AN OSCAR winning actor has given her backing to a play coming to Reading’s historic Abbey ruins later this month.
Kate Winslet, who grew up in the town and honed her craft in the Starmaker creative arts school, is looking forward to RABBLE Theatre’s production of Henry I.
The creative team from the theatre have been busy preparing to turn the historic site, thought to be close to where the historic king was buried, into an open-air auditorium.
Curtain up is on Thursday, June 15, and the play runs until July 1. It then transfers to Winchester’s Great Hall and then the Actor’s Church in Covent Garden.
Ms Winslet, who recently appeared in the sequels to Avatar, was full of praise for RABBLE’s vision.
“Buried in my hometown of Reading, Henry I founded Reading Abbey in a desperate plea to God to forgive him for his sins,” she said.
“It’s phenomenal that RABBLE have gained the permission to stage their ambitious production, directly above his burial site, at Reading Abbey.
“Beyond here, they will head to Winchester Great Hall and then on to Covent Garden.
“As a proud Reading girl, I’m thrilled that theatre of such a high quality, that is both diverse and inclusive, is coming to my community-rich home town this summer.”
Playwright Beth Flintoff is also looking forward to seeing the play come to life.
“It’s as if the story beats a constant rhythm back to Reading, and having been born in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, that was very exciting for me,” she said, adding that RABBLE were working to be as inclusive as possible.
“It would have been easy to make this play with 10 parts for men and one for a woman, but audiences are sick of that, and I didn’t want to write it,” Ms Flintoff explained.
“Women don’t get much of a look-in with history books from this period unless they were wives of someone important, but that’s only because of cultural attitudes, not because they didn’t do much.”
The play will include a soundtrack co-created by classical composer Rosalind Steele and award-winning electronic dance DJ, Benjamin Hudson, with sound design by Bafta nominee Gilbert Lake.
As well as backing from Ms Winslet, RABBLE has the support of Sir John Madejski.
“RABBLE’s work is astonishing and what they’ve done for the cultural reputation of Reading is incomparable. Henry I is an event not to be missed,” he said.
And Melvin Benn, a patron of RABBLE and managing director of Festival Republic, is also supportive.
“When I saw RABBLE’s Matilda the Empress in 2017, I immediately contacted the artistic directors to hear more about their work and how Festival Republic might be able to support them,” he said.
“The visual impact of that show, the themes of gender equality and the idiocy of violence resonated deeply and to see a production of that calibre in Reading… I was blown away.
“This year, from speaking with the team, I firmly believe that Henry I, staged in Reading Abbey Ruins, Winchester Great Hall and Covent Garden’s Actor’s Church, has the potential to be a cultural event that audiences speak of for a very long time.
“I hope to see you there.”
For more details, or to book tickets, log on to: www.rabbletheatre.com
