Sewell Barn Theatre

Sewell Barn Theatre stands in the grounds of Sewell Park Academy on Constitution Hill in Norwich. The building began as a hay barn belonging to Clare House, owned by Philip Sewell in the late 19th century. It later served as a washroom and handicraft centre for an open-air school. During the First World War the barn became a theatre for concerts put on by Catton residents. By the 1970s it was a leaky storage space filled with broken furniture. The theatre is now home to an amateur company with close ties to Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty. The unusual auditorium has raked seating on three sides of an open acting space. Ground-level spaces are provided for audience members with limited mobility. The building also hosts presentations, meetings and private hire events. The Sewell Barn Theatre Company stages several productions each year. Their first show in 1980 was The Norfolk Furies, written and directed by Henry Burke. By 2008 the company had presented its 200th production, The Winter’s Tale. Membership is open to everyone, and workshops welcome non-members. The foyer was renovated in 2012.