SPIKE Will Open The 2022 Spring Season At The Watermill Theatre

Details have been announced for the spring season, running from January to May 2022, as well as the appointment of two new Playwrights in Residence.

The season opens with the world premiere of SPIKE, a new comedy based on the life of Spike Milligan by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. It is followed by the return of folk-inspired mythic musical THE WICKER HUSBAND, rescheduled following the postponement of its debut run in 2020, due to the pandemic, and a world premiere musical adaptation of Graham Greene's bestselling novel OUR MAN IN HAVANA. The Watermill's newly created Youth Ensemble, comprised of young people age 11+, will make their debut in a new production, to be announced. The season takes place inside The Watermill's auditorium, with both full capacity and socially distanced performances available. Government guidelines will apply throughout the season with adherence to current guidance and restrictions.

The Watermill have appointed Becca Chadder and Talitha Wing as the new Playwrights in Residence. They will be mentored by Watermill Associate Artist, Danielle Pearson, in a programme that forms part of a continued commitment to artists at the early stages in their careers. Further details will be announced soon.

Paul Hart said, "Joyous new work will galvanise our post pandemic recovery as we bring back two new musicals that were cut short by the pandemic, our young actors in The Youth Theatre return to the stage for the first time since 2019 and I'm delighted to be working with Ian Hislop and Nick Newman to bring the life and work of comic genius, Spike Milligan, to The Watermill. I'm proud and grateful that we're able to continue creating new and innovative work, thanks to the generous support of our brilliant audiences, supporters and funders.

It's been a long road since The Wicker Husband, a piece that is so perfect for The Watermill's stage, opened and was forced to almost immediately close, in March 2020. With its beautiful score, and incredible puppets, I can't wait to welcome back the whole team for this remarkable show. And our commission of a new musical version of Our Man in Havana, will be performed for the first time, finally making it to our stage, after production was halted by the pandemic.

I'm also excited to be working with Ian Hislop and Nick Newman again, bringing the world premiere of their brilliant new play about the comic genius that is Spike Milligan and his creation of the iconic Goon Show, to The Watermill stage.

We're also launching a brand new Youth Ensemble, opening up access to young people in our community led by our inspiring Outreach Director; Heidi Bird. For the first time our newly rebranded Youth Ensemble will be made entirely of young people who attend any one of our regular weekly groups, including our specialist access groups for young people who are Home Educated, have Autism, have added complications in their lives or are Deaf/deaf or have a hearing impairment. We are delighted to form this brilliant company of actors who will come together and tell a unique and inspiring story.

Finally, I'm so pleased to welcome Becca Chadder and Talitha Wing as our Playwrights in Residence. They will be mentored by our Associate Artist, Danielle Pearson and I can't wait to see how their work develops over the coming years."

SPIKE, a new comedy by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman that delves into the inner workings of one of our most unique and brilliantly irreverent comedy minds, will premiere at The Watermill from Thursday 27 January - Saturday 5 March. SPIKE will be directed by Watermill Artistic Director Paul Hart, with design by Katie Lias. Full creative team and casting will be announced shortly.

It's the booming fifties, and Britain is in the clutches of Goon mania as men, women and children across the country scramble to get their ear to a wireless for another instalment of The Goon Show. While Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers get down to the serious business of becoming overnight celebrities, fellow Goon and chief writer Spike finds himself pushing the boundaries of comedy, and testing the patience of the BBC.

Flanked by his fellow Goons and bolstered by the efforts of irrepressible sound assistant Janet, Spike takes a flourishing nosedive off the cliffs of respectability, and mashes up his haunted past to create the comedy of the future.

Will Spike's dogged obsession with finding the funny elevate The Goons to soaring new heights, or will the whole thing come crashing down with the stroke of a potato peeler?

Critically acclaimed musical THE WICKER HUSBAND will return to the Watermill following its premature closure in March 2020, where it will play from Friday 11 - Saturday 26 March 2022. Directed by Charlotte Westenra, with Book by Rhys Jennings, Music and lyrics by Darren Clark and based on an original short story by Ursula Wills, this folk-inspired new musical tells the timeless tale of the outsider. Full casting will be announced nearer the time.

Ostracised by the shallow townsfolk because she doesn't fit in, the Ugly Girl becomes the envy of her neighbours when the mysterious Old Basketmaker makes her a strong and loving husband woven from living wicker. As bitter rivalry and jealousy threaten to tear the community apart, the townsfolk embark on a cruel and destructive plan. Will the Ugly Girl's happiness be ruined forever?

OUR MAN IN HAVANA, a world premiere musical adaptation of Graham Greene's iconic novel by Ben Morales Frost and Richard Hough, will play at the Watermill from Thursday 7 April to Saturday 21 May. Directed by Amy Draper, designed by Kat Heath, with Eliane Correa as co-orchestrator and Musical Director, the production was originally programmed as part of The Watermill's Spring 2020 season but had to be postponed by the pandemic.

It's 1958 and Havana is on the brink of revolution. All day and night, the streets are filled with dancing and the shadows are filled with criminals. In the midst of the warm tropical air, an English vacuum cleaner salesman lives a quiet life running a modest business, raising his teenage daughter Milly and collecting miniature whisky bottles.

Just as Milly's love of shopping reaches new heights, James Wormold receives an offer from the British Secret Intelligence Service that is too good to refuse. What Wormold lacks in sleuthing experience, he makes up for with imagination. Nothing stays quiet for long in Havana and his life is soon turned upside down when the fictional events of his intelligence reports start to come true!

Finally, The Watermill welcomes the return of their Sunday Sessions and Saturday morning family shows, one off performances that offer audiences something a little bit different from the main programme. THE BOULEVARDS bring 1950's Rock & Roll to Bagnor on Sunday 24 April at 3pm, followed by a return for Really Big Pants theatre with another helping of fun and educational family theatre on a Saturday morning with WONKY, playing on Saturday 14 May at 11am.

The Watermill continues to follow measures to control the risk of Covid-19. The wearing of face coverings continues to be strongly encouraged. Enhanced cleaning procedures, including regular fogging of the auditorium, and an efficient ventilation system supplying conditioned and filtered fresh air also remain in place.

To help audience members to book with confidence, The Watermill are operating a flexible booking policy. In the event that their booking is affected by Covid-19, audience members will be offered a ticket exchange, account credit or refund.

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