutually-responsive cast, Steve Dunn as the empty hole at the centre of the wheel of destruction that no-one was willing or able to help to fill with new good things, gave us great stage-presence and a perfectly-played understatement to display a sympathetic character, trying to learn through a hard field of many misdirections, a basically strong man whose faults could so easily be transformed by the encouragement of his finer qualities, if only... He achieves a lot, this actor, and I'm always impressed by how he can do it so economically. Certainly one of his best performances, strong and deep and touching.

Good work also by all the backroom people. The baby's cries were stereophonically too high up and to stage-right; and, did she rather strongly hiccup at one point? No, I expect that was just an extra bit of expertly-conceived and executed realism... :)

So, great work again by the Sewell Barn. Please go and see this, anyone who hasn't. Three more performances only! And, although they missed the opportunity of a raffle for the cake, you do get a free baking lesson included in the ticket price!

Cowardy Custard

Many, many thanks for the show last night, people. [We] really enjoyed the performances. Judging from the slickness of the singing, the dancing and movement, the rehearsals must have been lengthy but it was well worth it: everything came together. A well-known local actor, who happened to be sitting next to me, was singing along and commented that he hadn't realised 'so-and-so' was a singer and how beautiful was her voice. Congratulations. It's a show you could watch twice without tiring of the anecdotes, the songs or the performances.

***

Well done Dawn Brindle, Angela Rowe & all the cast for a thoroughly enjoyable show this evening. Hope you have a great run. x

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What a lovely evening! Great performances! Have a wonderful run. xx

***

...I saw it on Saturday and thought it was delightful and superbly executed by all concerned. Highly recommended! Many congratulations Cassie Tillett, Ruth Bennett Selwyn Tillett and everyone.

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Well done to all the cast and crew, a fantastic show, had a great evening. Enjoy the rest of the run  xx

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Just back from the Sewell Barn Theatre and Cowardy Custard. What a lovely evening - thank you to Cassie Tillett, Selwyn Tillett, Dawn Brindle, Ruth Bennett, Huw Jones and all the rest of the cast. Well worth a visit if you get the chance.

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Great show last night, my best wishes and congrats to all involved.

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Just back from a joyous evening in the company of the talented cast of Cowardy Custard at the Sewell Barn. It was a thoroughly enjoyable show played with great energy and pizzaz! Do get along to see it if you can.

***

And a splendid and thorough review here, shown in its entirety:

Any of you out there thinking that this is merely a lot of old out-of-date songs, so we'll give it a miss this time: well, think again.

'Old', yes; but 'out-of-date', never. Most of the numbers are timeless, indeed some directly applicable to current times – tweaked or not – and all a celebration of the art of song-making at its very best. The phenomenally productive polymath Noël Coward was not called 'The Master' for nothing.

And my other descriptors? – 'a lot': yes, and gloriously so; but 'merely'? Not at all. Complementing the expressiveness of these fine singers, there are clever dramatizations, both funny and moving, of most of the songs, and dance sections of very effective choreography; and all of it is held together by interspersed narrations, some of them immaculately rendered, revealing salient points of Coward's path through his life and career.

For most of the time I was grinning at the fun – there was a great deal of that - or wiping my eyes for the beauty and the poignancy. My companion who hadn't really heard of Coward, and hadn't been prepared, took a few minutes to work out what was going on, and then she got it and was as entranced as I: so you don't need to be familiar with even this particular genre of music: sheer quality – from two strands - is the driving force in this production.

Having grown up hearing several of these songs on the radio, when, despite changing times and fashions, there was a bit of a revival of interest before Coward died in 1973, I think I had rather taken him for granted. His plays, very good and witty, and many still put on, of course; his so successful and remunerative London and New York productions; his theatre and film roles impeccably performed; etc etc; all these, despite the advanced views on sex and drugs that occasionally tried to surface, supported the idea of a mannered upper-middle-class ethos, definitely of the first half of the century, whose time of relevance, no matter how gloriously it had sparkled in its heyday, had now gone; and all of it projected through an undoubtedly clever but basically fortunate artist who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Some of which is, broadly, true; but my poet's hat must have been hanging on the peg when I formed this appraisal. For an additional delight for me was being reminded of just how extraordinary a lyricist he was. Half of the pleasure in these works comes from his joyously apt and often wickedly funny choice of words. Precision out of erudition, in the playful spirit of a kindly personality; exquisite is the only word for the result. His musical flair also is remarkable [especially considering his lack of training in formal theory], cradling his urbane and intellectual wizardry in the most lovely melodies and memorable rhythms. In an age of the commercial popular-song industry when its composers can succeed with knowledge of four or five chords, and its barely-literate writers with rhyming dictionaries of even fewer pages, an evening with these masterpieces is refreshing indeed.

The other strand of excellence, of course, comes from the performers. Here we had experience and talent a-plenty, in the gorgeous forms of Dawn Brindle, Fiona MacPherson, Ruth Bennett, Angela Rowe, and Gill Tichborne, and the manly presences of Rob Tiffen, Scott Brown, and Huw Jones, all costumed, and uniformed, delightfully by Anne Giles and her team of experts. Last, but certainly not least, was the gentleman who, in addition to acting, is expected to play the piano for about two and a half hours each evening. That's getting on for a hundred thousand notes – and if Selwyn “Red-Hot-Fingers” Tillett was cavalier with one or two of the particularly hard cases, then I for one certainly didn't notice. The same with the singing: any pitch or breathing uncertainties must have been so minor, so 'professionally rare', I would say, that no audience member, being so spellbound for so much of the time, felt them at all. Indeed some of the tone-production was striking, from both male and female voices. And remember that we're talking about something like sixty different songs, often - despite their classification as popular music - very compex in both words and music, bringing many technical difficulties. The sheer amount of work, and extension and development of abilities, in the ensemble and private practices, must have been tremendous. But whatever anxieties these fine performers went through, it was absolutely worth it, for, in no uncertain term, they succeeded!
[And here an aspect that other actors will appreciate: when having a 'moment' in a spoken play, one can fluff about, improvise, do something, until all comes smooth again, and usually the audience never notices. Not with this, though - singing, with others! But there was never a breath or suspicion of hesitation.]

The more mature of us remembered so many of these wonderful songs, and had a hard job holding back from joining in; but even if this genre or world is unfamiliar to the fresher sprigs reading this, just go and try it – you're guaranteed to love it, it's just so bloody good. I won't describe any of the scenes, I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but so many of these renditions, and the methods of interpretion chosen by the director and her artists, will stay forever in memory. Who could ever forget Nina from Argentina! Or the cool Alice! This is the original Mermaid Theatre version, from 1972, and includes such gems as the riotously-funny [and perfectly-cast...? wink emoticon ] 'I've Been to a Marvellous Party' and 'I Wonder What Happened to Him'; the excellent favourites 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen' and 'Mrs Worthington'; the re-topicalized 'Let's Do It'; 'Mad About the Boy' transiting funnily and then very movingly through the range of interpreters; and - well, I could go on and on, so many deservedly-famous and well-known examples of satire, plaintive sentiment, or sheer comedy, all with a fresh creativity from the performers and director, who displays here so well her love and understanding of music, poetry, and drama, and their effective harmonisation. [Just put that last clause in hoping to get another kiss soon...]

So, people, if you're interested in quality, if you love art, if your brows are wide enough to include high and low and everything between when it's intelligent and clever, and if you just like to smile and laugh and feel good, get on down to Prelude Records and get a handful of amazing-value-for-money tickets, and honour this giant person and unique personality – no one will ever come close Noël Coward – by enjoying what I promise will be one of the best and most entertaining evenings of your life. Wednesday 20th through to Saturday, five great performances still to go!

Thank you all.