The Corn Exchange, Newbury |
Box office
0845 5218 218 (calls will cost 2p per minute plus your telephone company’s Access Charge)
The Corn Exchange, Newbury. Visitor information is
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Next
Troilus and Cressida, 14th November, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Withering Looks, 15th November, 19:45
Britain’s favourite literary lunatics are back with their cult Brontë spoof.
Specially reworked for the 200th anniversary year of Emily’s birth, the classic comic duo just couldn’t resist the urge to dust off their crinolines, wear flattering bonnets and sit at rain-lashed windows in a pale and decorative manner.
Withering Looks takes an ‘authentic’ look at the lives and works of the Brontë sisters – well, two of them actually; Anne’s just popped out for a cup of sugar. Peopled with many of the characters we know and love, Maggie and Sue move effortlessly from frock to frock coat. Don’t miss the chance to share in the silliness too!
The Madness of George III, 20th November, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Jack and the Beanstalk, 30th November to 6th January, 19:45
Join Jack and the whole gang on an adventure of enormous proportions… from high-flying dreams to magical beans; prepare to be transported to the enchanted panto-land of Newbury Bottom, where anything is possible.
Climb the beanstalk with Jack and enjoy high-energy dance routines, tunes to sing along to and plenty of audience participation, which will leave you on cloud nine!
Our ever-popular pantomime has become a fun-filled tradition for the families of Newbury and beyond. Grab your tickets early; you wouldn’t want to miss the greatest panto there has ever bean!
Antony and Cleopatra, 6th December, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Grease , 24th to 26th January
Step back to the 50s with the UK's largest youth musical theatre company.
Welcome to the singing and dancing world of Grease, the most successful movie musical of all time. A wholesome exchange student and a leather-clad Danny have a summer romance, but will it cross clique lines?
Dirty Dusting, 30th January, 19:45
A chance wrong number gives three cleaning ladies a great idea: ‘Why not run a sex chat line?’ After all, their age and appearance won’t matter on the phone and, providing they can keep this a secret from their boss, they could be on to a winner.
A heart-warming, feel good comedy. It will have you rolling in the aisles and smiling every time you answer the phone.
I'm Not Running, 31st January, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of Four, 12th to 13th February, 19:45
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s epic second Sherlock Holmes tale is brought to life in this spectacular new stage adaptation.
When Mary Morstan arrives at 221B Baker Street to request help with the mystery of her missing father, Holmes takes the case and, with his companion Dr Watson, enters a murky world of deception and trickery. Together they unravel a complex plot involving murder, corruption and stolen jewels.
Horrible Histories: Brand New Barmy Britain, 12th to 13th February, 19:45
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead!
So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage with a brand new West End show that has never toured before - featuring all new scenes!
Would you be shaken or stirred by Richard III? Mount a mutiny against King Henry VIII! See Mary Tudor knock the spots off Mary Queen of Scots! Will Queen Elizabeth I endure her terrible teeth? Would you be hanged by King James I for being a witch? Peep into the world of Samuel Pepys and help Georgian detectives find the headless man! Take a trip into the night with the night soil men and discover how to survive the first ever train ride!
It's the history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!
A Super Happy Story about Feeling Super Sad, 6th March, 19:45
Sally's a happy person. She doesn't let little things to get her down and she almost never cries. But she's got an illness. It makes her feel like she isn't the person she wants to be, but she doesn't want anyone to know about it.
It's joyful, buoyant, gleeful, slightly silly, sugar coated, unrelenting and completely super happy! (Except for all the bits about depression).
Bouncers, 14th to 16th March, 19:45
Lucky Eric, Judd, Les and Ralph are back and telling the tales of a Yorkshire nightclub. Of lads and lasses, sticky floors and shots galore, and the early morning taxi home, all under the watchful eyes of the Bouncers.
Written by the multi award winning John Godber, this modern classic will see the boys catapulted into the 21st century! With contemporary music and an updated script to boot, this one’s worth getting dressed up for!
The Sooty Show, 23rd March, 11:00 and 14:30
Izzy Wizzy let’s get busy! Join Sooty for his brand new laugh-out-loud magic show.
Direct from their hit ITV series, Sooty, Sweep and Soo and TV’s Richard Cadell will amaze you with impossible tricks and side-splitting jokes! Be astounded at Sooty’s flying car, Soo’s singing unicorn and Sweep’s levitating sausage!
A Brave Face, 27th to 28th March, 19:45
Afghanistan: 2009. Ryan is there to see the world, learn a trade, get a life. Training’s complete, combat is a buzz. But on one particular hot and desperate tour of duty, Ryan sees things he can’t talk about, to anyone. And when he returns home, the trouble really begins.
A Brave Face explores Post Traumatic Stress: an unseen and often unrecognised injury of war, and the impact it can have on even the closest of families. With compassion and fearlessness, Vamos brings its trademark wordless, full mask style to a story that needs to be told.
No Kids, 29th March, 19:45
Should we have kids, or not?
George and Nir are a real-life same-sex couple trying to answer a question many of us face. Every consideration – adoption, surrogacy, co-parenting, the environmental impact of childbirth, the fears and anxieties, how the past affects parenting and much, much more – brings with it a succession of ethical challenges. Together, George and Nir confront this chaos head-on. And invite you along for the ride.
Room on the Broom , 9th to 10th April, daytimes
Join the witch and her cat on their mission to defeat the dragon in this magical, musical adaptation of the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler favourite.
The witch and her cat are flying happily on their broomstick when they pick up a friendly dog, a beautiful green bird and a frantic frog. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and – “CRACK” - it snaps in two... just as the hungry dragon appears!
Songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups.
As You Like It, 17th April, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 19th to 21st April, 13:00 and 18:00
C. S. Lewis’s classic tale is brought to life on stage by the
Corn Exchange Youth Theatre in this magical adventure which has been captivating families for nearly 70 years. Evacuated from London during the Blitz, the four Pevensie children are sent to live in the country with the eccentric Professor Kirke. Whilst exploring the vast house one rainy day, the youngest of the four, Lucy, finds an enormous wardrobe unlike any other…
Stepping through, she finds herself in a strange snowy forest inhabited by wonderful creatures who aren’t altogether human. But an excited and enchanted Lucy returns to disappointment as she realises her brothers and sister are unwilling to believe her discovery. Until one fateful day, whilst seeking refuge in the wardrobe, all of the children cross into the extraordinary land of Narnia and quickly find themselves embroiled in a fight between good and evil that will change them forever.
Featuring beautiful songs and directed and designed by a professional team, the Corn Exchange Youth Theatre invites you to a land where it is always winter but never Christmas, for a timeless story of courage, loyalty and friendship.
The Taming of the Shrew, 5th June, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
The Three Musketeers: a Comedy Adventure, 12th to 14th June, 19:45
A hilarious new comedy adventure that will have you rolling with laughter from here to the French countryside.
Armed only with a baguette and his questionable steed, join hot-headed D’Artagnan as he travels to Paris full of childish excitement and misplaced bravado to become a Musketeer.
Will things go to plan? It’s unlikely! With four actors playing over 30 characters this will be their most hilariously chaotic adventure yet!
Measure for Measure, 31st July, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Reviews of Beauty and the Beast
1st December 2017 to 7th January 2018
Review from the Newbury Weekly News and the British Theatre Guide.
It's a beauty, oh yes it is
Awful puns, oodles of audience participation... panto's arrived...
Beauty and the Beast, at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, until January 7
The Corn Exchange has a huge festive hit with this year's lavish pantomime Beauty and the Beast.
As the excited youngsters and their mums and dads entered the foyer they were greeted by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and colourful murals, made by local schoolchildren, that created a truly seasonal atmosphere
Celebrating his 10th panto for the Corn Exchange, Phil Willmott has written a witty script and directs this sparkling family show with style and invention.
All those festive ingredients that make pantos so special are here in abundance, from the colourful set, sumptuous glittering costumes, dramatic lighting and spectacular pyrotechnics designed by Guy Dickens, plus an energetic and highly talented cast, who were determined that we should all have a great time.
The story is well-known. Prince Rupert – the impressive Blair Gibson, who also makes a powerful Beast – is holding a birthday party, when an old woman seeks shelter for the night. She offers a rose in payment, but the Prince sends her away and so she casts a curse on him.
PK Taylor is superbly evil as this Enchantress and was deservedly booed by the audience.
Returning for their third Newbury panto are the splendid Joshua Coley, as the Brummie Pickle, and Amy Christina Murray, as Lilly, quickly establishing a warm rapport with the audience, who are all keen to join in and be part of the gang.
In Newbury Bottom, the rather posh Cuthbert (Danny Stokes) with his catch phrase "OK cool no worries" is waiting on the arrival of his cousin, the sweet Belle, charmingly played by Phoebe Lewis. We also meet the sensible Posy, the Postie (Emma Fraser), making her Corn Exchange debut. Meanwhile, at the castle, Rupert has been transformed into the Beast and Lilly and Pickle are decidedly unhappy about their new wolf-like forms.
They have much fun in their slapstick scene – with plenty of slosh – and hilariously get trapped while making their wallpaper-pasting table.
When Belle is imprisoned in the castle, she slowly falls in love with the Beast, who treats her royally and, of course, there is a happy and emotional ending.
There is the traditional ghost scone, awful funny puns, jokes about Donald Trump and dating apps for witches, and oodles of audience participation, including the song sheet competition as we all joined in Let's Do the Time Warp Again.
There is excellent support from the versatile ensemble of Joey Warne, Victoria-Louise Currie, Oli Dickson and Katie Lee.
Look out for the dragon and the two wolf narrators… to say more would spoil the surprise.
With slick, dazzling choreography by Holly Hughes, scintillating songs and a spirited musical score from Richard Baker and performed in the capable hands of Tom Neill, assisted by Harry Brokensha, this panto is a sheer joy and great family entertainment.
Beauty and the Beast should definitely be on your Christmas wish list and is not to be missed.
ROBIN STRAPP
There's a review from Muddy Stilettos ("it was brilliant fun... all in all, a great success").
For more details
see the Corn Exchange and New Greenham Arts web site at www.cornexchangenew.com.
Previous productions
Dick Whittington, 27th November 2015 to 3rd January 2016. See the reviews in the archive.
Aladdin, 28th November 2014 to 4th January 2015. See the reviews in the archive.
Jack and the Beanstalk, 29th November 2013 to 5th January 2014. See the reviews in the Archive.
Cinderella, 30th November 2012 to 6th January 2013. See the reviews in the Archive.. See the review in the archive.