News Story
It’s been a jam packed year at the Watermill, where we’ve welcomed almost 100,000 for performances, fun days, workshops and events including three new plays or adaptations (An Autobiography of a Cad, Three Hens in a Boat, Charley’s Aunt), a brilliant youth theatre show (Emil and the Detectives), a revival (Piaf) and our summer musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. And as we write this note, children are streaming past the window heading for our magical new musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
The Watermill’s work has also stretched to every corner of the globe, with Calamity Jane, Fanny, and The Lord of the Rings, reaching hundreds of thousands of audiences. And next year, we’re excited to see Bill Kenwright Ltd take a larger-scale version of our production of Barnum on an extensive tour across the UK!
We’re so grateful to everyone who has continued to support us by buying a ticket, visiting the restaurant, buying a membership or making a donation. Your support for the Watermill has enabled us to create brilliant and memorable experiences throughout the year, including our already award-winning production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which is now the subject of multiple nominations in both the Broadway World and What’s On Stage Awards!
Our Outreach programme continues to thrive, engaging more than 15,500 people this year. In the summer, we celebrated 10 years of funding for our Community Associate programme from Greenham Trust. This support has enabled us to create work with and for people who have the least opportunity and access to the arts, including d/Deaf and neurodiverse communities. We’ve also continued to support and invest in new and emerging talent through initiatives such as Elemental and Careers in the Arts (in partnership with the Corn Exchange, funded by Greenham Trust).
We’ve made some changes to help improve your experience over the course of the year, including installing a new sound system in the theatre to ensure the clarity and quality of the audio, particularly on our musical productions. We’ve also given our restaurant, bar and Lilypond a ‘glow-up’, creating a warmer, more welcoming space for pre-show dining and events. And as part of our commitment to sustainability, thanks to grant funding, we also installed 6 EV chargers at the theatre, offering visitors the ability to top up while they catch a show!
Less noticeable but vitally important work to preserve and protect the buildings and site has included a new external staircase (which had a starring moment during the summer musical!) and the replacement of a river wall. We’ll also be undertaking some work on the theatre entrance in January to preserve the frontage.
As you can see, it’s been a full and brilliant year – all of which has been made possible by your support and our staff’s unwavering hard work and commitment. We’re already looking ahead to some exciting productions in 2026, including Lark Rise to Candleford, Swallows & Amazons, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the return of Pinocchio.
We hope to see you here next year, but in the meantime, we wish you a Happy New Year!
From Joint CEOs,
Paul Hart & Claire Murray
Artistic Director & Executive Director
