4 minute read
Theatre of stars
If you go down to woods tonight you certainly will be in for a surprise, as nestled in the hollow bowl of an old WWII bomb crater you’ll discover Thorington Theatre, a newly opened, magical open-air amphitheatre which has actors from across the UK jostling for centre stage.
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Tucked away down a tree-lined lane off the A12 en route to Southwold, Thorington Theatre is the creation of Lindy O’Hare and her farm manager, Silas Rayner, who is well known locally for his fantastical Maui Waui Festival, a wonderfully creative weekend of live music, theatre and art. The O’Hare family moved to Thorington Hall three years ago and are currently in the process of turning the farm into an organic nut farm, so before we head into the woods, Lindy takes me on a quick tour to see the young walnut, cobnut and sweet chestnut saplings that will bear the fruits of their labour in years to come. They have also rewilded part of the farm, planting swathes of trees to create new habitats and encourage biodiversity and are working alongside the Woodland Trust to manage and restore existing woodland.
It was whilst working in the woods that the idea of a theatre was first mooted. “Silas thought the bomb crater would be a great venue for an open-air gig and so we started exploring the idea. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we had started construction on a 350-seater theatre!” The setting could not lend itself more dramatically to their vision. A pathway
winds its way past the patterned trucks of silver birch trees and waist-high bracken to a clearing, formed when a bomb was dropped here by British troops returning home after a mission overseas. The explosion created the clearing in woods where only a few pine trees grew skyward, their branches allowing dappled light to filter through to the floor below, and the resulting crater formed a natural arena. The stage was literally already set and aided by designer Amy Carroll and a team of talented carpenters, the design and built has taken just over a year to complete.
Within this incredible space, they have hand built a beautiful theatre made entirely from timber sustainably cut from within the wood itself. Steep steps lead down past wide tiers of seating, and the stage is almost in the round, with the audience to three sides. The backdrop is a natural screen of woodland, and off to the left, a marquee reminiscent of a jousting tournament houses the makeup and wardrobe department. Spotlights are strung from trees, handrails carved from knotty branches and platforms have been built for wheelchair access and private boxes, where instead of velvet seats, logs are upturned to make the perfect perch. Reminiscent of the spectacular Minack Theatre which is carved into the rugged cliffs of South-West Cornwall, the wonder of this amazing space is the use of natural materials and the way it blends so beautifully into its woodland setting.
On arrival, you are welcomed at a wooden hut that doubles as both the box office and the bar where at half time you can enjoy a glass of locally produced wine, cyder or beer. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic to share before the performance and even dogs are allowed to come and share in the experience. “We wanted to make the theatre as inclusive as possible and have reached out to local schools and charities, as well as theatre groups and touring production companies.” Word has spread quickly, and Lindy already has a full programme of events lined up for the summer season, including Shakespeare, opera, live music, and stand-up comedy from well-known names such as Nish Kumar, Sara Pascoe and Simon Amstell.
For sixty years this crater lay dormant, undisturbed and undiscovered, but now thanks to the vision and determination of Lindy, Silas and the team, this little hollow has become a magical setting for stories, song and laughter. It is an incredible achievement and sat looking down at the stage, I can only imagine the delight and wonder of an open-air performance here. The actors stepping onto stage on a warm summer’s evening to the soundtrack of birdsong trilling through the trees, the atmospheric cry of a buzzard as it circles overhead and the applause echoing through the darkness long after they have taken their final bow.
