The Market Theatre has released its upcoming events programme to coincide with its 30th year. 

The theatre, located on Sun Street, kicks off its new season on March 5, featuring an exciting roster of diverse performances – culminating in the fan-favourite Adult Panto at the end of the year. 

Founded in 1996, the theatre has produced over 150 plays across a range of genres, put on weekly drama classes for children, and hosted actors that have gone on to work in TV shows such as Eastenders and Sherlock. 

Reflecting on the past 30 years, founder and Artistic Director Kirk Foster said: "We wanted to create a theatre that would complement the nightlife Hitchin already had to offer, and running shows that are affordable and not too long means people can hopefully make theatre part of a night out." 

Mr Foster said the shows' hour-long runtime brought in a wider demographic and encouraged people who wouldn't usually go to the theatre to "take a chance" on them.

However, it hasn't all been plain sailing: the theatre faced potential closure during Covid due to a planning application that proposed turning the venue into flats – a move that was quickly halted with the help of the local community. 

Mr Foster explained: "We had so much support from parents, grandchildren and also ex-students who had been part of the kids' drama club over the years, all saying how important [the theatre] was to them. 

"It was extremely humbling to hear how valued we are in our community." 

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Anna Cleden as Emma in 'Emma: Nelson's Mistress' (image by Market Theatre)

Production Manager Glyn Doggett, who has been working at the Market Theatre for over 20 years, believes it is this sense of community and accessibility that has been key to the theatre's longevity. 

He said: "The Market Theatre is a family and we've always been close-knit. 

"There's a really nice community here, which I think is part of the reason for us sticking around – you've always got that community to come back to."

Mr Doggett noted the Adult Panto as the theatre's most successful and well-known production, drawing in a varied and loyal audience each year.  

The theatre has even taken the popular pantomime on tour across the country, allowing the company to "shout" about who they are and where they're from, putting Hitchin "on the map". 

For its 30th anniversary year, audiences can expect a programme based around entirely new shows, as well as the revival of their own 'Puss & Dick' for this year's panto, which was last performed in 2016. 

The season starts off with a one-woman play about Emma Hamilton – Admiral Nelson's mistress – followed by a brand-new farcical comedy called 'Forever Friends', an interactive murder mystery in June, plus a thriller entitled 'Living Nightmare' in October, along with a selection of children's shows, music performances, and more throughout the year. 

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The theatre will also be inviting new talent to join them in July during their Fringe Festival. 

And for the next 30 years, Mr Doggett hopes the Market Theatre will be more and more involved in the local community, continuing to be a space for creativity and collaboration. 

He said: "We'd like to continue to be a hub for creatives in the area because it brings people joy. 

The more we can do that, the better." 

To find out more about the Market Theatre and its new season of shows, visit www.markettheatre.co.uk.