Exciting News – New Play on 18th-Century Kent-based Theatre Impresario Sarah Baker!

I’m excited to share the news about a brand-new FPAC play inspired by the remarkable life of 18th-century theatre impresario Sarah Baker, who you may know once operated several theatres around Kent.

The Folkestone Performing Arts Company is proud to present Everyone Through the Same Door: The Sarah Baker Story:

Amongst the powdered wigs and even more powdered bosoms of Regency theatre, Sarah Baker emerged as a powerhouse name touring plays, performance and a sense of wonder all over rural Kent. She was a dynamic force running her theatres with progressive employment policies for her staff and an egalitarian outlook that saw the princess in the royal box and the urchin who bartered his way in with a borrowed dove enjoying the same wondrous entertainment. The stage was a vehicle through the timeless words of Shakespeare to the latest dispatches from war-torn Europe to the fashionable acts straight from the capital. Sarah Baker made sure that she brought all of them to her great, grand theatres of Kent. Her legacy as a bold, innovative woman in a male-dominated field continues to inspire.

This one woman performance is a joyous romp through Baker’s life from a penniless traveller dancing for her supper to one of the great businesswomen and creative forces of the 18th century.

This work will resonate strongly with audiences around Kent because of its local historical connections and its exploration of an 18th-century rural, community-based touring theatre company. The production celebrates the rich tradition of popular performance while reflecting themes of community, resilience and storytelling that remain relevant today.

Created by the Folkestone Performing Arts Company, the production showcases our accessible and dynamic theatrical stage language, offering a distinctive approach to theatre-making that engages a broad range of audiences. Through inventive performance, physical storytelling and a strong connection to local heritage, the work provides both an entertaining and meaningful theatrical experience that speaks directly to contemporary communities.