Barnsley’s Secret Theatre Company first took to the road in the autumn of 1997. And what a long road it was! The company’s inaugral production opened at Wakefield’s wonderful Theatre Royal & Opera House and completed its tour in another, equally splendid Frank Matcham theatre, The Blackpool Grand. The journey took in the delights of the great theatres of Manchester, Liverpool, Scarborough and York as well as some of the lesser known venues in Barrow-In-Furness, Burnley, Stockport and Grantham.

Fifty performances, twenty venues and four months of bed and breakfast in some less than favourable hostelries. Believe me, when there are no stars dreaming between the unaired sheets, there are definitely no stars posted next to the establishment’s name. Ah... the Mrs Miggins of this world. Do they all buy Bri-nylon bedding, I wonder? You know the stuff. The electrostatic type, usually yellow in colour and adorned with the bobbles of wear and wash. Brown linoleum, drunken, slouching wardrobes - sans handles - and a one bar electric fire. Such are the vagaries of touring. And yet, surprisingly, there are still those who are foolish enough to want this highlife. Why? Quite simply, there’s nothing like it. Different theatres, different audiences, different problems. Same excitement.

Sadly, touring companies are few and far between, these days, but there are those of us who believe that the Barnsley area can re-kindle its once proud theatrical tradition by supporting the establishment of a theatre based touring company such as ours.

In the intervening years, since the company’s first tour, Barnsley’s Lamproom Theatre has sprung up and exceeded all expectations. It is hoped that The Secret Theatre Company can now confirm the Lamproom’s progressive intentions by making it one of the few theatres in Britain to boast its own in-house professional repertory touring company.

So why would anyone choose to lumber an organisation that - by its very nature - requires the oxygen of publicity, with the name ‘Secret?’ Put simply, it’s founded in irony, tinged with a modicum of sarcasm and a splash of angry frustration. For years people up and down the land have been telling me that they didn’t realise that Barnsley had a theatre. I simply got into the habit of replying, ‘It has! But it’s a secret!’

Now let us hope, that with the re-establishment of this company, the word will be out...
Barnsley has got a theatre. It’s got actors, directors, producers and writers at home and across the globe. Hopefully, we’ll play our part in creating a few more.

...Any road up! If Hull has got a Truck, why can’t we have a Secret?