White Bear Theatre

The White Bear Theatre began its life in 1988 as a humble back room at the rear of the White Bear pub. Its founder, Michael Kingsbury, originally operated the space while it still functioned as a lively local pub, often managing the tension between the quiet intensity of the stage and the rowdy sports crowds watching games at the bar downstairs. In those early days, the theatre lacked the soundproofing it has today, and performers sometimes worried that a sudden cheer from a football fan in the bar would drift through the walls and break the spell of their performance.