A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, LOOT, OUR TOWN and More Set for The Watermill Theatre's 50th Anniversary Season

The Watermill Theatre announces the second part of its 50th anniversary season which goes on sale on 22 May with priority booking for Friends of The Watermill opening on 15 May.

Season highlights include the first actor-musician production of A Little Night Music, as previously announced, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Directed by Paul Foster and with Sarah Travis as musical supervisor and arranger, the production is now on sale and will run from Thursday 27 July to Saturday 16 September. It follows the outstanding success of past Sondheim productions at The Watermill.

The theatre's stripped-back production of Frankenstein transferred to Wilton's Music Hall earlier this year and in a similar vein, this season The Watermill presents The Picture of DorIan Gray by Oscar Wilde. Adapted by Phoebe Eclair-Powell, it will be performed by an all-female cast in a fast-paced 75 minute production. Directed by Owen Horsley it runs from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 September before touring to schools.

The 50th Anniversary production of Joe Orton's Loot runs from Thursday 28 September to Saturday 21 October and is a co-production which starts at Park Theatre, London before its run at The Watermill. Loot is presented by Tom O'Connell, James Seabright (producers of sell-out hit The Boys in the Band) and The Watermill Theatre in association with King's Head Theatre and Park Theatre and is directed by Michael Fentiman.

In celebration of The Watermill's 50 years as a successful producing theatre, Brendan O'Hea will direct a new production of Under Milk Wood - A play for voices by Dylan Thomas, one of the plays in the theatre's first professional season in 1967 with a young David Jason appearing early on in his career.

Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer prize winning play Our Town, will be presented by The Young Company, The Watermill's eldest youth theatre group. Directed by Seamus Allen, Our Town runs from 8 to 11 November.

On Thursday 7 December, following their hit show Six Wives of Henry VIII, Living Spit return to The Watermill to present Nativity.

Mary Norton's classic children's adventure story, The Borrowers, is The Watermill's 2017 Christmas show. This stage adaptation by Theresa Heskins runs from 16 November to 31 December and is directed by The Watermill's Artistic Director, Paul Hart. Also for families, Moon on a Stick will present their Saturday morning storytelling show Little Red Riding Hood on Saturday 28 October.

As part of the 2017 UK and international tour The Watermill's productions of Romeo + Juliet and Twelfth Night, also directed by Paul Hart return to the theatre for one week only from 18 to 22 July.

Three special events celebrating The Watermill's 50th anniversary include An afternoon with George Stiles and Anthony Drewe on Sunday 8 October. They will reflect on their careers from their early days working at The Watermill on shows such as Warts and?All and their first professionally produced musical Just So, to becoming one of Britain's most celebrated musical Theatre Partnerships. On Friday 13 October, David Gollins makes a sentimental journey back to the theatre he created fifty years ago, sharing memories including triumphs and disasters of converting the old mill which is now part of England's national theatre heritage. After 26 successful years bringing music hall to The Watermill, Miss Helen Watson will return with a special celebratory helping of Seasonal Sauce on Sunday 10 September.

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Thursday 27 July to Saturday 16 September

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Suggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman
Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

Directed by Paul Foster
Musical supervisor Sarah Travis
Designed by David Woodhead
Choreography by Matt Flint
Lighting by Howard Hudson
Sound by Tom Marshall

Oozing with sophistication and wit?A Little Night Music is a passionate story?of intertwined love affairs, regret and longing centred on elegant actress Desirée Armfeldt, and her family and flirtations.

Filled with beautiful iconic numbers including Send in the Clowns and A Weekend in the Country, this romantic musical will be performed by actor-musicians for the first time.

Following the outstanding success of?past productions, including the Tony award-winning Sweeney Todd which transferred to the West End and Broadway, The Watermill returns to Sondheim with director Paul Foster (Tell Me On A Sunday and Laurel and Hardy) and award-winning musical supervisor Sarah Travis (Sweeney Todd, Mack and Mabel and Pinafore Swing).

LISTINGS

Dates: A Little Night Music - Thursday 27 July to Saturday 16 September.

Press night: Wednesday 2 August at 7.30pm

Performances: Monday - Saturday 7.30pm, Thursday & Saturday 2.30pm.

Saturday 16 September at 1.30pm and 6.30pm

Audio Described performance: Saturday 9 September at 2.30pm

Tickets: £18 to £31

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

Monday 18 September to Saturday 23 September

The Picture of DorIan Gray
By Oscar Wilde
Adapted by Phoebe Eclair-Powell

Directed by Owen Horsley

When offered the chance of ageless beauty, Dorian jumps at the chance to lead a daring and unscrupulous double life in order to remain youthful. If given the same opportunity would we yield to the same temptation? In a world where beauty and appearance is at the forefront of everyday life, DorIan Gray paints a vivid picture of vanity, cruelty and corrupted innocence.

Following the success of last year's Frankenstein which transferred to Wilton's Music Hall, comes another stripped back retelling of a classic story. An all-female cast bring Wilde's gothic masterpiece to theatrical life in this fast-paced 75-minute production directed by Owen Horsley, whose credits include Salomé for the RSC and Associate Director of Cheek by Jowl.

The Sackler Trust - Principal Supporter of The Watermill Schools Touring Programme.

LISTINGS

Dates: The Picture of DorIan Gray - Monday 18 to Saturday 23 September.

Press night: Tuesday 19 September at 7.30pm

Performances: Monday - Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday and Thursday 2.30pm.

Saturday 23 September at 6.30pm

Tickets: £12.50 to £7.50

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

Thursday 28 September to Saturday 21 October

Joe Orton's
Loot
The 50th Anniversary Production

Directed by Michael Fentiman
Designed by Gabriella Slade
Lighting designed by Elliot Griggs
Sound designed by Max Pappenheim
Casting: Stephen Moore CDG

Presented by The Watermill Theatre, Tom O'Connell and James Seabright (producers of sell-out hit The Boys in the Band) in association with King's Head Theatre and Park Theatre.

Uproarious slapstick meets dubious morals as two young friends stash the proceeds of a bank robbery in an occupied coffin, attempting to hide their spoils from the attentions of a psychopathic policeman, a gold-digging nurse and a grieving widower.

A darkly comic masterpiece, Joe Orton's classic farce Loot shocked and delighted audiences in equal measure when the play premiered five decades ago, winning the Evening Standard Best Play award.

This fiftieth anniversary co-production starts at Park Theatre, London before its run at The Watermill and is directed by Michael Fentiman, whose credits include acclaimed productions of Titus Andronicus and The Taming of The Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

LISTINGS

Dates: Loot-Thursday 28 September to Saturday 21 October

Press night: Wednesday 23 August at Park Theatre

Performances: Monday - Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm.

Saturday 21 October at 1.30pm and 6.30pm

Tickets: £26.50 to £15

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

Wednesday 25 October to Saturday 4 November

Under Milk Wood
A play for voices by Dylan Thomas

Directed by Brendan O'Hea

'It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobbled streets silent...'

In his comic masterpiece, Dylan Thomas introduces us to new friends and invites us, for one day, to experience their everyday lives, thoughts and secret dreams. A combination of sound and voices will transport us to an enchanting world of comedy characters in a lively, bawdy vignette of small-town life.

One of the first professional productions at The Watermill, we return to this extraordinary classic in our fiftieth anniversary year.

LISTINGS

Dates: Under Milk Wood - Wednesday 25 October to Saturday 4 November

Press night: Thursday 26 October at 7.30pm

Performances: Monday - Saturday 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm.

Saturday 4 November at 1.30pm and 6.30pm

Tickets: £26.50 to £15

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 November

The Watermill Young Company presents
Our Town
By Thornton Wilder

Directed by Seamus Allen

"We all know that something is eternal. And it ain't houses and it ain't names, and it ain't earth, and it ain't even the stars ... everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years?and yet you'd be surprised how people are always losing hold of it. There's something way down deep that's eternal about every human being."?Thornton Wilder, Our Town'

The Young Company present Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer prize winning play Our Town, a story about celebrating the glories of everyday existence.

The Sackler Trust - Principal Supporter of The Watermill Young Company

LISTINGS

Dates: Our Town - Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 November

Press night: Thursday 9 November 7.30pm

Performances: Wednesday - Friday 7.30pm, Saturday 6.30pm.

Tickets: £11.50 to £6

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

Thursday 16 November to Sunday 31 December

The Borrowers
By Mary Norton
Adapted for the stage by Theresa Heskins

Directed by Paul Hart

Quick, clever and only four inches tall, The Borrowers live happily under the floorboards of a huge house. Bold young Arietty dreams of exploring the big blue- skied world above their cosy home. But when she finally does, she's spotted by a frightening 'human bean' and The Borrowers are thrown into peril. Will the tiny family escape before it's too late? And are they ready for their greatest adventure yet?

A big-hearted adventure story full of magical live music, join us for an action- packed Christmas treat!

LISTINGS

Dates: The Borrowers- Thursday 16 November to Sunday 31November

Press night: Saturday 18 November at 2.30pm and 7pm

Performances: Times vary. Visit www.watermill.org.uk for information

Tickets: 16 November to 14 December: £21 to £11.
16 December to 31 December £23 to £12. Schools tickets: £8.50

Audio Described performance: Saturday 2 December at 2.30pm with a touch tour at 1pm.
BSL Sign integrated performance: Wednesday 13 and Saturday 16 December at 2.30pm

Relaxed performance: Saturday 9 December at 2.30pm

Box Office: 01635 46044 | www.watermill.org.uk

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The Watermill is celebrating 50 years as a successful, producing theatre.

In the early 1960s David Gollins, with the support of his mother Judy Gollins, had the vision and the foresight to create one of the smallest and most beautiful professional theatres in the country from a derelict watermill. On the banks of the River Lambourn, in the hamlet of Bagnor, just outside Newbury, West Berkshire, the mill, dating from 1830, was used as a corn mill, a fullers mill and a fine paper mill before it was converted into a theatre. The first professional theatre season was in 1967 and included a production of Under Milk Wood in which David Jason performed at the beginning of his career. Bill Nighy worked as an assistant stage manager at the theatre in 1969 before making his professional acting debut on The Watermill stage in Neil Simon's Plaza Suite. Three years later, in 1971, a young David Suchet performed in The Price by Arthur Miller.

Over the years The Watermill, a small local theatre seating just 220 people, has built a national and international reputation. It creates award-winning work with a bold artistic ambition, from Shakespeare, classic plays and new writing to the reimagining of large-scale musicals. Alongside West End and Broadway transfers, and national tours, The Watermill also creates productions for small-scale touring, ensuring that those living in rural isolation are able to enjoy high quality theatre on their doorstep. Attracting the very best artists and creative teams, both established and at the Early Stages of their careers, The Watermill has earned itself a reputation as one of the most successful producing theatres in the country.

The Watermill is proud to be a leading force in cultivating the theatre-makers of tomorrow, offering opportunities for professional development to directors, designers, composers, stage management and technical staff. It nurtures a unique sense of community, with acting companies, stage management and creative teams all living and working on site to enable practitioners to develop their craft and learn new skills from the theatre's experienced and passionate in-house team. The Watermill also trains administration staff for careers in the arts from casting to marketing and fundraising, with an extensive outreach programme that offers facilitation roles to those wishing to pursue a career in education and outreach work. Through its numerous development opportunities, The Watermill strives to give confidence and guidance to those starting out, and provide a creative springboard for work on a larger scale.

The Watermill Theatre has been recognised as one of the most welcoming venues in the UK, shortlisted twice in the UK Theatre Awards 'Most Welcoming Theatre' category.

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