17 Jun 2026
OVO has officially kicked off the 12th annual Roman Theatre Open Air Festival with a VIP launch event attended by 300 specially invited guests.
The historical Roman Theatre of Verulamium hosted an evening of drinks, canapés and the festival’s opening production of Sherlock Holmes under the stars.
The OVO team welcomed guests with opening speeches from founder, Adam Nichols, trustee Professor Tim Boatswain and chairman, Kiffer Weisselberg, who declared the 2026 festival officially open.
St Albans theatre production company OVO was founded in 2003, and the annual Roman Theatre Open Air Festival has been running since 2014. The company is currently expanding its theatre portfolio with a brand new Barn Theatre renovation next to Verulamium Park, with more than £350K already raised from investors in support of the project.
Having staged more than 100 productions over the past 22 years, artistic director Adam Nichols shared: “We are thrilled to have officially opened this year’s 12th annual Roman Theatre Open Air Festival 2026.
“Sherlock Holmes was the perfect opening production and we are looking forward to a vibrant summer ahead, filled with more OVO productions – as well as some exciting new comedy and music this year too.
This year’s festival is set to be the best yet.”
The Roman Theatre Open Air Festival runs until August 31, and tickets are on sale from £15. Season Tickets are also available from £80. Sherlock Holmes runs until June 20. For the full festival line-up and to book tickets go to www.ovo.org.uk
There’s a chance to find out more about the St Germain’s Barn and St Michael’s pavilion project – the Grand Designs-style transformation of a 17th century barn and 1930s changing rooms into St Albans’ newest theatre – at the site in Verulamium Park this Thursday evening.
Kiffer Weisselberg and Tim Boatswain are offering a chance to see inside the buildings and find out more about the project and their history.
OVO is the driving force behind the creation of the St Germain’s Barn theatre, with a vision of bringing long-term employment to industry creatives, producing reimagined versions of classic plays all year-round, and providing a bar and café open to audiences and park visitors.
First mentioned in 1649, the building has deep theatrical roots, having been bought by Commodore [later Admiral of the Blue] Henry Killigrew, whose father and uncle were both playwrights and theatre producers in the time of Charles II.
Although an existing internal partition will be removed to provide a large open space across most of the ground floor, there will be no structural alterations to the building, and flexible seating will be installed to the rear for a capacity of about 100 people.
The tour and talk take place on Thursday June 18 from 6pm, next to Verulamium Museum car park.
Places are limited so please book here: https://ovo.org.uk/shows/st-germains-barn-development-guided-tours/#book
The theatre fundraising campaign continues at www.ovo.org.uk/support-the-barn
Photos by Ian Cullen, Simon Knight Architects, Greenwood Drones and Mili Branston
