Sheringham Little Theatre director Debbie Thompson provides a sneaky peek at what is happening behind the blacked-out windows at the venue as it undergoes a transformation.
Our doors may be closed. But there’s lots going on behind the scenes at Sheringham Little Theatre.
Contractors are busy refurbishing the Hub café and foyer. Our pictures show how the box office is being moved to the wall opposite the front door, where an internal porch is going up to keep the draughts out.
One change you will already see, if you are in the town after dark, is the colourful new lighting along our fascia boards.
The rest of the work is going on out of sight behind the masked-off windows. There will also be new flooring, ceilings, lights, heating and revived tables and chairs. The toilets are getting new lighting and hand driers.
Our staff are not allowed into the Hub and auditorium at the moment because they are a “building site” so we, like you, are reliant on the photos being taken by our landlords North Norfolk District Council.
From what we can see, and what we hear from our project manager, it is shaping up very nicely – and we cannot wait to show everyone the finished project in early February.
It will make our Hub a really special place to meet friends for a cuppa, snacks, with a bigger emphasis on its location as part of a vibrant community arts venue – which gains vital income from the café till.
The only doors that are open at the moment are the side scenery dock ones, which provide public access to a temporary box office three times a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am to 2pm.
Our box office team of Janet Farrow and Wendy Paterson are manning the space – normally used for loading and storing sets and props – to help people with ticket sales and inquiries, They have asked people to bear with them while they provide the best service they can in not ideal surroundings.
We have a busy programme of events ready for February and March when we reopen the doors, with a planning official opening of February 11 – though we may have a “soft opening” a few days earlier all being well.
Our first comeback event should be a resumption of our popular monthly quizzes on Tuesday February 7 at 8pm.
Drama returns in the shape of Phoney Towers, a tribute to the timeless comedy of Fawlty Towers (February 12) by the same team that brought us Phoney Fools and Horses last year.
There are ghost stories from Neil Storey on February 16, a final bow from the uproarious Squirrels on February 18 on their farewell tour before the duo split up, and A Bunch of Amateurs (Feb 22-25) by our friends at the Cromer and Sheringham Operatic and Dramatic Society, who are very professional amateurs!
March highlights include the first of a new series of classic film matinees beginning with To Kill a Mockingbird on March 2, Serenity Prayer, a musical about addiction written by well–known pop musician Lee Vasey, on March 15 and the Little Theatre players staging Hobson’s Choice (March 23-25).
So, as you can see, although we are hidden away at the moment we are certainly not taking a long hibernation nap. As ever, it is all systems go, and I am now finalising plans for shows this spring and summer!
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