Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in and supported our play readings last year. Feedback shows attendees have really enjoyed these gatherings and they also provided food for thought as to what we might put on stage in the future.
David Greenwood has worked with the committee to produce a programme of readings for 2025 as set out below. Each will take place at The Mill, Shottermill Rd, Haslemere GU27 3QE from 5.30pm onwards.
Sunday 2nd February
London Assurance. Richard Weller will kick off our 2025 play readings with this hilarious romp. Last revived in 2010 at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shaw in two of the greatest comic roles of the English stage, this brilliantly funny play was written by Dion Boucicault, the Irish genius of London theatre in the age of Dickens, in 1841. It has been in the repertoire ever since.
Sunday 6 April.
The Cherry Orchard. Written in 1903, Anton Chekhov’s final play, widely regarded as one of his greatest dramatic accomplishments. The Gayev family is torn by powerful forces deeply rooted in history and the society in which they live. Their estate is hopelessly in debt: urged to cut down their beautiful cherry orchard and sell the land for holiday cottages, they struggle to act decisively and in the end are overwhelmed by the forces of the modern age. It sounds sad but, believe it or not, Chekhov thought it was a comedy! David Greenwood will lead this one.
Sunday 1 June
The Lady in the Van. First performed in 1999, and transferred to the screen in 2015, Alan Bennett’s play tells the funny and touching true (mostly) story of Miss Mary Shepherd, who took refuge with her van in his garden originally for three months, but ended up staying fifteen years. The story centres on their extraordinary relationship, which for Bennett was a source of intrigue, frustration and compassion. David Greenwood will lead this one.
Sunday 3 August
Sense and Sensibility. In Jessica Swale’s adaptation of Jane Austen's subtle and witty novel, we follow the fortunes of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, as they pursue their dreams. Eminently sensible Elinor pines for quiet, kind-hearted Edward Ferrars, but the impulsive Marianne loses herself in the idea of her hero on horseback, and for a girl who feasts on poetry and music, what else is there to do in Devon but dream of rescue? David Greenwood will lead this one.
Sunday 28 September
A View from the Bridge. Adrian Stent will be leading us in this one. Arthur Miller's play, first performed in 1955, is a powerful and tragic exploration of love, jealousy and the destructive power of obsession. Set in the 1950s in an Italian-American neighbourhood in Brooklyn, New York, the play centres on Eddie Carbone and his complex relationship with his young niece, Catherine, and the misguided protectiveness that ultimately drives him to a tragic fate. The play’s portrayal of the nature of love and the consequences of unchecked passion, continues to resonate with audiences today.
Sunday 7 December
A Christmas Carol. David Greenwood will round off 2025 with Charles Dickens' timeless classic, brought to life in a joyous adaptation by Jack Thorne. One bitter Christmas Eve, a cold-hearted miser is visited by four ghosts. Transported to the past, present and future, Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses what a lifetime of selfishness and greed has led to, and sees with fresh eyes the aqualid life he has built for himself. Can Ebenezer be saved before it's too late? This adaptation of A Christmas Carol premiered at The Old Vic, London, in November 2017. It has played to sold out houses at the Old Vic every Christmas since then.
As a reminder, all of the above will take place at The Mill, Shottermill Rd, Haslemere GU27 3QE from 5.30pm onwards. We look forward to seeing you there.
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