Loft Theatre Celebrates a Milestone Production

The Loft Theatre. Photo courtesy of The Loft.

Nestled on the South Bank of the Leam, opposite the Pump Rooms, sits another Leamington icon. Part of the town’s cultural landscape for over a hundred years, the Loft Theatre Company gained its name from its first permanent home - the hayloft of a rickety old barn in Bedford Street.

Following the demolition of the barn, the Company moved to its current site in 1943. However, disaster has struck twice, with major fires in 1958 and 1964; the second of which was so destructive it necessitated a total rebuild.

L-R: James McCabe, David Bennett, Lorna Middleton & Sophie Jasmin Bird in rehearsals for Lovesong. Photo Richard Smith Photography.

One of the most treasured items in the Loft’s extensive archive is a personal letter from Noel Coward, congratulating them on the reopening of the theatre in September 1968. The very first production in the new custom-built theatre was his masterpiece Private Lives.

Fast forward nearly 56 years and the Loft Theatre is about to mount its 500th production on that same stage. The cast and backstage crew are currently busy rehearsing and preparing for Lovesong, which will run from Wednesday 10 July to Saturday 20 July.

Lovesong is a tender and heartbreaking love story, partly inspired by TS Eliot’s The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock, and written by Abi Morgan, whose other works include the current Netflix smash hit Eric, as well as successful TV dramas The Hour and The Split.

Rehearsing for Lovesong, L-R: Lorna Middleton, David Bennett, Sophie Jasmin Bird & James McCabe. Photo Richard Smith Photography.

Sue Moore, the Loft's Artistic Director since 2017, said, “I am delighted that we have reached another milestone so soon after celebrating our Centenary in 2022. We are fortunate that, despite the horror of losing the previous theatre building to a fire, we were able to see an architect designed purpose-built theatre rise from the ashes. Not many non-professional theatres have the luxury of that, and we are privileged to have such wonderful facilities to stage the outstanding theatre productions for which we are so well known.”

It takes a team of around 80 volunteers to bring each production to life and staff the theatre during the run. Visit www.lofttheatrecompany.com for details of upcoming productions and how to get involved, whether as audience, cast, or volunteering backstage or front-of-house.