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The Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Newbury, RG20 8AE.
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Three Hens in a Boat, 22nd May to 7th June
Lovingly inspired by Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat, Camille Ucan’s new heartfelt comedy charts the twist and turns of intergenerational family dynamics on a hen do with a difference. Navigating the River Thames from Kingston to Henley and almost all the way down the aisle, Claudette, Gloria and Jay’s well-intentioned family outing soon devolves into a series of hilarious misadventures.
Amongst the mishaps and misunderstandings, the grandmother, mother, and daughter trio’s unforgettable boating adventure reveals long-held secrets and touching moments of unspoken truths.
Three Hens in a Boat captures the essence of what bonds a family together - humour, forgiveness and unconditional love.
Jesus Christ Superstar, 24th June to 21st September
Told through the eyes of Judas, this reimagining of Jesus’s final days is a timeless reflection of the nature of leadership, the intensity of fandom and the ultimate cost of betrayal and sacrifice.
Spilling out of the theatre into the gardens, be immersed into the heart of this epic musical, with an incredible cast of actor-musicians seamlessly fusing these classic roles with iconic music including
Gethsemane, I Don’t Know How to Love Him and Superstar.
Charley's Aunt, 3rd October to 15th November
Two scheming students, Charley and Jack, must circumnavigate the curmudgeonly Uncle Stephen to declare their feelings to love interests Amy and Kitty. The promised arrival of Charley’s Aunt gives them an opportunity and the best laid plans are set. One delayed arrival, one fortuitous arrival and lots of classic comic confusion later, the champagne is finally poured at a dinner party to remember.
Mistaken identities, new identities and the discovery of true identities, will love - old and new - triumph through it all?
Reviews of Three Hens in a Boat
22nd May to 7th June 2025
Review from Newbury Theatre.
A small tarpaulin-covered boat sits on the River Thames with a bench on the bank and the river and fields stretching into the distance. This is where the three are meeting to start their three-day hen party on the river.
First on is Jay who has organised the trip, soon joined by her mother Gloria and grandmother Claudette. It’s a hen party just for the three of them, who are all about to get married. Tensions between them are evident: they don’t meet very often and phone calls are infrequent and unsatisfactory.
Their first problem is when they uncover the boat and discover that far from providing comfortable accommodation it’s not a boat at all but a skiff – tiny and with no beds. Still, they make the best of it and start rowing.
There are very strong performances from all three. Ellen O’Grady as Claudette is superior and rather aloof from the others initially. Verona Rose as Gloria is here to enjoy herself and has brought 30 bottles of wine to ensure they do. Camille Ucan, who also wrote the play, is Jay who fights her corner while they bicker.
As the play progresses, their complicated relationships with their intended spouses adds much humour and their love for each other is enhanced.
Because of the set layout, the Watermill’s small stage provides even less space than usual but director Abigail Pickard Price ensures that they make good use of what’s available, and the pace is good.
The play was staged at Reading Rep Theatre earlier in the month.
There’s lots of humour in it and it’s well worth a visit but it finishes on 7th June, so hurry.
PAUL SHAVE
Review from the Newbury Weekly News and the British Theatre Guide.
Rippling revelations
Hen weekend with a difference proves a test of relationships
Reading Rep has developed a reputation for producing bold challenging theatre and have continued this in a co-production with The Watermill based on Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat.
It is given a refreshing comic adaption by Camille Ucan, where the men are replaced by three intergenerational women – a grandmother, mother and daughter. They are each celebrating their impending weddings by going on a hen weekend together in a boat travelling along the Thames from Kingston to Henley.
Daughter Jay (Camille Ucan) has carefully organised the trip, but everything doesn’t go to plan, especially when the boat turns out to be a very small skiff aptly named Jerome and they will all have to row. Her extrovert mother, Gloria (Verona Rose) has returned from her Italian art exhibition bringing a more than ample supply of alcohol. Completing the trio is the stoic grandmother Claudette (Ellen O’Grady), who has basically brought up Jay and she misses her since she left to study at Edinburgh University. The chemistry between the characters is a joy to watch as they squabble, complain and taunt each other with some hilarious results.
Each vignette reveals another layer of their relationships with each other. These become fraught as they face up to the difficulties of being forced to live together in such cramped circumstances and family secrets are slowly revealed.
Why hasn’t Jay introduced them to her fiancé and what is she hiding? Will Gloria really settle down and get married, as she continually grumbles about her relationship and Claudette reminisces about missing her Caribbean home and is also having doubts about her upcoming marriage.
It’s a hilarious adventure filled with loads of fun with many laugh out loud moments… and enthusiastic dancing. A true celebration of family life as they eventually reconnect with each other.
Jasmine Swan’s pastoral set evokes the riverside with a beautiful backdrop with a willow tree surrounded by reeds with the skiff dominating the space. Jonathan Chan’s lighting design is evocative and subtle.
Skilfully directed by the Watermill’s Abigail Pickard Price, this was a delightfully funny yet emotional play.
ROBIN STRAPP