West End theatre prices are quite steep, especially when you add on transport costs, and the evening’s trip may also involve a meal out, all of which could easily result in a bill of well over 100.
Consider the local alternative
All this does not mean Hertfordshire’s residents simply have to stay in for the evening to watch TV, play video games or read a book, as there are plenty of good theatres around them.
There are at least 36 theatrical venues are listed for the whole county, providing a decent local alternative to London’s West End offerings.
There is a good amateur theatre called the Abbey in St Albans which is performing Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Puccini’s Madame Butterfly this year.
Theatres in Hertfordshire
Broxbourne Civic Centre is the home of the amateur Broxbourne Theatre Company. Such theatres might not provide the lavish scale of West End productions but they do give a high degree of intimacy, which is particularly appreciated by children. The Lytton Theatre in Stevenage is another fine example of amateur theatre in the county, currently performing Music Hall followed by Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The Barn Theatre in Welwyn Garden City also manages an impressive 10 productions per year, in spite of being an amateur group.
The Queen Mother Theatre in the historic market town of Hitchin puts on productions by a mix of amateur and professional companies. Kicking off 2012 with a professional production of Euripides’ Medea, they follow this with a dance show by a local school before the Bancroft Players perform an adaptation of Steinbeck’s tragic story, Of Mice and Men. Another theatre in Hertfordshire is the Watersmeet in Rickmansworth which also mixes amateur and professional work, along with an interesting series of film society nights.
Events include:
Fame (the musical)
The Vienna Festival Ballet performing Tchaikovsky’s dramatic Swan Lake
Festive season pantomimes
With a much more professional list of events is the Playhouse in Harlow, sitting on the border with Essex. They recently put on a well-reviewed Peter Pan that would match the best of the London stage’s efforts, and are following this up with a musical version of the Rapunzel fairy tale and Comedy @ the Playhouse.
However, perhaps the claim to be the best Hertford theatre might well go the theatre of that same name and place. Centrally situated in Hertford town on the corner of The Wash and St Andrew Street, you can visit Hertford Theatre’s in-house gallery to look at visual exhibits, as well as sampling the comfortable caf before going to an evening performance. Robin Hood – The Pantomime was on over the Christmas season but the must-have ticket this year is surely the Royal Opera House’s version of Cinderella. This fairytale is told through the medium of Massenet’s opera, Cendrillon. Beautiful singing, glorious sets and a heartwarming family friendly story all combine to make this a great night out.
To stay up to date on the latest news from Hertford Theatre, as well as every other theatre in Hertfordshire, visit the Hertfordshire Mercury online.
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