Download general information - The Watermill Theatre

Bagnor, Nr Newbury, Berkshire RG20 8AE
Tel: 01635 45834
Fax: 01635 523726
Box Office: 01635 46044
www.watermill.org.uk
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Watermill Theatre produces quality work that attracts high calibre artists and creative teams earning it a reputation
as one of the very best producing regional theatres in the country. It has, without doubt, contributed to an important
chapter in the development of British Theatre in the last twenty years. It is extraordinarily successful in producing
cutting-edge work, developing genres such as the actor-musician shows and true ensemble work, and generating a
phenomenal level of new writing and a loyal audience for that work.
The Watermill has enjoyed West End transfers. Its production of Sweeney Todd also enjoyed a hugely successful run
on Broadway during 2005/06 with both the Director and Musical Director winning Tony Awards. In 2008 Sunset
Boulevard, directed by Craig Revel Horwood, transferred to the West End and ran for 6 months at The Comedy
Theatre. Brontë, a co-production with Shared Experience, transferred to The Tricycle Theatre in April 2011. Our
production of Spend Spend Spend! won both the 2009 TMA Award for Best Musical Production, with Kirsty Hoiles
winning the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for her role as young Viv. The production toured nationally in
2010. Our production of Radio Times has toured the UK during 2012.
As a professional producing theatre our artistic programme is core to everything we do. Our standards are high as we
aim to achieve artistic excellence in all areas. We have won three TMA awards (Theatrical Management Association)
which celebrate and champion the excellence and diversity of artistic acting and honour creative and artistic effort in
performance and production.
Over 64,000 people attend shows at The Watermill each year where we mount some 12 new productions annually,
ranging from Shakespeare and musicals to classics, new plays and youth theatre productions. Our work is also seen on
tours that visit theatres around the UK as well as our rural touring productions which play in village halls and small arts
centres. We aim to be a focal point for our community and are proud to be a leading force in cultivating the theatremakers of tomorrow.
The theatre seats 220 people within a stunning converted mill situated in beautiful gardens on the bank of the river
Lambourn just outside Newbury in West Berkshire. The compact building makes the theatre experience extraordinarily
intimate for both performers and audience.
For 25 years, The Watermill Theatre premises were owned by the Sargant family and it was under the Artistic
Directorship of the late Jill Fraser (Sargant) that the theatre’s national and international reputation has grown. In 2005
The Watermill launched a £3 million Save The Watermill appeal following the announcement that the premises were to
be put up for sale by the Sargant family. This campaign was incredibly successful and in just three short years, the
target was met with the help of nearly 4,000 individual donors, trusts, foundations and businesses. This was a huge
achievement and a testament to the strong position The Watermill holds in the hearts of its audience and the national
theatre community. The theatre is now managed by a board of trustees with Hedda Beeby as Artistic and Executive
Director under whose leadership the theatre continues to flourish.
The Watermill’s special professional yet supportive environment plays a crucial role in nurturing new talent. The
theatre chooses to work where possible with up-and-coming directors, designers and writers and engages many actors,
technical and other staff at the beginning of their careers. Many well-known theatre professionals have started their
careers at The Watermill including David Suchet, Kathryn Hunter, Bill Nighy, David Jason, Sean Bean, Anthony Drewe
and George Stiles. New artistic partnerships have been established, creating a real sense of artistic security for the
theatre and its audiences. It is this very security that enables the actors and directors to experiment and push the
boundaries, taking the audience with them. New partnerships with emerging directors and designers are part of the
artistic vision for the future.
“The beautiful Watermill Theatre … has also become one of the very best, right up near the top
of the premier league of British regional theatres” The Daily Telegraph
“This dynamic little venue is a theatrical hotspot” The Guardian