Millfield Theatre
Encyclopedia
Millfield Theatre opened in 1988 in the grounds of Millfield House on Silver Street in Edmonton
, North London. It seats up to 362 in a variety of stage layouts.
The theatre has a lively and broad based programming policy and presents drama, dance, musicals, alternative cabaret, variety, popular music and children's events. Millfield also presents a major professional pantomime which is produced in-house. The theatre is reopening on October 1, 2009 following significant refurbishment, gaining a new cafe bar, performance space, toilet block and box office.
Millfield Theatre is owned, managed and funded entirely by London Borough of Enfield
. It has 12 full time staff working on site at the theatre, and employs many more casual staff. Ushers at the theatre are all volunteers.
Millfield Theatre is marketed under the umbrella of Millfield Arts Centre
, which encompasses Millfield Theatre and Millfield House. Millfield House contains rooms which are available for hire, and also plays host to a number of educational classes and workshops for children and adults. This is marketed under the banner of Millfield Education.
The house is first mentioned in 1796 when it belonged to John Wigston of Trent Park
. Later that year it was let to the Imperial Ambassador of the German Empire
. The house was valued at £6,300 by 1828, when Robert Mushet of the Royal Mint
died there.
The house was sold in 1849 to the Strand Union Guardians for a school for London workhouse
children, and over the next 40 years several extensions were made to the house which by 1897 housed 400 children. The school was partly self- sufficient complete with two meadows, cultivated land and a herd of cows and some pigs. The children were taught trades; the boys, tailoring, shoe making and carpentry; the girls, housework, needlework and laundering.
In 1913 the school closed and by the beginning of World War I
housed Belgian refugees.
The house was converted into the St Davids Hospital for Epileptics
in 1915 by the Metropolitan Asylums Board
By 1971 the house was acquired by the London Borough of Enfield
, who renovated and demolished some of the work house buildings, although a lodge and outbuildings from that period remain as well as an early 20th century lodge.
The house was re-opened as an Arts Centre in 1979 and includes Millfield Theatre. Weir Hall library was on site until December 2008 but has since been relocated to Fore Street, Edmonton. The space has now been redeveloped as a cafe bar and performance space.
In the gardens one of the few remaining communal air- raid shelters
in Enfield can be found, adjacent to the garden is the St David's play area.
Artists due to play at the theatre in 2012 include Jimmy Greaves
, Mica Paris
, The Manfreds
, Brendan Shine
and Barry Cryer
. At Millfield House several classes took place for adults, children and young people. Including Pilates
, Chess
, Youth Theatre, Drama, Manga
, Dance and Art Club. Millfield House underwent extensive refurbishment in 2010/11.
In addition the theatre stages an annual traditional pantomime with Mother Goose
the current production for 2012/13.
and A10 meet. The nearest railway station is Silver Street
, and the following London Bus
routes serve the area:
Edmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
, North London. It seats up to 362 in a variety of stage layouts.
The theatre has a lively and broad based programming policy and presents drama, dance, musicals, alternative cabaret, variety, popular music and children's events. Millfield also presents a major professional pantomime which is produced in-house. The theatre is reopening on October 1, 2009 following significant refurbishment, gaining a new cafe bar, performance space, toilet block and box office.
Millfield Theatre is owned, managed and funded entirely by London Borough of Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
. It has 12 full time staff working on site at the theatre, and employs many more casual staff. Ushers at the theatre are all volunteers.
Millfield Theatre is marketed under the umbrella of Millfield Arts Centre
Millfield Arts Centre
Millfield Arts Centre comprises Millfield Theatre and Millfield House, and is located in Edmonton, North London.It is owned, managed and funded by London Borough of Enfield Council....
, which encompasses Millfield Theatre and Millfield House. Millfield House contains rooms which are available for hire, and also plays host to a number of educational classes and workshops for children and adults. This is marketed under the banner of Millfield Education.
History of Millfield House
Trent Park
Trent Park is a country park, formerly the grounds of a mansion house which currently forms the Trent Park campus of Middlesex University in the north of London, United Kingdom...
. Later that year it was let to the Imperial Ambassador of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. The house was valued at £6,300 by 1828, when Robert Mushet of the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
died there.
The house was sold in 1849 to the Strand Union Guardians for a school for London workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
children, and over the next 40 years several extensions were made to the house which by 1897 housed 400 children. The school was partly self- sufficient complete with two meadows, cultivated land and a herd of cows and some pigs. The children were taught trades; the boys, tailoring, shoe making and carpentry; the girls, housework, needlework and laundering.
In 1913 the school closed and by the beginning of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
housed Belgian refugees.
The house was converted into the St Davids Hospital for Epileptics
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
in 1915 by the Metropolitan Asylums Board
By 1971 the house was acquired by the London Borough of Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, who renovated and demolished some of the work house buildings, although a lodge and outbuildings from that period remain as well as an early 20th century lodge.
The house was re-opened as an Arts Centre in 1979 and includes Millfield Theatre. Weir Hall library was on site until December 2008 but has since been relocated to Fore Street, Edmonton. The space has now been redeveloped as a cafe bar and performance space.
In the gardens one of the few remaining communal air- raid shelters
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
in Enfield can be found, adjacent to the garden is the St David's play area.
Programme
The Arts Centre plays host to comedy, musical, drama, dance, children's and music shows throughout the year. Most shows at the theatre are professional shows which the management bring in for a fee, or a split of the ticket sales. When hired, the venue offers the ability to sell tickets through its own box office, subject to a commission.Artists due to play at the theatre in 2012 include Jimmy Greaves
Jimmy Greaves
James Peter 'Jimmy' Greaves is an English former football player, England's third highest international goalscorer, the highest goalscorer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur football club, the highest goalscorer in the history of English top flight football and more recently a television pundit -...
, Mica Paris
Mica Paris
Mica Paris is an English soul singer, radio and television presenter, and occasional actress. Her forename is pronounced Misha.-Beginnings:Paris' roots are in soul and gospel music...
, The Manfreds
The Manfreds
The Manfreds are a British pop group, formed in 1991 as a reunion of former members of the 1960s pop group Manfred Mann, however without their eponymous founder Manfred Mann himself.-Personnel:*Paul Jones - vocals, harmonica...
, Brendan Shine
Brendan Shine
Brendan Shine is an Irish folk singer and accordion player from Athlone, best known for his songs about everyday Irish life such as "Do you Want your Old Lobby Washed Down" and "Spuds"....
and Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer OBE is a British writer and comedian. Cryer has written for many noted performers, including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie...
. At Millfield House several classes took place for adults, children and young people. Including Pilates
Pilates
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
, Chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, Youth Theatre, Drama, Manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, Dance and Art Club. Millfield House underwent extensive refurbishment in 2010/11.
In addition the theatre stages an annual traditional pantomime with Mother Goose
Mother Goose
The familiar figure of Mother Goose is an imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes which are often published as Mother Goose Rhymes. As a character, she appears in one "nursery rhyme". A Christmas pantomime called Mother Goose is often performed in the United Kingdom...
the current production for 2012/13.
Transport
The theatre is located close to the Great Cambridge roundabout, where the North CircularA406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
and A10 meet. The nearest railway station is Silver Street
Silver Street railway station
Silver Street is a railway station located in Sterling Way, Edmonton in North London, close to Fore Street.The next station away from London is Edmonton Green and the next towards London is White Hart Lane. Trains terminate at Liverpool Street station in the City of London.Several changes were made...
, and the following London Bus
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes serve the area:
- 34London Buses route 34London Buses route 34 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
- 102London Buses route 102London Buses route 102 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
- 144
- W6
- 217
- 231