Charley’s Aunt at The Watermill Theatre

A brand new adaptation of Charley’s Aunt opens at The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury, on Friday October 3 and runs until Saturday November 15. Based on the play by Brandon Thomas, the new adaptation has been written by Rob Madge, the award-winning creator of My Son’s a Queer (But what can you do?) 

Two scheming students, Charley and Jack, must circumnavigate the curmudgeonly Spettigue to declare their feelings to love interests Amy and Kitty.  The promised arrival of Charley’s Aunt gives them an opportunity and the best laid plans are set.
One delayed arrival, one fortuitous arrival and lots of classic comic confusion later, the champagne is finally poured at a dinner party to remember. Mistaken identities, new identities and the discovery of true identities, will love – old and new – triumph through it all? Book online at The Watermill click here or via the Box Office on 01635 46044.

Joint CEOs of the Watermill Paul Hart and Claire Murray said, “We’re excited to have such a brilliant team bringing the hilarious Charley’s Aunt to life at the Watermill.  Rob’s new version of this well-loved farce keeps all the quick wit, comedy, and elaborate ruses of the original, but views love, relationships, and identity through a modern lens in a fresh and playful update. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Charley’s Aunt at the Watermill, and we’re looking forward to a riotous autumn!” 

The cast for Charley’s Aunt includes: Jonathan Case (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End, Our Last First and The Jungle, St Ann’s Warehouse) who will play ‘Charley Wykeham’; alongside Richard Earl (Bang Bang! Exeter Northcott, Flat Out, Upstairs at The Gatehouse, Travels with my Aunt with Creative Cow) as ‘Spettigue’;  Elijah Ferreira (The Mad Gay King, King’s Head Theatre, Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol, Reading Rep Theatre) as ‘Eli Delahay’; Max Gill (Fangirls, Lyric Hammersmith, The Boy In The Dress, RSC, Fly More Than You Fall,  Southwark Playhouse) as ‘Babbs’; Mae Munuo (Romeo and Juliet, New Wolsey Theatre, Rough Magic, Shakespeare’s Globe, Box Of Delights, RSC) as ‘Amy Spettigue’; Yasemin Özdemir (The Merry Wives of Windsor and School for Scandal, RSC, Hansel & Gretel, Shakespeare’s Globe) as ‘Kitty Verdun’; Maggie Service (A Hundred Feet Tall and A Flea In Her Ear, The Old Vic, The Witches, Rules For Living, National Theatre) as ‘Donna Lucia d’Alvadorez’; and Benjamin Westerby (Mrs Warren’s Profession, West End, Witness For The Prosecution, West End, Chariots of Fire, Sheffield Crucible) as ‘Jack Chesney’. 

Charley’s Aunt will be directed by Sophie Drake with set & costume design by Alex Berry, lighting design by Ben Jacobs and sound design from Russell Ditchfield. The score will be composed by Lauryn Redding who returns to the Watermill after her composition work on Three Hens in a Boat. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey, CSM, Fern Bamber, DSM and Natalie Toney, ASM. Casting by Cydney Beech.