Tucked away down a quiet residential street in Friern Barnet is one of north London's best kept secrets - and even if you chance to drive along Holly Park Road it's likely that you'll miss the sign on the front of a doctor's surgery that points towards the bijou theatre hidden behind it.
But the Incognito Theatre has quite a history. It's a former lemonade factory that was converted into a theatre shortly after the War, with its own amateur theatrical company that includes among its alumni David Jason (real name David White), who acted with Incognito for several years in the 1960s and is now the group's patron.
The cosy auditorium at Incognito Theatre (photo: David Berguer)
Following refurbishment a few years ago, the theatre now has a very pleasant foyer and you can sit in the garden sipping a pre-play drink. Venture further into the building and you'll find a compact but comfortable auditorium with proper cinema-style seats and a surprisingly large stage.
Incognito are currently rehearsing Blue Remembered Hills, which was written by Dennis Potter, originally for television, but works well on stage too. Potter has set the adult cast the challenging task of playing children - 1940s school kids taking advantage of something that is now no longer an option for children of the same age - the freedom to play all day in the woods, unselfconscious and unsupervised, making full use of imagination and improvisation. The effect at first is amusing and touching, but human frailties are gradually revealed and what happens later is no laughing matter.
Blue Remembered Hills in rehearsal
Blue Remembered Hills runs for eight performances, from Sunday 23rd to Saturday 29th September. Shows tend to sell out, so be sure to book early. As always, Incognito have created a superb set and we can expect the performances to be equally good.
To book, visit www.incognitotheatre.co.uk/what-s-on/next-show
