events
organised by the Friends Friends Priority Booking opens Tuesday 4 June General Booking from Tuesday 11 June
SUPPER CLUBS Tuesday 23 July Supper Club
AN INDIAN RAILWAY JOURNEY Price: £23 (includes supper) Bar opens @ 6.30pm | Supper @ 7.30pm - 1 course with coffee | Talk @ 8.30pm |
David Brace is a member of Railway Rambles, Railfuture and Basingstoke & District Railway Society and has a passion for railways both at home and abroad. David is an accomplished speaker and will be recalling tales from his trip to India in 2011 during which he explored the Indian Hill Railways of Darjeeling, Shimla and Nilgiri, built by the British Raj. Join David on this special journey and discover a wealth of fascinating stories which bring together Indian Railways, culture, history and religion. Tuesday 24 September Supper Club
LONDON DOCKLANDS – OLD AND NEW Price: £23 (includes supper)
Bar opens @ 6.30pm | Supper @ 7.30pm - 1 course with coffee | Talk @ 8.30pm |
London’s Docklands has seen two periods of intensive development. The first being the construction of the working docks during a relatively short period at the start of the 19th Century and the second, during the last 40 years following the closure of the docks in the early 1970s. The second period has seen colossal regeneration, bringing major employment and housing to the area. This special talk by Jon Willis will illustrate these pioneering developments and in particular, the role of the railways in supporting them. Jon spent a large part of his career working on transport projects for London Docklands and his last position was Head of Planning for the Crossrail project.
Tuesday 29 October Supper Club
HISTORIC NEWBURY Price: £23 (includes supper) Bar opens @ 6.30pm | Supper @ 7.30pm - 1 course with coffee | Talk @ 8.30pm |
Dave Stubbs spent 40 years as a police officer with Thames Valley Police initially moving to Wash Common to take on the role of the local beat officer. In 1973, he dug up a musket ball in his garden and the realisation that he was the first person to have touched this object since 1643, was astonishing. This set him on a course of historical discovery which unearthed the fact that his home in Newbury was on the site of one of the most pivotal battles of the English Civil War. Dave developed a fascination for local history and began a quest to learn more about why the battle had occurred where it did, and how the conflict sowed the seeds of today’s parliamentary democracy. Join Dave and uncover incredible facts about Newbury’s history. Tuesday 26 November Supper Club
FESTIVE WINES – RAISE A GLASS TO CHRISTMAS! Price: £23 (includes supper)
Bar opens @ 6.30pm | Supper @ 7.30pm - 1 course with coffee | Talk @ 8.30pm |
Join Barnaby Smith and Polly Wood from GrapeSmith, Hungerford on a festive tour around the world of wine! GrapeSmith, an independent and creative wine merchant was established in 2017 by Barnaby and Polly who moved into the wine business from alternative careers. After nearly 20 years as a horticulturalist, Polly completed the highly respected WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits. Barnaby worked for many years in The City before launching a career in the wine industry. Their combined passion for wine and the provenance, people and culture behind the label inspires them. Polly and Barnaby will present a fascinating talk about the world of wine and the evening will round off with a presentation of 12 diverse festive tipples to sample, all chosen and kindly provided by GrapeSmith. So, get into the spirit of Christmas and raise a glass to the festive season!
DIRECTOR’S TALKS Tuesday 30 July Director’s Talk
Kiss Me, Kate: Paul Hart, joined by a member of the cast Price: £20 (includes lunch)
Bar opens @ 11.30am | Talk @ 12 noon | Lunch @ 1pm - 1 course with coffee |
From rehearsal room to opening night, join Paul Hart, The Watermill’s Artistic Director, to get a ‘behind the scenes’ insight into how Kiss Me, Kate was created. From securing the rights to staging the show, Paul will talk about his vision for Kiss Me, Kate, and the journey to create this toe tapping production. Paul will be joined by a cast member who will share their account of what it’s like to work on such an iconic show. Tuesday 17 September Director’s Talk
ASSASSins: Bill Buckhurst Price: £20 (includes lunch)
Bar opens @ 11.30am | Talk @ 12 noon | Lunch @ 1pm - 1 course with coffee |
Bill Buckhurst returns to The Watermill (Sleeping Beauty, 2016) to direct Assassins, a musical drama about the power of the President, the lure of celebrity and the failure of the American Dream. Join Bill and hear about how he has approached this satirical and stylish production. Bill frequently works at Shakespeare’s Globe and Nottingham Playhouse and his production of Sweeney Todd recently won the Outstanding Revival – Lucille Lortel Award 2017, Best Musical Revival – Off Broadway Alliance Awards 2017 and was nominated for 4 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Director of a Musical.
OTHER EVENTS Friday 6 September
WALK AND TALK AROUND HISTORIC EAST HENDRED
Price: £15 (includes coffee/tea)
Meet @ 10.30am | Walk @ 11am | Duration approximately 2 hours |
As commented by James Edmund Vincent over 100 years ago, East Hendred is ‘a village of no ordinary attraction’. The village, with its Anglo Saxon origins has a surprising number of listed buildings and historical monuments. Norman Francis is a history fanatic and expert on East Hendred. During this guided walk, Norman will point out areas of interest and will reveal an abundance of facts about the village, its architecture and history including the medieval chapel at Hendred House. A visit to East Hendred’s Museum will be included and you will also have the chance to view John Seymour’s faceless working clock. Please meet at Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Church of England at 10.30am for a prompt 11am start. Lunch is available after the walk from The Wheatsheaf, East Hendred (please book directly, on 01235 833229). Friday 13 September NEW!
Autumn Food & gift fair 10am - 3pm | No pre-booking required | Entry: £2 |
Join us for The Watermill’s first Autumn Food and Gift Fair featuring specially selected stalls showcasing a variety of items to please all tastes. Light lunch and refreshments will be available to buy and enjoy during the day. Friday 8 November
Christmas Fair 9.30am - 2.30pm | No pre-booking required | Entry: £3.50 |
The annual Christmas Fair offers a diverse range of festive gift ideas for all the family. New stalls have been included this year alongside old favourites. Light lunch and seasonal refreshments will be available to buy and enjoy during the day.
OTHER EVENTS Tuesday 12 November
Friends AGM and annual Quiz Price £12 (includes supper)
Bar opens @ 6.30pm | AGM @ 7pm | Supper @ 7.30pm – 1 course with coffee | Quiz @ 8.15pm |
Come and spend an evening amongst Friends. The Friends AGM is free and open to all. There will be a one course supper afterwards for those wishing to make an evening of it and this will be followed by the much anticipated ‘event’ of the year – The Watermill Annual Quiz! Test your general knowledge and get into the competitive spirit. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team. Wednesday 4 December
Lunch and Social Bridge
Price: £80 per table of four, i.e. £20 per person (includes lunch with a glass of wine, coffee and cake) Bar opens @ 11.30am | Lunch @ 12 noon - 1 course | Play commences @ 1pm |
All bridge players are warmly welcomed to enjoy an afternoon of lunch, bridge, tea and cake at The Watermill. Chicago Bridge Format will be played and tables will be provided but please bring your own bridge cloth and playing cards. Prizes will be awarded and a raffle will also take place in the afternoon. Thursday 12 December LIMITED SPACES!
ECO-FRIENDLY WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP
Price: £39 (includes all materials, but please bring secateurs) Coffee/Tea @ 9.30am | Wreath making @ 9.45am |
Join Liz Barnett and Judy Wilson (members of Newbury Floral Society) and make your very own eco-friendly Christmas wreath. Join us in the bar for coffee and a festive mince pie before creating a wreath that’s personal to you. All materials will be supplied including the ring, moss, greenery, cones, berries and dried oranges. Wreaths can be finished off with a ribbon if wished.
Wednesday 11 December TICKETS AVAILABLE! Tuesday 10 December - Sold out!
THE FRIENDS CHRISTMAS PARTY ‘ALLO ‘ALLO COMEDY DINNER SHOW Price £45 (includes supper) Bar opens @ 6.30pm | Show @ 7.30pm | 3 course supper @ 7.50pm |
Celebrate Christmas with this interactive Comedy Dinner Show. Eat in an ‘umble’ restaurant for a night to remember as René juggles the Gestapo, the Resistance, his secret affairs and his wife, Edith. Oh, and keeping a watchful eye over events is a British agent disguised as a policeman who hasn’t quite grasped the French language! A three course supper will be served by the cast during the performance. Book early to avoid disappointment. DIETARY REQUIREMENTS If you, or any of your guests, have specific dietary requirements for these events, please let us know via email restaurant@watermill.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01635 46044.
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An opportunity to meet the cast after the evening performance. These are relaxed and sociable occasions and are great opportunities to talk to the actors. Join us in the bar after the show, open to all and FREE!
become a friend By becoming a Friend of The Watermill Theatre, your donation not only goes to the heart of what we do - create memorable theatre for all to enjoy - but also, directly supports many Love Theatr engagement opportunities for young e? people in our local community. That makes you a very special Friend indeed! So, why not join today? Typically, Friends make a £30 donation as an individual supporter or £45 as a joint supporter (2 people living at the same address). As a Friend, you will receive: • Priority booking (whenever possible) • Regular Events leaflet
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The easiest way to become a Friend is to join online at watermill.org.uk/friends or for further Friends information, email friends@watermill.org.uk
Contact us The Watermill Theatre and Restaurant Bagnor, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 8AE
For Friends enquiries, please contact Julie Pearson, Friends Secretary. Tel. 01635 45834 Email: friends@watermill.org.uk There are a limited number of tickets for these events so you are advised to book early. The Watermill Theatre is a registered charity no: 261430 and receives core funding from
Design and print by - kdp 01635 299507
Book events at watermill.org.uk Box Office 01635 46044