A DRAMA group has been forced to switch locations for its forthcoming production after strong objections from neighbours.

Rooftop Theatre Company was planning to stage Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale at Kingsbury Barn in St Michael’s Village.

But nearby residents complained about the barn being used and threatened to disrupt performances if Rooftop performed the play there.

Now the company is switching back to an open-air production at The Inn on the Park in Verulamium Park where it put on its first two Shakespeare productions, Love’s Labours Lost and Taming of the Shrew.

Paul Sayers, Rooftop’s producer, said the company felt it had no choice other than to look for another venue for the production which opens next Thursday, July 8.

He explained: “Because the neighbours were so uncompromising and threatened to disrupt performances, we felt we couldn’t perform to our best in that atmosphere.

“We decided to move elsewhere and are very grateful to Wendy and Steve at the Inn on the Park and to St Albans council which has been very good.”

The only casualty of the switch is the Saturday matinee on July 17 but all other performances from next Thursday until July 17, will go ahead as planned