As the UK's first theatre designed for children up to age 12, Wimbledon-based Polka Theatre are creating learning activities and family shows for their local community. Nick Smurthwaite speaks to the company about their newly renovated venue and new season of productions
The newly rennovated Polka Theatre café
The newly rennovated Polka Theatre café - Hufton + Crow

If theatregoing is a habit, it is one that many of us have all but lost over the past 18 months. Advance bookings for pantomime have worryingly depleted, and producers are no longer counting on long runs for what would have been sure-fire hits under normal circumstances.

For the Polka Children's Theatre in South-West London, the challenge of bringing back audiences is greater than most. The theatre closed for a major refurbishment two and a half years ago and, although they continued to tour shows in the Wimbledon and Merton area when they were able, many of their regulars will have ‘moved on’ or, worse still, assumed the Polka had closed down.

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