While many in town may know the name, fewer realise that Blackfriars is one of the oldest theatre buildings in the UK. Housed in part of a 13th-century friary, the venue has been a cultural hub since it was converted into a theatre in the 1960s. Over the years, it’s seen medieval monks, royal guests, the arrest of the Pilgrim Fathers—and, more recently, a particularly chaotic comedy night involving a blind accordionist.
To celebrate World Theatre Day, the team at Blackfriars decided to reach out across the Atlantic to theatres in Boston, Massachusetts—the American city named after their own. The result is a tongue-in-cheek Instagram reel featuring staff members Victoria (Marketing and Outreach Lead) and Becky (Operations Manager) as they tour the building, sharing facts, jokes, and a healthy dose of self-deprecating British humour.
Highlights include Becky pretending to be the theatre’s rumoured ghost, falling asleep in what’s affectionately known as “Longshanks’ Bedroom” (the theatre bar), and reacting to a very serious “British Tea Alarm.”
“We wanted to celebrate the global spirit of theatre,” said Victoria. “But we also wanted to remind people here in Boston that we’ve got this incredible building, with so many stories—some funny, some historic—right on our doorstep.”
The video also gives a nod to the building’s connection to American history. In 1607, several of the Pilgrim Fathers were imprisoned in the neighbouring Guildhall before eventually setting sail for what would become the United States. Blackfriars shares a wall with the Guildhall, and local records suggest the Boston magistrates were fairly sympathetic, quietly helping the group on their way.
The video has already caught attention online, with the team tagging six theatres in Boston, MA—including the Emerson Colonial, Wang Theatre, and SpeakEasy Stage. Whether the American theatres respond remains to be seen—but either way, Blackfriars has made its mark with a clever, history-rich take on World Theatre Day.
The full video is available to watch now on Blackfriars Theatre’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
