Sewell Barn Theatre is located in the grounds of Sewell Park Academy (formerly the Blyth school, later the Blyth-Jex school and Sewell Park College) on Constitution Hill in Norwich, England. It is home to a popular amateur theatre company, with close historical links to the author Anna Sewell who wrote Black Beauty.
The auditorium features raked seating on three sides of an open acting space. This unusual staging helps to draw the audience deeply into the performance. Ground level spaces can be provided for audience members with limited mobility.
The auditorium also provides an unusual and convenient space for presentations, meetings and other private hire uses.
Anna Sewell, author of the children’s story "Black Beauty", was Philip’s sister and lived in the White House, Spixworth Road, Spixworth. Philip owned a mare called Black Bess which used to draw his carriage along Spixworth Road and it might be supposed that Bess was the original inspiration for Black Beauty, and the barn a prototype for Black Beauty’s stable. The book was published by Jarrolds in 1877.
Philip Sewell died in 1906 and left his house and estate to the City of Norwich. Clare House became an open air school for city children suffering from respiratory complaints and the barn became their washroom, restroom and handicraft centre.
Since then the old hay barn has seen many uses. During the First World War it was used as a theatre when Catton residents put on a concert for troops billeted in the area. It was used for storage and also as a bicycle shed for girls of the Blyth School (which was constructed in 1929 in the grounds of Clare House). Clare House was demolished in 1970 and out of the rubble rose the foundations of part of the new Blyth Jex school. The barn later housed the very first school minibus.
During a visit to the school in 1974 it was suggested by Norfolk County Councillors that the barn might make an admirable small theatre. At the time the barn was a dirty, leaky building stacked with broken school furniture and other accumulated rubbish. It took several years for this building, with the help of Valerie Glauert - head of Blyth Jex School - to be turned into a fully functioning small theatre.[1]
The Sewell Barn Theatre Companyedit
In 1980, the Sewell Barn Theatre Company was formed. Their first public production The Norfolk Furies was written and directed by Henry Burke (the first Artistic Director), and staged at the barn.
The company stages a number of productions every year, ranging from Shakespeare to Alan Ayckbourn. In February 2008 the company presented its 200th production The Winter's Tale.
Todayedit
Membership of the Sewell Barn company is open to everyone, and workshops are open to non-members. The foyer was renovated in 2012.
As of 2016, the Artistic Directors are Cassie Tillett and Clare Williamson.
^Norfolk Tourist Information-Sewell Barn Theatre Retrieved 4 March 2013
External linksedit
Sewell Barn Theatre website
January 01, 1970
sewell, barn, theatre, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, dece. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sewell Barn Theatre news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message Sewell Barn Theatre is located in the grounds of Sewell Park Academy formerly the Blyth school later the Blyth Jex school and Sewell Park College on Constitution Hill in Norwich England It is home to a popular amateur theatre company with close historical links to the author Anna Sewell who wrote Black Beauty Sewell Barn TheatreThe theatreAddressConstitution Hill NorwichNorwichEnglandCoordinates52 38 53 N 1 17 55 E 52 648128 N 1 298707 E 52 648128 1 298707Capacity100Opened1980Websitewww sewellbarn org Contents 1 The auditorium 2 History 3 The Sewell Barn Theatre Company 4 Today 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksThe auditorium editThe auditorium features raked seating on three sides of an open acting space This unusual staging helps to draw the audience deeply into the performance Ground level spaces can be provided for audience members with limited mobility The auditorium also provides an unusual and convenient space for presentations meetings and other private hire uses History editOriginally the barn belonged to Clare House which was owned by Philip Sewell a local benefactor from 1864 to 1906 http www literarynorfolk co uk Norwich anna sewell htmAnna Sewell author of the children s story Black Beauty was Philip s sister and lived in the White House Spixworth Road Spixworth Philip owned a mare called Black Bess which used to draw his carriage along Spixworth Road and it might be supposed that Bess was the original inspiration for Black Beauty and the barn a prototype for Black Beauty s stable The book was published by Jarrolds in 1877 Philip Sewell died in 1906 and left his house and estate to the City of Norwich Clare House became an open air school for city children suffering from respiratory complaints and the barn became their washroom restroom and handicraft centre Since then the old hay barn has seen many uses During the First World War it was used as a theatre when Catton residents put on a concert for troops billeted in the area It was used for storage and also as a bicycle shed for girls of the Blyth School which was constructed in 1929 in the grounds of Clare House Clare House was demolished in 1970 and out of the rubble rose the foundations of part of the new Blyth Jex school The barn later housed the very first school minibus During a visit to the school in 1974 it was suggested by Norfolk County Councillors that the barn might make an admirable small theatre At the time the barn was a dirty leaky building stacked with broken school furniture and other accumulated rubbish It took several years for this building with the help of Valerie Glauert head of Blyth Jex School to be turned into a fully functioning small theatre 1 The Sewell Barn Theatre Company editIn 1980 the Sewell Barn Theatre Company was formed Their first public production The Norfolk Furies was written and directed by Henry Burke the first Artistic Director and staged at the barn The company stages a number of productions every year ranging from Shakespeare to Alan Ayckbourn In February 2008 the company presented its 200th production The Winter s Tale Today editMembership of the Sewell Barn company is open to everyone and workshops are open to non members The foyer was renovated in 2012 As of 2016 the Artistic Directors are Cassie Tillett and Clare Williamson See also editMaddermarket Theatre Theatre Royal Norwich Sewell Park Norwich PlayhouseReferences edit Norfolk Tourist Information Sewell Barn Theatre Retrieved 4 March 2013External links editSewell Barn Theatre website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sewell Barn Theatre amp oldid 1134274150, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
