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
here.
Next
Of Rags and Bones, 28th July 2018, 19:00
Inspired by the
short stories of Anais Nin, this devised show presents modern fables of
love, loss and urban decay. The finders pick through the abandoned objects of
the sleeping city, tracing lost narratives of the people who live there. A
Newbury Youth Theatre production.
Julie, 6th September, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
The Merry Wives of Windsor, 12th September, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
King Lear, 27th September, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, 3rd to 6th October, 19:30 and 14:30 on Saturday
An uplifting and heart-warming musical based on the smash-hit movie. A glamorous performing trio agrees to take its show to the middle of the Australian outback.
They hop aboard a battered old bus (nicknamed Priscilla) searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed of. With a dazzling array of costumes and a hit parade of dance floor favourites, including
It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive and Boogie Wonderland, this wildly fresh and funny musical is not to be missed!
A Nomads Musical Theatre
production
The Winter's Tale, 4th October, 19:15
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Dick Tracy, 11th October, 19:45
Dick Tracy promises to have the bad guys in handcuffs and the audience in stitches. There’s been a series of high-profile crimes right across the city - but fear not. The police chief’s put his best man on the job - Dick Tracy. It's now down to the square-jawed, hard-hitting, fast-shooting, comic book detective to solve the crime the only way he knows how... the crime solving way.
With their work rooted in the ridiculous, Le Navet Bete’s Dick Tracy incorporates fooling, original live music, plenty of audience interaction, lightning quick character changes and incredibly authentic accents spattered with mystery, malice and mischief.
Seriously Dead, 16th to 17th October, 19:45
Telling the hilarious story of a deceased bank robber, a Café owner and a lovesick ghost,
Seriously Dead has audiences in hysterics from the very beginning to the very surprising end.
An uplifiting tale guaranteed to make you feel there is nothing serious about being dead because life's party never ends: it simply moves to another location.
Funny Girl, 28th October, 13:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
Finding Joy , 31st October, 19:45
The funny and fearless sell-out production from the UK’s leading full mask company.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find joy! Joy is 83 today: she’s feisty, loves to dance, and is losing her memory. Her grandson Danny is rebellious, bright and always getting into trouble. When Danny decides to look after Joy, they discover a shared playfulness and growing love. But is that enough to face the challenges ahead?
Approaching the subject of dementia with humour and humanity, award-winning
Finding Joy is about family bonds, facing things together, and looking for the joy wherever it can be found.
Troilus and Cressida, 14th November, 19:00
See Theatre at the Cinema.
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.
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.