17 Sep 2026
Dame Joanna Lumley – patron of St Albans-based professional theatre company OVO – has shared her excitement at the opening of its new theatre The Barn.
The acting legend said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see The Barn announce its opening season. This beautiful, atmospheric new space will be a worthy home for bold, imaginative and inspiring theatre that challenges convention and excites audiences.”
With the support of Joanna and its other patrons, including Ralph Fiennes, Brian Cox CBE, and Zoë Wanamaker CBE, and having raised nearly £1 million from investors, the 17th-century Grade II listed threshing barn is being lovingly brought back to life as an intimate, 120-seat performance space.
With a full conversion planned for completion in 2027, the barn doors will open this autumn to present a series of site-specific productions staged in its ‘work-in-progress’ phase.
The season embodies OVO’s distinct theatrical ethos, combining bold productions of classic stories with unconventional performance spaces to create intimate and unique experiences for audiences.
Dame Joanna added: “The Barn’s new repertory company will provide a crucial training and development opportunity for emerging actors, creatives and crew building a career in the theatre industry, especially those from under-represented backgrounds. I’m looking forward to seeing the amazing work produced by The Barn.”
Curated especially for the space, the inaugural autumn/winter 2026 season features the following productions:
Macbeth by William Shakespeare (October 15 – November 8). A play that’s as old as the building itself, but with a fresh, urgent and contemporary staging.
The Winding Stair by Jesse Norman (November 13-15). On the 400th anniversary of his death, this powerful new work will explore the life of Sir Francis Bacon, a stone’s throw from his final resting place.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (December 4-30). OVO’s acclaimed festive favourite will be reimagined for The Barn, retaining the immersive promenade style that has made it a staple of the Christmas season.
OVO founder and artistic director Adam Nichols said: “The Barn is OVO’s new canvas to dare mighty things. It’s the latest example of how we do things differently. We call it Free Range Theatre. And it means we are not constrained by a traditional repertoire or approach. Instead we challenge and reinvent contemporary theatre.”
Tickets for all productions are on sale now at ovo.org.uk, with autumn/winter season tickets offering exceptional value for audiences wishing to experience all three productions at The Barn.
Dame Joanna Lumley photo credit Gemma Levine/Getty Images.
