Three Hens in a Boat at The Watermill

Lovingly Inspired by the literary classic Three Men in a Boat, Camille Ucan’s debut play, Three Hens in a Boat is a bold, laugh-out-loud comedy which charts the twist and turns of intergenerational family dynamics on a hen do with a difference. 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.  This fresh, female-led adaptation 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 captures the essence of what bonds a family together – humour, forgiveness and unconditional love. The play is a joint Reading Rep and Watermill production which plays at The Watermill from May 22 to June 7. To book tickets click here.

Making her bold playwriting debut, Camille Ucan will also take on the role of Jay in this production. Camille is best known for her hilarious performances in Tom Basden’s BBC comedy Here We Go and is a series regular in Alex Horne’s CH4 series The Horne Section. 

Camille Ucan said, “When Jerome K. Jerome wrote Three Men in a Boat, he may not have expected that over a hundred years later it would inspire a play about three ‘hens’ on a hen party! 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. 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 and I’m really looking forward to performing alongside the amazing actors we have cast. 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!” 

Camille will be joined by Verona Roseas Gloria and Ellen O’Gradyas Claudette. Verona Rose is a comedy writer performer who is best known for BBC Three Threesomes series Fully Blown, nominated for a Broadcast Digital Award 2020. Verona stars and writes for the latest series Top Boy on Netflix and appears in new DAVE comedy Sneakerhead. She is also known for Horrible Histories (BBC), Sparks (CH4), Girls Go Trolling (CH4). More recently, she can be seen in Channel 4’s The Pharmacy. 

Ellen O’Gradyhas worked in a variety of theatre productions including television, commercial and feature film. Ellen has toured America in Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame. Ellen played Sarragina in the original cast of the musical Nine at The Royal Festival Hall and is featured on the show’s cast recording. Ellen’s theatre credits also include the Olivier Award-nominated revival of Porgy & Bess at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Dionne in the European tour of Hair, Louise in Four Figures with Harlequin at Royal Opera House and Morgan Le Fey in Camelot at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. 

This production 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 Watermill Theatre is one of the UK’s most successful regional producing theatres, renowned for its innovative and playful productions which celebrate diverse stories through new writing and reinvigorated classics.  This co-production forms part of a vibrant 2025 season, which 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, said, “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, will direct 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. Abigail Pickard Price said,  “Camille’s brilliantly funny adaptation sees us board the boat for a journey many know so well, but through an entirely new lens, and what a treat it is to work on. A piece with such hilarity and such heart, it shines real light on what makes a family. It is incredibly exciting to be a part of this terrific team taking the audience on this familiar river route but this time with the rather unusual set up of a collective hen do, or so it seems…” 

Lauryn Redding, known for her award-winning debut gig-musical Bloody Elle and starring in the West End transfer of the Olivier Award-winning musical Standing At The Sky’s Edge, has composed the score for the production.  

Joining them on the creative team are Jasmine Swan (Coming To England – UK Tour, Babies the Musical – The Other Palace) as Set and Costume Designer,  Sarita Piotrowski (The Tempest at RSC, Dixon and Daughters at the National) as Movement Director, Jonathan Chan (Kim’s Convenience – Park Theatre, Riverside Studios & UK Tour, Pinocchio – Watermill Theatre) as Lighting Designer and Ella Wahlström (Peter Pan Goes Wrong – UK Tour, West End and Broadway, Pinocchio – Watermill Theatre) as Sound Designer.