A few parting thoughts, from outgoing Artistic Director of the 2025/26 season, Jerry Radburn

As the 2025/26 season comes to a close, we’ve sat down with outgoing Artistic Director Jerry Radburn to reflect on the last 12 months at Wokingham Theatre.

My time as AD has drawn to a close and now is the time to reflect. It has been hugely successful both artistically and financially. Most productions sold over 90% and feedback from the audience haas been overwhelmingly glowing. Not everyone will engage with each play but I hope the balance of this season provided an enjoyable and satisfying experience.

Before I start a whistle stop tour of the plays I would like to thank Janice, Hedda, Emma, Jenny and Andy, my colleagues on the play reading committee responsible for putting this season together.

I would also like to sing the praises of a number of back stage groups who make Wokingham Theatre such an outstanding venue for theatre. Firstly our exceptional team of set builders who never fail to amaze me with the construction, quality, detail and imagination of the sets. The sets are often greeted with rounds of applause and rightly so. We are truly blessed that a group of such talented individuals give up so much time to create the backbone of a show.

The costumiers are another outstanding group, going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the accuracy and detail of the costumes. The technicians that we have in lighting and sound have been marvellous this season, with demands from toilet flushes to birdsong and Victorian door bells  and lighting adding atmosphere tension and mood to scenes. Thank you.

Over the years WT has amassed what seems like a museum of props and furniture and if they don’t have it they always manage to conjure something up.  All the set dressing has been first class and much appreciated.

Also I need to mention all the volunteers who commit hours to front of house, bar, box office and other unseen requirements that have made the season go smoothly.Thank you to everyone who has dedicated their time and expertise to every show this season.

Looking back on the productions I will just highlight a few things that I remember from each one. The performance standards have been magnificent by all cast members so these memories are just a selection of each show. 

Dead Guilty, a psychological thriller about gaslighting and coercive control, demanded  and got committed performances from its small cast. There were real shades of Misery with Annie Wilkes and the hobbling hammer! The performances were supported by a beautiful and spacious set  design, which set a very high standard for the season.

As a fan of Rattigan I loved watching the polished performances and elegance of The Winslow Boy. It’s a very traditional piece that delivers real emotional punch and this production delivered in spades. No one element dominated but it was a totally satisfying unified experience.

I thought The Unfriend would make an ideal Christmas treat. The cast and director delivered  as expected but I was there on the night they were upstaged by a low flying toilet brush. I think it also ended up in the audience. At least it hadn’t been used! That’s one of the lovely things about theatre, the unexpected!

Lovesong was a tender and beautiful meditation on a marriage at different stages of life and was deeply moving. I remember particularly the surreal images of characters appearing out of a wardrobe and fridge and it all seeming perfectly natural and harmonious.The effective use of technology in the sky sequences enhanced the rich performances.

The Youth Theatre production of Frankenstein was a massive achievement. Aside from the terrific performances the use of projections and set added hugely to the play’s success. One of the best productions YT has done.

I was eager to include The Watsons in the season. It is surreal, funny and thoughtful. The stage was fizzing with energy and my overriding memory was that it was  lovely to see so many young and new actors on stage obviously having a great time. A truly exciting production.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is not to everyone’s taste but is an American classic. I love its ferocity and sadness. This production had excellent performances which drove the  play. It was like watching an emotional boxing match. Not the easiest watch but I was thrilled that WT has actors capable of sustaining and performing such a difficult piece.

Romantic Comedy was a  joyous piece in the style of old school plays by the likes of Noel Coward. Beautifully performed it was brilliantly enhanced by the technical visuals which created a skyline and effortlessly changed  the seasons. This production and Frankenstein showed how well WT can keep developing styles to enhance presentation.

An Ideal Husband, the final show, was a wonderful end to the season. I will remember it for many reasons. A beautifully designed and dressed set, the energy of a young cast, a very well drilled ensemble, wonderful direction and vision by the director. Upstaging all this was the night that the door stuck and it was a crucial device! No time to call Emergency SOS but the cast coped beautifully and nobody had to enter via the fireplace! And yes, I caused it.

The season has had so many highlights and I have been proud of every single production. Difficult issues were sorted out but at the heart of everything is concern for the quality and staging of the productions that we present for the public.

Wokingham Theatre is truly blessed in the number of volunteers and the skills that they bring to the place, but it will only continue if people volunteer.

I’m now signing off as AD and really looking forward to the next season. Good luck to our new Artistic Director, Thomas.

You can find out what productions will be coming to Wokingham Theatre next season here with details of the latest auditions to be found here.