Barn Theatre

Surrey's oldest community theatre and the jewel in Oxted's crown

The Barn Theatre, purpose built as a local community theatre, was opened in 1924. It is largely constructed of timbers from a local 13th Century saw-mill and still serves its original purpose of linking the town of Oxted and the village of Limpsfield to provide a venue for social events. It now hosts plays, musical evenings and a variety of other entertainments by resident and non-resident local societies.

Some international celebrities have 'trodden the boards' at the Barn over the years. In the early days Dame Flora Robson, Anna Wing, Lady Violet Bonham-Carter, Dame Eileen Joyce, Randolph Churchill, Christopher Fry and Michael Tippett and recently Ray Allen and Lord Charles, Roy Castle, Ronnie Corbett, Richard Stilgoe and Jimmy Tarbuck have entertained audiences.

The theatre seats 244 and is run and maintained by a team of volunteers, whose efforts over the years have seen many improvements both technical and aesthetic.

The theatre has a stage 24' x 18' which is generally dressed with black legs and curtains or which will accommodate a complete stage set. There are also dry ice and smoke machines and a hazer, radio microphones, orchestra stands and lights and an electric piano. The stage lighting consists of a 48 channel control desk and a range of lanterns, including two follow-spots, UV, disco and strobe lighting. The sound, which is operated from the upper level of the auditorium, includes a mini-disc player /recorder, two CD players, float and radio microphones, all controlled via a 24 channel mixer. There are loudspeakers both within the auditorium and on stage. There is also a public address system, a tannoy, a backstage net, a hearing aid loop and provision for closed circuit television. To the rear of the stage are four dressing rooms and a fully fitted kitchen. There is also a bar and sweet shop in the foyer which are usually run by the Friends of the Barn to raise money for other works in the theatre.

Behind the main theatre is the Little Barn which is also available for hire.