New wartime play at High Barnet’s Bull Theatre opens in October

High Barnet’s Bull Theatre will stage a new play about life in the borough during the Second World War this October. *A Nightingale Sang in Barnet*, presented by the Blue Door Theatre Company, will run for four performances on 15, 16, and 17 October 2026.

The production centres on wartime experiences in Barnet, including scenes set in the bomb shelter of the former Barnet Odeon. The building, now the Everyman cinema, was a gathering place for patrons and staff during air raids. The play blends verbatim accounts from local families with imagined scenarios to depict the uncertainty and drama of the era.

Read Next in Barnet Press2 min read

Talk on 1953 floods to be held in High Barnet

Barnet Museum and Local History Society will host an event exploring the impact of the 1953 floods.

Stories from Barnet’s wartime past

Director Siobhan Dunne said the play aims to capture the realities of life in Barnet during the 1940s. Five writers contributed to the script, which includes unresolved storylines to reflect the unpredictability of wartime. Dunne told the Barnet Society that the production draws on both family memories and fictionalised events.

“We are portraying wartime experiences not all the story lines have a resolution so that adds to the drama and poignancy of the production.”

Siobhan Dunne, director of *A Nightingale Sang in Barnet*

Related Borough Coverage4 min read

Northern line suspended between Euston and High Barnet after engineering delays

Commuters face severe disruption as Jubilee line also runs late and Central line cancels trains

Cast members include Jan Parker, who plays Mrs Sprat, a black-market dealer operating with her son. Parker described her character as the mastermind behind illicit trades, such as swapping eggs for cigarettes. Val Golding portrays Mrs Leonard, a widow of the First World War whose grief resurfaces with the outbreak of the Second World War.

Performances and tickets

The play will be performed on Thursday 15 October at 7:30pm, Friday 16 October at 7:30pm, and Saturday 17 October at 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are priced at £19 plus a booking fee and can be purchased through the Bull Theatre’s website.

Dunne said the company chose to focus on Barnet’s wartime history to build on its reputation for producing sell-out shows that celebrate the town’s past. The Blue Door Theatre Company has previously staged productions rooted in local history.