Bench Theatre is an award-winning amateur theatre group based at The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant, UK.
For tickets to any Bench show at The Spring, call the box office on (023) 9247 2700
Our April 2024 production is Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh
Abigail’s Party is a darkly humorous look at 1970’s society, attitudes and social aspirations.
Beverly and Laurence are holding a soirée for their suburban neighbours - new residents Angela and Tony and divorced single mother Sue who is not welcome at her own house where a rowdy party is being hosted by her teenage daughter Abigail.
As the evening progresses the initial civility, fuelled by drink and awkward revelations, exposes tensions between Beverly and Laurence which escalate into an explosive and unexpected conclusion.
Funny, poignant and at times deeply uncomfortable.
Performances:
Thursday 18th April until Saturday 20th April 2024 at 7:30pm
Wednesday 24th April until Saturday 27th April 2024 at 7:30pm
Saturday 20th April Matinee at 2:30pm (matinee)
Ticket Prices
£13.00, concessions £11.00
Thursday 18th April. Buy one get one half price (on cheapest ticket)
Bench members and Friends: Free
Our July 2024 production will be Pygmalion by George Bernard-Shaw
The captivating story of George Bernard Shaw’s 'Pygmalion' has been entertaining audiences for decades, delving into themes of gender, class and the importance of education.
Eliza Doolittle, a young lady from London’s impoverished streets, has aspirations. After an accidental encounter with Colonel Pickering and Professor Henry Higgins, Eliza approaches Higgins for speech lessons to improve her lot in life. Pickering wagers that Eliza cannot be presented as a lady amongst the upper echelons of London society, and during this life-changing adventure, Eliza learns difficult and often embarrassing lessons that cause her to question Higgins’ preconceived assumptions about gender roles and social class. Eliza is brilliantly irrepressible as she defies the stereotype that Higgins attempts to fit her into, leading to an explosively humourous, caustic, and gentle satire.
Bench Theatre invites you to enjoy Shaw’s wonderful sense of character, his keen ear for dialogue and his sparkling wit as Eliza attempts to shed her humble beginnings. And for all the play’s rumbustious energy, there is a perhaps unexpected poignancy as this very funny play approaches its conclusion.
Performances:
Thursday 4th July & Friday 5th July 2024 at 7:30pm
Wednesday 10th July until Saturday 13th July 2024 at 7:30pm
Saturday 6th & Saturday 13th July at 2:30pm (matinees)
Ticket Prices
£13.00, concessions £11.00
Thursday 4th July. Buy one get one half price (on cheapest ticket)
Bench members and Friends: Free
Our February 2024 production was The Father written by Florian Zeller (translated by Christopher Hampton)
Andre is a man facing persecution from all sides, and he refuses to take it any longer. First some girl steals his favorite watch. Then his daughter Anne tries to take his flat away -- the beautiful flat he’s had for over thirty years. His daughter Elise, the one he actually loves, never comes to visit. And to top it off, strangers keep entering Andre’s flat, telling him that they are his friends and family, telling him that he doesn’t live in his flat anymore. However aged he may be, Andre knows that he is a powerful man, a man of authority, and he will find some way to assert it. After all, he still has all his faculties…. Doesn’t he?
In a darkly humorous and deeply poignant translation by Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller’s The Father is a tragi-comic mystery, emotionally intense look at the world through the eyes of a man experiencing dementia. The play was considered as 'the most acclaimed new play of the last decade' and won the Moliere Award for Best Play in 2014. The play has subsequently been made into an award-winning film starring Anthony Hopkins.
The video trailer for this show can be found on YouTube at Trailer for 'The Father', February 2024
Our 2023 November production was Love Bites written by Mark Wakeman
Come one, come all, for an adventure at the theatre, as Bench offers you two nights of new work from award-winning playwright Mark Wakeman in a series of one-act plays.
Love Bites is a celebration of love in all its forms, how we try to escape it, pursue it and hold on to it. We can promise you love and laughter, loss and sadness, romance and hope… all in the same evening!
The characters show us how love shapes their lives in a wide range of scenarios and situations - at work, with family, on special occasions and apparently mundane ordinary life - and invite us to share in their triumphs and reflections.
A night of uplifting bite-sized plays about life in all its joy, mundanity and chaos; guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Why not check out our promotional video on YouTube, Trailer for LOVE BITES, November 2023
Totton Performance Cancellation:
Unfortunately, due to illness, the Bench Theatre performance of 'Goodbye' by Mark Wakeman on Tuesday 19th March at the Hanger Farm Arts Centre has been cancelled.
Upcoming Dates:
Mar 24th | 'Pygmalion' Auditions |
Mar 26th | 'Pygmalion' Auditions |
Apr 4th | Club Night |
Apr 14th | 'Abigail's Party' Get-In |
Apr 28th | 'Abigail's Party' Get-Out |
May 2nd | Sept/Nov Play Selection |
Jun 6th | Club Night |
Jun 30th | 'Pygmalion' Get-In |
Jul 14th | 'Pygmalion' Get-Out |
Jul 18th | Club Night |
Sep 5th | Annual General Meeting |
Sep 8th | Sept Production Get-In |
Sep 15th | Sept Production Get-Out |
Oct 3rd | Club Night |
Nov 7th | Club Night |
Nov 10th | Nov Production Get-In |
Nov 24th | Nov Production Get-Out |
Dec 5th | Club Night |
Next Auditions:
The auditions for our July production, Pygmalion will take place on Sunday 24th March at 2.30pm and on Tuesday 26th March at 7.30pm. Both auditions will take place in The Saltings room at The Spring (the one behind the the theatre). Cast details have been e-mailed to members. Keep an eye on our Facebook page at Bench Theatre for latest information.
Next Club Night:
Our next club night after Play Selection will be on the 4th April. This club night is aimed at budding new directors looking for some practise. Please come along if you want to give directing a go or if you want to be directed.
Club nights start at 7:45pm in the Harrison Room at the Spring Arts Centre (this is the room up the stairs from the foyer). These are opportunities for Bench Members to meet up either on a particular topic or just as a social. Members, Friends of the Bench and prospective members are welcome.
Play Selection for September and November 2024:
Play selection meeting for our September and November productions will take place at 7.45pm on the Thursday 2nd May. Calling notice to prospective directors to be sent out in due course.
Bench YouTube Channel:
The Bench Theatre has a YouTube Channel from which you can stream our trailers and other videos, check it out at Bench Theatre YouTube Channel.
Bench Miscellaneous
Havant Borough Council run the Havant Borough Community Lottery which supports good causes locally. Bench Theatre has been accepted as one of those good causes.
This is a small lottery with the emphasis very much on community and supporting good causes. That is where you come in! We would like to invite you, your friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues to take part, have some fun and support Bench Theatre.
Please visit Havant Borough Community Lottery website. Click on buy tickets, then on 'Support a specific cause'. Search for Bench Theatre then follow the instructions.
Bench Theatre will be very grateful for your support in this exciting new venture!
Members are gently reminded that membership cards must be offered at The Spring box office when claiming free member ticket(s). These tickets are for the named member only and are not transferable to family and/or friends.
Interested? Why not follow us on Instagram or become a fan of Bench on Facebook? You can also subscribe to our email newsletter by sending a message to
info-subscribe@benchtheatre.org.uk
© Bench Theatre 2011, registered charity 291935