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

New Era Theatre Club

The New Era web site is at www.neweraplayers.org.

Next productions

Talking Heads, 15th to 17th and 20th to 24th March
A Trio of Alan Bennett's plays.

The Actor and the Audience, 19th to 21st April
A New Year and a new play! New Era's very own Chris Billingham will be directing his ingenious new play The Actor and the Audience. This hour-long, one-act piece is set in a theatre not unlike New Era’s… sounds intriguing already! It promises to be a theatrical experience with a difference, featuring interaction between ‘the actors and the audience’ as the title suggests, but with a very unexpected and somewhat chilling twist at the end...

Auditions will be held on Sunday 12th February at 14:00, at the theatre. The play has a mixed age cast of 10 from teens to 50's with 5 female and 4 male roles, plus a further role playable by either gender, 50's. For more details, see the web site.

Box office

07919 916009.

Review of Bouncers

1st to 3rd and 6th to 10th December 2011.

Here is the NWN review.

In stitches over Godber

Bouncers packs in the crowds at New Era

New Era Players: Bouncers, at the New Era Theatre, Wash Common, from Thursday, December 1 to Saturday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 6 to Saturday, December 10

The New Era Players celebrated their newly-gained public license in fine comic style with their production of John Godber's Bouncers. The play, which sees four male actors assume the roles of various characters in a Mancunian parody nightclub had the packed audience in stitches from start to finish.

In a smartly-directed piece that updated a few cultural references from the original script to great effect (notably a rendition of Take That's Want You Back sung by the actors with their backs to us while in the gents), the talented cast committed to an excellent pace throughout. Their seamless quick changes of character were impressive and managed well by a minimal set and an intelligent use of lighting and sound. Everything was clearly rehearsed to a tee.

Luke Niemiec produced a fine array of facial expressions as the weird yet matter-of-fact Ralph and didn't mind his female counterpart showing a bit of leg to entice the lucky gentleman in the front row. Jack Hepplewhite, too, demonstrated a wonderful knack for playing the fairer sex, as well as perhaps voicing the horrors of the whole audience as his male character was interlocked in a slow dance at 2am with the 'cuddly' Maureen.

Paul German was excellent, displaying a wide range of darkly humorous, madly perverse and frighteningly real characters. His portrayal of Maureen with a slightly curved upper lip was hilarious before he had even spoken. Matt Stevens played the role of Lucky Eric, the moral centre of a pretty moral-less play, with great subtlety and was highly convincing throughout.

However, his starring moment came as the bouncers recalled watching a 'blue movie' which at just the right moment juddered before being rewound, evoking a round of applause from the audience. The play was capped off with a tightly-choreographed and slickly executed dance routine to Michael Jackson's Thriller.

With renovations planned to provide a foyer area and an increase in future advertising opportunities, the New Era Players are certain to be praised on these pages again for providing a warm welcome and great night of local theatre.

DANIEL MORTON

About New Era

This small, friendly and very successful theatre group was established in Newbury in 1978, and we are lucky enough to have our own small theatre in Wash Common. (click here for a map). We produce several plays each year covering a wide variety of theatrical styles.

New Players Acting Membership

Share the experience of performing on stage; join the challenge of set-building or the creativity of costume design; enjoy the teamwork in whatever direction your talents take you. You could be an active participant in our future productions, or join us for play readings, workshops, theatre outings and a variety of social events. Whether you are experienced or just have bags of enthusiasm, you can be assured of a warm welcome.

If you are interested in becoming an acting member contact the secretary on 01635 47839 or email

Audience Membership

To book tickets for any of our productions, please contact our Box Office on 07919 916009 for more information.

Past productions