A new play, Three Hens In A Boat, has opened at Reading Rep Theatre where it is receiving its world premiere ahead of a transfer to Newbury’s Watermill Theatre.
Inspired by Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men In A Boat, the show is said to be a bold, laugh-out-loud comedy with heart and family truths at the centre of its storytelling.
And the play, which runs until Saturday, May 17, at the east Reading theatre is a extra special for its author Camille Ucan: it is her debut show and she is starring in it too.
Three Hens In A Boat tells the story of a hen do where intergenerational family dynamics are on full view.
The Hens are navigating the River Thames from Kingston to Henley and almost all the way down the aisle, Claudette, Gloria and Jay’s well-intentioned family outing soon devolves into a series of hilarious misadventures.
Reading Rep Theatre says this is a fresh, female-led adaptation that takes the text and flips it on its head, promising a riotous yet deeply touching exploration of family relationships and the importance of speaking your truth.
Three Hens in a Boat aims captures the essence of what bonds a family together – humour, forgiveness and unconditional love.
Camille plays Jay in this production. She is best known for her roles in Tom Basden’s BBC comedy Here We Go and is a series regular in Alex Horne’s Channel 4 series The Horne Section.
She is joined by Verona Rose as Gloria and Ellen O’Grady as Claudette.
Verona is a comedy writer performer who is best known for BBC Three series Fully Blown, and she stars and writes for the latest series Top Boy on Netflix and appears in new DAVE comedy Sneakerhead.
Ellen has worked in a variety of theatre productions including television, commercial and feature film, including the Olivier Award-nominated revival of Porgy & Bess at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Dionne in the European tour of Hair.
“When Jerome K Jerome wrote Three Men in a Boat, he may not have expected that more than 100 years later it would inspire a play about three ‘hens’ on a hen party,” Camille says of Three Hens In A Boat.
“Jerome’s romp of a novel provided me the perfect backdrop to celebrate the fun and interrogate the frictions between female family dynamics.
“I also wanted to explore heritage and how three generations in the same family connect with their own stories, inspired by my Guyanese grandmother and our own hand-me-down history.”
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She continues: “I hope you enjoy watching the characters muse and meander along the River Thames as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. It has been so much fun reimagining this comedy classic for a modern audience.”
This production of Three Hens In A Boat marks a long-awaited new collaboration between the two award-winning Berkshire theatres, with the production running at Reading Rep Theatre from 1-17 May and the Watermill Theatre in Newbury from 22 May–7 June.
The Newbury neighbour is renowned for its innovative and playful productions including a critically acclaimed adaptation of Lord of the Rings. This year’s season includes a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and a new adaptation of Charley’s Aunt.
Paul Hart and Claire Murray, Joint CEOs at the Watermill Theatre, say: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with the team at Reading Rep Theatre on Camille Ucan’s brilliant new comedy.
“It combines all the comic capers of Jerome K. Jerome’s classic novel whilst capturing the intricacies of family dynamics – leading to a riotous trip down the Thames for our three hens.
“As an independent charity, without any statutory funding, we’re proud to be able to continue to invest in new writing.”
Abigail Pickard Price, Associate Director at the Watermill Theatre, is directing the world premiere.
For the Watermill Theatre, Abigail has directed productions of Macbeth, Our Man in Havana, Just So, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Prince and the Pauper and Burke & Hare.
Paul Stacey, Artistic Director at Reading Rep Theatre, is delighted with the collaboration.
“Three Hens in a Boat is a brilliant, contemporary take on a beloved classic, packed with heart and humour,” he says.
“Collaborating with the Watermill Theatre on this world premiere not only strengthens our regional theatre scene but also amplifies new voices like Camille’s.
“We’re proud to bring this ambitious production to life and continue our commitment to telling bold, innovative stories on stage.”
And Camille is looking forward to audiences discovering what she has devised for Three Hens In A Boat.
She jokes: “If you’re a die-hard fan of the book then sorry I got rid of all the men, but I reckon you’ll still love it.”
How can I get tickets for Three Hens In A Boat?
Three Hens In A Boat is being performed at Reading Rep Theatre on Kings Road, east Reading, until Saturday, May 17.
Tickets are available from readingrep.com
The Watermill leg runs from Thursday, May 22 through to Saturday, June 7.
Tickets for both venues cost from £15.
For more details, log on to: watermill.org.uk
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