Reading Rep announces landmark 25/26 season
Fast becoming one of the UK’s most formidable regional powerhouses, Reading Rep Theatre announces a bold 2025/26 season featuring its first musical, major revivals, and co-productions with top-tier national partners. Building on critically acclaimed productions and national touring success, the season positions Reading Rep at the forefront of British regional theatre. With past productions hailed as ‘heart-stopping theatre’ (The Telegraph) and ‘sincere and moving’ (The Guardian), Reading Rep has quickly become a critical darling beyond Berkshire.
READING REP THEATRE’S FIRST MUSICAL
THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Friday 19 September - Sunday 12 October 2025
NEW STAGING OF BETH FLINTOFF’S READING-BASED ADAPTATION
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Friday 28 November 2025 - Saturday 3 January 2026
WILLY RUSSELL’S BELOVED MODERN CLASSIC
EDUCATING RITA
Thursday 26 February - Saturday 21 March 2026
NOËL COWARD’S SPARKLING ROMANTIC COMEDY
PRIVATE LIVES
Thursday 16 April - Saturday 9 May 2026
RABBIT ON THE RUN — A JOYFUL ADVENTURE FOR EARLY YEARS AUDIENCES
(18–21 February 2026)
25/26 SEASON WILL ALSO CONTINUE ITS COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY TO ITS PROGRAMME WITH £5 UNDER 30S TICKETS DURING PREVIEWS
“We’re building something special… and there’s so much more to come” Paul Stacey. As Berkshire’s flagship producing theatre, Reading Rep is putting the town on the cultural map. A vital voice in the UK’s regional theatre landscape, they prove you don’t need to travel into London for a West End Quality theatre and a great night out! With its award-winning ENGAGE programme and dynamic pricing model, Reading Rep continues to lead the way in audience development and inclusive practice.
Reading Rep Theatre will open the new season with their first musical production, a new revival production of Jason Robert Brown’s cult-favourite contemporary musical The Last Five Years. The musical, which is co-produced with The Barn Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath, will make its debut in Reading from Friday 19 September - Sunday 12 October ahead of subsequent runs in Cirencester and Bath.
For the festive season, the theatre will produce a new staging of Beth Flintoff’s 5* acclaimed adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which relocates Charles Dickens’ seminal story to Reading and the iconic Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory. The adaptation, which had past sell-out runs in 2021 and 2022 in Reading, will run from Friday 28 November 2025 - Saturday 3 January 2026. A perfect family night out with a local twist. Chris Cumings (Peter Pan, The Snow Queen) returns to direct the new staging of Reading Rep’s Christmas show, who was previously co-director and movement director on the prior incarnations of the show.
Reading Rep Theatre will present a brand new production of Willy Russell’s beloved modern classic Educating Rita. The comedy, which follows working class hairdresser Rita and her Open University tutor Frank, will run from Thursday 26 February - Saturday 21 March 2026. The production marks their first staging of Willy Russell’s work.
The season will continue with a modernised new staging of Noël Coward’s sparkling romantic comedy Private Lives. The production, which will run from Thursday 16 April - Saturday 9 May.
Paul Stacey, Founding Artistic Director, Reading Rep Theatre: “This season captures what makes Reading Rep unique: bold takes on classic stories, collaborations with world-renowned playwrights, and a company of outstanding creative talent. Every show is made right here in Reading — and this year, we’re proud to be working alongside some of the UK’s leading theatres, including Theatre Royal Bath. It’s a season that reflects how far we’ve come, and where we’re headed. Following Reading Rep’s transfers of *Jekyll and Hyde* to the Lyceum and a national tour last year, and with multiple productions now in development with national partners, we’re building something special”
Nick Thompson, Executive Director, Reading Rep Theatre: “This is our biggest and boldest season yet — with something for everyone. From our first-ever major musical revival to festive favourites and timeless comedies from Noël Coward and Willy Russell, it’s the perfect year to experience everything Reading Rep has to offer. Whether you’re planning a great night out with friends or looking to discover Reading’s hidden gem, there’s no better time to join us. And we’ve still got one surprise show left to announce…”
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