Our 2nd production in 2019 is A Bunch of Amateurs written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, and directed by Tasmin Halford.

Jefferson Steele is a fading Hollywood star. When he finds out his agent has landed him the title role in King Lear over in the UK, he believes he will be making his big comeback performing for the RSC. So he is somewhat dismayed when he arrives in England to discover that he has in fact joined 'The Stratford Players', a small local amateur dramatics company, fighting to save their theatre from closure.

Hilarity ensues as the worlds of Hollywood and Amateur dramatics collide. As Jefferson's ego, vanity and insecurities are pushed to the limit by the over enthusiastic thespians, he is about to be taken on a journey he never could've imagined.

As part of Bench's 50th Birthday year, join us as we celebrate all things AmDram with the play described as 'A love letter to the world of Amateur Dramatics'.

Performances:

Wednesday 10th April until Saturday 13th April at 7:30pm

Ticket Prices

11.00, concessions 9.00

Special Offer: Thursday 4th April - Buy one get one half price (half price applies to the cheapest ticket purchased)

Bench members and Friends: free

Our 3rd production in 2019 is The Deep Blue Sea written by Terence Rattigan, and directed by Andrew Caple.

A run-down tenement flat in North-West London. A single day in 1951. Hester Collyer has left her wealthy husband, a man she can't love the way she wants, to live with an ex-RAF pilot, a man who can't love her the way she needs. Left emotionally stranded, she can't see a way forward and going back is unbearable. She's stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. As the day unravels, some desperate decisions need to be made.

Dont miss this opportunity to see Terence Rattigan's exquisitely crafted masterpiece about the inequality of desire. A portrait of need, loneliness and long-repressed passion which burns with a brutal sense of loss and longing. A deeply moving love story hidden behind the fragile veneer of post-war civility with, at its heart, one of the greatest female roles in 20th century theatre.

Performances:

Wednesday 17th July until Saturday 20th July at 7:30pm

Supernova is our festival of new writing and since the first Supernova in September 2000, we have performed 68 new plays by authors from around the UK.

Our first performance of 2019 was "Supernova 8"

Ten brand new works were performed twice over the space of a week, each directed and performed by our award-winning membership.

Plays performed on Wednesday evening were repeated on Friday evening.

Plays performed on Thursday evening were repeated on Saturday evening.

Performances:

Wednesday 6th February until Saturday 9th February 2019

Our final production in 2018 was Seasons Greetings written by Alan Ayckbourn, and directed by Marion Ward

It is Christmas Eve in the home of Neville and Belinda Bunker. Belinda's sister Rachel is waiting for her friend, novelist Clive, to arrive for a few days. Heavily pregnant Pattie and her husband Eddie are at loggerheads while in the kitchen Auntie Phyllis's efforts to prepare the dinner are hampered by her drunken and clumsy antics. Her doctor husband Bernard's seasonal highlight is his puppet theatre entertainment and retired security guard Uncle Harvey has a rather unseasonal stash of weapons with him……

Mayhem is quickly unleashed leading to a romantic tryst, an unforgettable puppet show and maybe even a murder …… .Come and watch this comedy festive classic unravel !!!

Performances:

Saturday 24th November 2018 2:30pm

Our fourth production in 2018 was Constellations written by Nick Payne, and directed by Dan Finch

Roland and Marianne meet at a barbecue. They talk, but he's married.

Roland and Marianne meet at a barbecue. They talk, but he's just out of a relationship.

Roland and Marianne meet at a barbecue. They talk. They hit it off.

This is a play about free will and relationships. Focusing on one couple's connection and the varying possible outcomes of their lives across parallel universes, it encompasses quantum multiverse theory, love, dancing and honey.

Our third production in 2018 was The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde, and directed by Mark Wakeman

Algernon wants to marry Cecily.

Jack wants to marry Gwendolyn.

Unfortunately Cecily and Gwendolyn both want to marry a man called Ernest. The only problem is it's the same man called Ernest. Or is it?

The course of true love never runs smooth, especially with the formidable Lady Bracknell on the loose who is determined that no one should marry anyone. Can the secret to this confusion really lie in an old, battered handbag?

Join Bench Theatre for this hilarious production of Oscar Wilde's most famous comedy.