They’re messing about on the river

AMODERN-DAY re-telling of a Kenneth Grahame story is making big waves at The Hexagon this week.

A new musical adaptation of Wind in the Willows is being performed until Saturday, with lyrics by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, and music by composers and lyricists George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The organisers say the toe-tapping musical numbers will have families humming songs for weeks afterwards.

The show is presented by The Sainsbury Singers, who were the first group to perform at the newly opened Hexagon Theatre in 1977.

Eve MacDonald from the group said:

“We’re very excited to be performing where we first began, on this is our 85th anniversary, and also the theatre’s 45th year.

“This show appeals to all ages.

“And the music really is fantastic, I’ve been totally won over by the gorgeous harmonies.”

Kenneth Grahame was inspired to write his children’s classic by his love of the Berkshire countryside.

The story takes place along the riverbank, and boasts a colourful cast of woodland creatures, including the impulsive Mr Toad, whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble.

“We have a cast of around 30, all playing lots of different kinds of animals, such as squirrels, rabbits, mice, and weasels,” said Ms MacDonald.

“The actors use minimal costume to create the creatures.

“Their characterisations are mostly created with clever movement and choreography.”

With his home under threat from the chief weasel and his gang of Wild Wooders, Toad is forced to attempt a daring escape.

It leads him to a series of misadventures, and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall.

Director Matthew Smith said; “This is such a well-known story and the musical adaptation has something for everyone.

“The songs are catchy, and the script has moments of humour as well as sadness.

“The cast have been working incredibly hard, and from what I’ve seen in the rehearsal room it’s going to be a fantastic show.”

Rehearsals for Wind In The Willows began in January.

“It’s been a real joy rehearsing this production,” said Ms MacDonald.

“The society has a great family feel to it, and people do tend to stay.

“One of our families now has three generations of performers.”

The Sainsbury Singers have previously performed Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, Chess and most recently, Made in

Dagenham.

The Reading-based amateur musical theatre group was established in 1938 by Frank Sainsbury.

Productions range from Gilbert And Sullivan operettas and Offenbach, to Oklahama! and My Fair Lady, along with modern productions, including Jekyll and Hyde.

Wind In The Willows can be seen at The Hexagon Theatre, until Saturday. Curtain up is at 7.30pm, with an additional matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday. Tickets cost £25, £22 for seniors and students, or £14.50 for under 16s tickets.

n For tickets and information, visit: www.whatsonreading.com

EMMA MERCHANT

Ezy Ryder

PEOPLE passionate about Woodstock performer and 60s singer Jimi Hendrix should enjoy a night of music in Bracknell.

The Cream Of Hendrix presents a double helping of swinging sounds, mixing Hendrix hits with music from British rock band, Cream.

Audiences can catch this night of nostalgia at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre, on Wednesday, May 24. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets cost £15. n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk

Gotta have Faith

A CONCERT of George Michael hits will take place in Bracknell.

Fans of the English singer-songwriter and band member of Wham! can enjoy hearing his music, performed by Steve Mitchell.

The programme focuses on Michael’s later music, some best known hits, and Wham classics.

Dave West, who played bass with Wham! on their first recordings, also joins the band.

The show, Celebrating George Michael, can be heard at South Hill Park Arts Centre, on Friday, May 26. Doors open at 7.45pm, with tickets available for £26.

n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk

A night of jazz classics

A QUARTET of musicians playing trumpet and flugelhorn, piano, bass, and drums will perform jazz classics in Maidenhead.

The Mark Armstrong Quartet’s concert will explore the Call And Response styles of Miles Davis and

FANS of 80s music should make their way to Reading for a concert that promises hits from the decade and a party atmosphere.

80s Live is a retro music night performing hits to dance to, including: Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Edge of Heaven, Tainted Love, Love Shack, The Final Countdown, Don’t You Want Me n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm

Wynton Marsalis. The audience can expect spontaneous arrangements that will take everyone off guard – even the band.

Mark Armstrong is a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Orchestra. His music is said to possess the feel-good factor.

The event is at Maidenhead’s Norden Farm Arts Centre, on Friday, May 26. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets cost £16.

Drifters celebration

SOUL Kinda Wonderful is a tribute band that breathes life primarily into the music of an American rhythm and blues band, The Drifters, formed in 1959. Their programme of songs will include hits such as Saturday Night At The Movies, Under The Boardwalk and Stand

Baby, Never Gonna Give You Up, and It’s Raining Men.

The 80s Live concert can be heard at The Hexagon Theatre, on Thursday, May 25. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £34, with concessions at £32. n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060 or visit: whatsonreading.com

By Me.

The audience can also expect Motown from The Four Tops and Temptations, and 70s disco classics such as Disco Inferno and Love Train.

The event is at Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead, on Saturday, May 27. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets cost £16.

n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm

Go Drowntown

A GRITTY dance theatre performance in Newbury will hold up a mirror to a society at a tipping point.

Choreographer of the piece, Rhiannon Faith, makes socially conscious work that raises awareness and lobbies for change. Drowntown, depicts six strangers, weighed down by individual darkness, who come to a coastal land. n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: cornexchangenew.com

Seemingly abandoned, there is no one to help, and they each struggle with isolation, shame and failed support systems.

The show explores themes of isolation and suicide and domestic violence, and asks how to save the isolated from drowning.

The event is at The Corn Exchange, on Wednesday, May 24. Doors open at 7.45pm, and tickets are on sale for £17.25, or £14.25 for concessions.

A show with Wurblegobblers

INSPIRED by the works of Roald Dahl, a Newbury theatre show promises fun family entertainment.

All around the world the author’s words are disappearing, not only from books but children’s minds too.

Only a secret organisation, the Ancient Guild of TaleTenders, can save the stories, and they need help.

Brenda Bogg discovers that the words are being eaten by dreaded Wurblegobblers.

She must convince her boss Terry Tibblestick of the danger the stories are in, and restore the words to the books using imagination, play and tenderness.

Roald Dahl And The Imagination Seekers, is at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, on Sunday, May 28. There are two shows, with doors opening at 11am and 2pm. Tickets cost £13.75, with concessions available for £11.25.

n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: cornexchangenew.com

A chance to see

Bracknell – South Hill Park southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123

Tina Live. Fri 19. Counterfeit Sixties.

Sat 20. Wilde Sundays. Sun 21. The Cream of Hendrix. Tues 24.

Celebrating George Michael. Fri 26. Dance 365. Sat 27-Sun 28. A Midsummer Night’s Dream the Musical. Sat 27.

FILM: National Theatre Live: Best of Enemies (15). Thurs 18. Allelujah (12a). Fri 19-Thurs 25. Winners (PG).

Tues 23. Royal Opera House Live: The Sleeping Beauty (12a). Wed 24,

Sun 28. Elvis (12a). Fri 26-Sun 28.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (12a). Fri 26-Wed 31.

Camberley – Theatre

Matilda the musical

ROALD Dahl’s story of a little girl with wit and intelligence, comes to Wokingham n For more details or to book log on to: www.thewhittytheatre.org

Unloved by her cruel parents, Matilda impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey, but is hounded by child-hating headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

But the child’s courage and cleverness see her triumph.

Matilda is performed by Berkshire Theatre School, at the Whitty Theatre.

Performances are on Saturday, May 27, at 4.30pm and 7.15pm, and on Sunday, May 28, at 2pm and 5.30pm. Tickets cost £15.

Everything’s Coming Up Roses at the Mill

THE Mill At Sonning’s summer musical opens this week.

Gypsy is the story of a burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, and her showbiz mother, Rose, whose ambitions for her two daughters lead her to push them to follow her dreams of stardom.

Music by Jules Style and Stephen Sondheim includes: Let Me Entertain You, Everything’s Coming Up Roses, You Gotta Have Gimmick, Some People, and All I Need Is The Girl.

The event is at The Mill At Sonning from Wednesday, May 24 through to Saturday, July 15.

Performances are on Wednesdays through to Sundays, with matinées on Saturdays, and some Thursdays.

Tickets cost £85, and include a two course meal at the theatre restaurant before the show.

n For more details or to book, call the box office on: 0118 969 8000 or log on to: www.millatsonning.com

Titanic The Musical. Mon 22-Sat 27.

Rosie’s Rainbow Fun Charity Gala

Performance 2023. Sun 28.

Henley – Kenton kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050

Teechers Leavers. Thurs 18-Fri 19.

The Greatest Magician. Sat 20.

Toothpaste Kisses. Thurs 25. Josh

Berry: Sexual Politics. Fri 26. The Music of George Harrison. Sat 27.

The Take That Experience. Sat 3.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm nordenfarm.org 01628 788997

Maidenhead Music Society - Heath String Quartet. Thurs 25. National

Theatre Live - The Best of Enemies. Fri 26. Cairo Conspiracy (12a). Sat

27. Soul Kinda Wonderful. Sat 27.

The Amazing Bubble Man. Tues 30.

THALI

WITH

At Sultan you’ll receive exemplary service from restaurateur Raja Majid and his team, who will give you a warm welcome when you arrive

We offer an exciting menu featuring a mouth-watering array of fine dining Indian dishes, including a 7-course tasting menu priced at £44 95 per person (£69 95pp with matching wines) camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600

Emma Kenny - The Serial Killer Next Door. Thurs 18. The Monkees Tale.

Fri 19. The Counterfeit Stones. Sat 20. Rabbit Rabbit, The Chas and Dave Tribute. Thurs 25. The Neil Diamond Story. Fri 26. Comedy Club.

Fri 26. Classic Rock Revival. Sat 27.

Dreamcoat Stars. Sun 28.

Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000

Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter. Tues 16-Sat 20. Gingerbread Man. Wed 24. Tony - The Tony Blair Rock Opera. Thurs 25-Sat 3. Tapped. Sat 27.

High Wycombe – Swan wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000

Into The Groove - The Ultimate Tribute to Madonna. Thurs 18. Magic of the Bee Gees - You Win Again. Fri 19. Griff Rhys Jones - The Cat’s Pyjamas. Fri 19. Some Guys Have All The Luck. Sat 20. The Many Voice of Debra Stephenson. Sat 27.

The Super Mario Brothers Movie (PG). Wed 31. Magical Honey. Wed

31. Mummies (U). Wed 31. Loving Highsmith (12a). Wed 31. Avalon

Edinburgh Preview - Luke Kempner and Bella Hull. Wed 31.

Newbury – The Watermill watermill.org.uk 01635 46044

Mr Whicher. Until Sat Jun 10.

Reading – South Street whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

Richard Hardistry - Silly Boy. Thurs 18. Josh Berry. Fri 19. Alfie Moore - Fair Cop Unleashed. Sat 20.

Reading – The Hexagon whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

The Wind In the Willows. Until Sat 20. NT LIve - best of enemies. Tues 23. 80s Live. Thurs 25. Mike and the Mechanics. Fri 26.

Reading – Concert Hall whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

Babatune Aleshe - Cabahood. Fri 19.

Reading – Progress progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 Silver Lining. Fri 19- Sat 27.

Reading – Reading Rep readingrep.com 0118 370 2620

NEXT SHOW: The Rumble Under The Rug. Wed 31-Jun 3.

Shinfield – Players shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880

The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Jun 7-10. Sonning – The Mill millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 Gypsy. Wed 24-Jul 15. The Everley Brothers Dream. Sun 28. Windsor – Theatre Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888

The Makings of a Murderer. Mon 22. Legend - The Music of Bob Marley. Tues 23. Everything Changes - The Take That Tribute. Wed 24. Thank You For The Music - The Ultimate Tribute to Abba. Thurs 25. Big Girls Don’t Cry. Fri 26. 80s Live. Sat 27. Walk Right Back. Sun 28.

Wokingham – Theatre www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363

NEXT SHOW: Ding Dong. Thurs Jun 8-Sat 17.

Wokingham – The Whitty www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247

Spin Theatre Academy presents The Little Mermaid Jr. Sun 21.Wokingham Film Society presents Living (12a). Thurs 25. Berkshire Theatre School presents Matilda Jr. Sat 27-Sun 28.

Woodley – Theatre woodleytheatre.org 07488337838

NEXT SHOW: Educating Rita. June 20-24.