It’s on the way! The Hexagon to gain a sibling

Reading’s famous Hexagon Theatre is gaining a sibling: work has started on the new Studio Theatre, which will open in the spring of 2027.

On Monday, July 14, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in the backstage area, which will soon be demolished, along with The Hexagon’s existing dock and stage door area.

In its place will come a new 200-seat Studio Theatre, which will complement the 1,600-seater Hexagon. The new stage will be used for live music, comedy gigs and community performances.

Also being installed will be a new backstage area for visiting artists to use, an upgraded technical area, and new office spaces for the Reading Arts team.

And on Queens Walk, there will be a new walkway into the two theatres, offering step-free access to anyone wanting to enjoy a performance, or to meet friends in a new bar complete with an outside seating area.

Designed to be flexible, this new foyer will also transform into a rehearsal and community space when performances are not scheduled, creating an alternative space in the local arts scene.

The Hexagon is now on a summer break to allow contractors Feltham Construction to start the work, but the show must go on. The theatre will reopen on Saturday, September 27, with the children’s musical extravaganza The Dinosaur that Pooped: A Rock Show, followed by Taylormania – A Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tribute on Sunday, September 28.

The Hexagon will continue as normal for the duration of the building works, including the annual pantomime. This year’s show will be Beauty and the Beast, and once again features Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse. Also returning will be the digital set that was pioneered last Christmas.

Tickets for all these shows are already on sale.

And when the work is complete, the two venues will co-exist side-by-side, as the focal point for the Minster Quarter development works that will transform the area around Queens Walk over the next decade.

Andy Brown, Managing Director of Feltham Construction Ltd which is building the new-look arts centre, said: “We will create a fantastic building that will be attractive and provide practical space for a mix of professional and community use. I can’t wait to see the final product.”

Among those present for the ceremony was Reading Borough Council leader Liz Terry, who said the plans for the Studio Theatre were really exciting: “The Studio Theatre builds off the work we are doing elsewhere at the Civic Centre (where the new Central Library is being built). We are bringing life into the town, particularly here, which sometimes feels like a forgotten part of Reading.

“I hope people will notice the broader range on offer at The Hexagon and the Studio Theatre, the latter being smaller and more intimate. They will discover different types of shows, from live music events to fun and comedy.

“We are expecting it will open up for community use as well. It will certainly be somewhere that local people feel is their space.”

That view is shared by Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward: “It will have a better community space – that has always been the proposal from the very beginning. This new space needs to belong to the community. They will be able to hire it and use it,” she says.

“We also can bring in smaller shows – we already host smaller local theatre companies at South Street and now there is an opportunity to get shows right in the centre of town, next to The Hexagon.

“It is going to be brilliant for the visibility of our local arts community.”

MORE CHEESELOGS: ‘Itchy’: Why Ardal O’Hanlon is coming to The Hexagon in October 2025

With The Hexagon and the Studio Theatre next to each other, some people may be worried about the future of South Street, which is a popular space for comedy, events, plays and smaller shows.

Cllr Barnett-Ward says that South Street’s artistic director John Luther has been involved in the project “from day one”.

“He is making sure we will have a Studio Theatre that can deliver not only the things that people love from what they get from a smaller theatre, but also to bring to Reading the sort of shows that he hasn’t been able to host at South Street, so we will be expanding and building on what we already have,” she explains.

“If John Luther is happy with it, I’m happy with it.”

Theatregoers will also be pleased at some of the improvements planned for The Hexagon: “I’m excited about the wider range of shows we will be able to have here because the get-in – where the trucks and things come in – will be in a better location.

“What we currently have has actually limited some of the shows that we have been able to bring to The Hexagon.

“So, we’re not only delivering this new Studio Theatre, but we are also resolving some of the issues we have had with The Hexagon and improving this much-loved and established theatre.

“It is absolutely going to be a huge improvement: a brand-new purpose-designed Studio Theatre that will sit with The Hexagon creating a campus of theatres … the people who live and work in Reading deserve to have something special and that is what we are going to have.”