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 Connecting professional and amateur theatre in Newbury, West Berkshire and beyond

Newbury theatre guide

Find out about theatre events coming up in and around Newbury and West Berkshire, reaching out to Oxford, Basingstoke and Reading. Follow us on Twitter Twitter: @NewburyTheatre. Email us at

Posters of forthcoming productions, audition notices and requests for help are belowBelow

In the spotlight

Spotlight

See What's on for a list of everything.

Newbury Theatre and Penny Post

Newbury Theatre has joined up with Penny Post to give updated theatre information, and it will also appear here. Penny Post is a great source of local information - if you don't know it already, I can thoroughly recommend it.

Online theatre

The National Theatre are making their NT Live recordings available online. You can subscribe for £9.98 a month or rent individual plays for £7.99.

You can search for reviews of previous productions - there are more than 1000 pages of them in the Archive!

Latest news

Date Item
17 MarFaringdon Dramatic Society's next production is Enchanted April from 15th to 18th May at Buscot Park.
17 MarGoring Gap Players' next production is Charley's Aunt from 17th to 20th April.
11 MarKingston Bagpuize Drama Group's next production from 18th to 20th April in Southmoor is Behind Closed Doors, an evening of four one act plays.
10 MarCompton Players' next production from 25th to 27th April is The Wind in the Willows.
5 Mar Newbury Dramatic Society are presenting Wessex and Hardy - On the Cusp of Change between 24th and 31st May in and around Newbury.
3 MarReviews of The Mill at Sonning's Deathtrap. The Newbury Weekly News ("full of tension and shocks... this was Agatha Christie turbo charged"), LondonTheatre1 ("an enjoyable and well-paced production" - ★★★★), Broadway World ("an entertaining play... spectacularly staged and executed... clever direction and fantastic five-piece cast" - ★★★★), The Reviews Hub ("mix of murder mystery and comedy... a funny, chilling, twisted thrill ride that entertains until the very last blackout" - ★★★★), West End Best Friend ("packs a thrilling punch... a well-crafted play and well staged production, with well-acted performances and as a result, a thoroughly entertaining evening" - ★★★★), Lost in Theatreland ("an enjoyable evening at the theatre... some great acting and a few shocks" - ★★★).
3 Mar Review of KATS' Fiddler on the Roof. The Newbury Weekly News ("large and enthusiastic community ensemble... polished professionalism shown throughout the performance... a joy to behold").
3 MarReview of The Community of Hungerford Theatre Company's Oliver!. The Newbury Weekly News ("a lot of hard work had obviously gone into this… individual singers performed very well… director Hoffi Robinson did very well").
19 FebThe Duchess of Padua comes to the Croft Hall, Hungerford on 10th March. Oscar Wilde's epic tragedy of revenge, passion and murder has been turned into a compact opera which now receives its first performances.

Now and coming soon

New Era - EmmaNew Era Players' production at Wash Common in March is Emma. One of Jane Austen's most-loved novels has been adapted for stage to create a vibrant play which retains the essence of Austen’s wit. The plot centres around the wealthiest young lady in Highbury, Emma Woodhouse, who fancies herself as a skilled matchmaker, based on her belief that she brought together her former governess and a local squire, Mr Weston. She takes under her wing a young girl, Harriet Smith, who has many personal attractions but is of ‘questionable’ birth. Emma believes that she can find Harriet a more eligible match than the worthy farmer, Mr Martin, who has already offered Harriet his hand in marriage. Much of the ensuing drama revolves around the many misunderstandings and missteps such matchmaking involves. Emma’s machinations are observed by her oldest friend, Mr Knightley, who thoroughly disapproves of her meddling.

AmEgos - The Hunchback of Notre DameAmEgos Theatre's next production in Wantage from 4th to 6th April is AmEgos Theatre. What makes a monster and what makes a man? This is the central theme of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a grand, sweeping musical based on the 1996 Disney film and Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of Quasimodo, the bell-ringer of Notre Dame, and his desire to one day be a part of the outside world.

Kingston Bagpuize Drama Group - Behind Closed DoorsKingston Bagpuize Drama Group's next production from 18th to 20th April in Southmoor is Behind Closed Doors. An evening of four one act plays. There is something for everyone in these very different, but all funny in their own way, plays which explore the goings on in four very different homes.

Compton Players - The Wind in the WillowsCompton Players' next production from 25th to 27th April is The Wind in the Willows, adapted from the book by Kenneth Grahame. Meet the well-loved characters of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger in this adaptation by John Morley who has woven their exploits into an exciting adventure story for all the family. Follow Toad’s addiction to caravanning and cars, his imprisonment and escape with the aid of Jenny and her washerwoman aunts, and his fight with the Weasels and Stoats to regain Toad Hall!

Newbury YoungStars - Matilda JrNewbury YoungStars' next production from 26th to 27th April is Matilda Jr at Arlington Arts. Step into the well-loved story of a girl who dreams of a better life, and the children she inspires. Root for the 'revolting children' who are out to teach the grown-ups a lesson in this heart-warming tale that celebrates the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the resilience of young heroes. Join us for an electrifying performance filled with dazzling dance numbers and unforgettable songs. Come and be part of the magic, Maggots!

Faringdon Dramatic Society - Enchanted AprilFaringdon Dramatic Society's next production at Buscot from 15th to 18th May is Enchanted April. Based on the well known novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, Enchanted April takes you on a magical, theatrical holiday. “To those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine. Small castle on the Mediterranean, Northern Italy, to be let for the month of April. Cook, gardens, ocean view.” When two proper London housewives see this advertisement in The Times, their own bleak marriages and dreary wet England in 1922, recovering from the First World War and an influenza pandemic, seem even more unbearable than usual. They decide to rent the castle and recruit two other very different English women to share the cost and the experience. During their enchanted month in Italy, the ladies fall under the spell of their idyllic, sun-drenched surroundings. Amid the wisteria blossoms they rediscover laughter, learn new truths about themselves and find just the romance they need, although not perhaps the romance we – or they – expect to find.in us for a hilarious and unpredictable twist on the world’s favourite comedy classic.

Newbury Dramatic Society - Wessex and Hardy - On the Cusp of ChangeNewbury Dramatic Society are presenting Wessex and Hardy - On the Cusp of Change between 24th and 31st May in and around Newbury. Thomas Hardy, poet and novelist, shows the unfolding of a new way of life in his beloved Wessex. His characters live out these changes, and his poems reflect his reactions to them. Must a rural idyll give way to a bright new future? Were either of them true, anyway? A new play written for our venues by Ann Davidson with traditional music and costume, well-loved works and hidden gems, our players bring to life this onward march.

Auditions and requests for help

New Era - backstage help wantedNew Era Players (Newbury) want backstage helpers.

If you want your group's poster to be on the front page, then email it to the

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