The Watermill Theatre and Restaurant's July Newsletter

Development process supported by Sheepdrove Organic Farm

Watermill outreach touring is generously supported by The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation.

Oliver!

Rehearsals have begun for our summer musical, Oliver! opening on Friday 31 July until Saturday 19 September. For the first time, The Watermill’s professional company will be joined by three teams of eleven children who have been selected from the local community to play members of Fagin’s gang, including the role of the Artful Dodger. And three boys will take it in turns to play Oliver during the show’s run: Raiko Gohara, Thomas Kerry and Arthur Burdess (pictured).

Featuring witty and memorable songs including Food Glorious Food, You’ve Got to Pick A Pocket Or Two, Consider Yourself and I’d Do Anything, Oliver! will tug at your heart strings, make you smile and most definitely make you want to sing along!

Tickets £30 - £17.50

Find out more and book

Women wanted to audition for
The Ladykillers

We are looking for 18 locally-based women aged about 65yrs plus to act alongside the professional cast in our production of The Ladykillers, based on the much-loved Ealing Comedy. The show runs at the theatre from 24 September to 31 October. Rehearsals will take place in late August and the first three weeks in September and those selected will perform in two or three shows a week on a rota. The amateur actors will play Mrs Wilberforce’s friends who visit her for tea.

Find out more about the show and how to apply here

Beneath The Lines

100 children from six West Berkshire village primary schools will come together to perform a play written especially for them from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 July at The Watermill. Beneath The Lines focuses on the lives of the ‘Navvies’, the name given to the hard-working men and women who built the Great Western Railway and the discovery of a lost child by a group of children in 2015 who connects the present to the past.

Assistant Outreach Director, Heidi Bird who has written and directed the play says: ‘It’s been an absolute pleasure working with so many talented, hardworking and enthusiastic young people.'

Tickets £7 - £4.50

Find out more and book

Summer Holiday Courses

A great opportunity to make new friends and develop performance skills.

Mon 10 to Fri 14 August

Play in a Week

Ages 8 - 11 years
(9am -12 noon)

Ages 12 – 16 years
(1pm – 4pm)

Mon 17 to Fri 21 August

Alice in the Garden

Create and perform a play inspired by The Watermill’s Christmas show, Alice in Wonderland.

Ages 5 – 7 years

(9am – 12 noon)

Ages 8 – 11 years
(1pm – 4pm)

Mon 24 to Fri 28 August

Musical in a Week

Ages 12 – 16 years

10am – 4pm

To book, please email heidi@watermill.org.uk

Car Parking
Assistants Required

We’re looking for people to join our team of Car Parkers for a few hours on an ad hoc basis. Each shift lasts two hours, from 5.30pm – 7.30pm for evening performances or from 12.30pm – 2.30pm for matinée performances on Thursdays and Saturdays plus occasional extra hours for afternoon events such as Book Clubs. 

This opportunity is ideal for someone who is able to spare a little time during the day and lives locally. Individuals must be 14 years and over. The pay is a flat rate of £10.92 per shift for under 21s, £13.20 per shift for over 21s. 

If you're interested, or to find out more please email admin@watermill.org.uk

Thank you!

We welcomed over 1,000 to our 33rd Summer Fair on 7 June. The annual fundraising event, which is organised by the Friends of The Watermill and staff, raised in excess of £14,000.  Thank you to everyone who came along and enjoyed the entertainment, games, stalls and delicious refreshments. Special thanks to all those who very kindly volunteered their time, donated prizes and items for sale. We look forward to seeing you again for our 34th Summer Fair on the first Sunday in June next year.