Theatre space at Norwich Castle set for redevelopment
The Whiffler Theatre - which sits in the castle moat - has gone unloved in recent years
An unloved outdoor theatre space could be redeveloped as part of plans to revitalise the Castle Gardens.
The Whiffler Theatre, which sits in the dried moat of Norwich castle, was once a major attraction for the city in the summer months.
But recently it has gone unloved, with Norfolk comedian Karl Minns branding it “a grotty landfill of a place”.
Now council bosses have said they want to revitalise the space as part of wider plans for the gardens.
Councillor Alan Waters, Leader of Norwich City Council said: “The project to regenerate the Castle Gardens includes path widening, wall repairs, new seating and improvements to the Whiffler Theatre to allow for a more flexible performance space.
“The changes are being proposed to encourage the use of the gardens as a destination spot rather than just a walkthrough.”
Mr Waters stressed the plans are not yet confirmed and public consultation is required before any work can take place.
Mr Minns, who was part of the Norfolk sketch duo The Nimmo Twins and has written for Russell Howards Good News and Al Murray the Pub Landlord, wrote on Facebook calling for the space to be revitalised.
He said: “Seating smashed and rotten. A grotty landfill of a place. Desperately sad. No indoor theatre would be allowed to languish in this way.”
He added: “I think the anti-social issue at the moment is also to do with the castle’s renovation meaning there’s not as much visitor footfall through the area.”
The potential redevelopment of the Whiffler Theatre has been welcomed by Simon Floyd, creative director at the Common Lot, a local theatre company.
“The Whiffler Theatre is one of my favourite spaces,” he said.
“You can be loud there because there are no residents to disturb and the acoustics are fantastic.
“We have had some of our finest hours there with 6-700 people watching and people hanging off the bridge.
“But, while we love the Whiffler, it is an absolute mess, it needs redoing. It’s become a bit of a forgotten space.”
Mr Floyd said he has been consulted on redevelopment in the past and hoped this time work would be carried out.
Plans to redevelop the site go back to 2016 but have never got off the ground.
Delivery of the latest project is hoped to start in 2023 to coincide with the end of the repairs to the castle keep.
Both Mr Floyd and Mr Minns said the work needs to be done in coalition with those using the site and to ensure there was a proper programme of events.
The Whiffler Theatre
The theatre is set at the base of the dry moat in Norwich Castle mound.
Opened in 1982, it has held a variety of entertainment in the summer months, including plays, comedy and music.
Alongside Common Lot productions it has also hosted Crude Apache, a community-based, non-professional theatre company, among others.
The theatre was built by the Eastern Evening News – now the Norwich Evening News – to commemorate its centenary.
There is seating for up to 80 people plus standing space at the balcony with a small dressing room in a small thatched hut.
Norfolk Tales and Myths say the word Whiffler comes a 16th-century word for a battle axe and was applied to attendants at processions who carried weapons to clear the way through crowds.