FOLLOWING the fire that partially destroyed the newly renovated Tramways bar/social club in West Street last month, Wells Theatre Festival found itself without a venue for one of its visiting theatre companies.
Festival organisers were planning to turn the venue into an old seafaring pub called The Shaggy Dog Tale for a show of the same name, due to be performed on June 23 as part of this year’s Festival. The show, which is a raucous spectacle of music, storytelling, and audience participation, is set in the pub so the Festival needed a venue that was big enough for a performance space, but which also had a bar within the performance space itself.
The White Hart in Sadler Street has stepped in and saved the day, making available their Hart’s Head function room for The Shaggy Dog Tale, and they have also agreed to sell tickets for all the shows at the Festival (cash only).
Neil Johnson, Associate Director of Wells Theatre Festival, said: “I am relieved to hear no one was hurt in the blaze at Tramways. I had no idea of the devastation it has caused, and we all wish Dave and Emma and all the staff the best for a speedy renovation. However, the Festival was left with another potential disaster, if we couldn’t find another suitable venue for our show. We are all so grateful to Ade and all the staff at The White Hart for stepping in and offering us their function room the Hart’s Head. It’s perfect for what we need. It even has its own bar.”
Ade Price, Manager of The White Hart, said: “We were all so sorry to hear about Tramways and we do hope that they will be up and running again very soon. Everyone at The White Hart is very excited to welcome the Wells Theatre Festival and proud to be a venue this year. We can offer audiences to the show excellent beer and wine and a warm welcome for what is going to be a great show.”
Tickets for Wells Theatre Festival are available at www.wellstheatrefestival.org and from the Wells Market every Saturday in the run up to the Festival (card or cash), as well The White Hart (cash only).