Britain's What's On Event Guide
The Herd at the Barn Theatre
Back in the day, what is now the main auditorium of the Barn theatre in Welwyn Garden City was a ‘model dairy’, housing a herd of dairy cows that provided milk for the town. In 1926, the cows moved out and now, almost a century later, there’s a new Herd moving in.
The Barn’s opening production of its new season is The Herd, by Olivier Award-winning actor Rory Kinnear, which debuted at the Bush Theatre in 2013, where it scored a major success. British Theatre said: ‘It is a play which could play anywhere – and should. It has insightful and glorious things to say about love, parenting and family – and it is fiendishly funny to boot.’
Carol is organising a 21st birthday party for her severely disabled son, Andy. But herding her disjointed family together brings a host of challenges in Kinnear’s enthralling play. By turns darkly comic and heart-rending, tough and tender, The Herd reveals the struggles of coping with a disabled child while try to hold a family together – a family that tests the idea of a herd instinct. The play draws on Kinnear’s experiences as the sibling of a severely disabled older sister.
This production is directed by Jon Brown, who read the play in 2024 and instantly knew it was a play he wanted to direct. ‘The Herd is a play with a lot of love in it’ he says. ‘There’s a lot to unpack; comedy, drama and a dash of poetry – something for everyone.’ Jon is very much hoping the audiences take away something from what they see; whether it’s relatability, the power of forgiveness, the importance of compassion at times, or simply to act as a reminder of the importance of family and coming together as a team.
The Barn’s opening production of its new season is The Herd, by Olivier Award-winning actor Rory Kinnear, which debuted at the Bush Theatre in 2013, where it scored a major success. British Theatre said: ‘It is a play which could play anywhere – and should. It has insightful and glorious things to say about love, parenting and family – and it is fiendishly funny to boot.’
Carol is organising a 21st birthday party for her severely disabled son, Andy. But herding her disjointed family together brings a host of challenges in Kinnear’s enthralling play. By turns darkly comic and heart-rending, tough and tender, The Herd reveals the struggles of coping with a disabled child while try to hold a family together – a family that tests the idea of a herd instinct. The play draws on Kinnear’s experiences as the sibling of a severely disabled older sister.
This production is directed by Jon Brown, who read the play in 2024 and instantly knew it was a play he wanted to direct. ‘The Herd is a play with a lot of love in it’ he says. ‘There’s a lot to unpack; comedy, drama and a dash of poetry – something for everyone.’ Jon is very much hoping the audiences take away something from what they see; whether it’s relatability, the power of forgiveness, the importance of compassion at times, or simply to act as a reminder of the importance of family and coming together as a team.
Fri 19 Sep, Sat 27 Sep
Handside Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6ST
The Herd runs at the Barn Theatre from Friday 19 to Saturday 27 September, evenings 8pm, matinee 2.30pm. Tickets cost £16 from Barn Theatre box office on 01707 324300 or online at www.barntheatre.co.uk
Organised by
Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City
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