The Mill At Sonning to reopen on 30 October

After nine months in lockdown, the UK’s only dinner theatre, The Mill At Sonning will reopen its theatre on 30 October with a season of cabaret, comedy, magic and plays ahead of a 2021 season that will include a new production of classic musical Top Hat.

The distinctive Thameside theatre which celebrated its 38th birthday in July will be re-named in honour of Ray Cooney in gratitude for the playwright’s support during lockdown.

Paying tribute to the writer whose farces have often been performed at the venue, artistic director Sally Hughes said: “I owe the most enormous thank you to a very special man – the wonderful Ray Cooney. When we had to close down he was straight in there with financial aid. He has called me every week during the last five months to see how we are getting on. Next year I will be producing a special Gala night and we are naming the auditorium after him.”

Cooney was one of a number of supporters and fundraisers who have helped The Mill stay afloat while only operating its adjoining restaurant with reduced seating. Mill Angel supporters and Hollywood star George Clooney and his wife Amal who are close neighbours and regular attendees are among those who have helped ensure the venue’s survival during the Covid-crisis.

Announcing the reopening of the theatre, The Mill team also unveiled details of its plans for 2021 which will include a new production of Cooney’s comedy Two Into One directed by Ron Aldridge (5 August-9 October 2021). The season will launch with director Robin Herford’s hit version of Alan Aykbourn’s comedy Relatively Speaking restaged for post-Covid performance. The season will also include a new production of classic film musical Top Hat directed by Jonathan O’Boyle and designed by Jason Denvir.

As with all venues reopening with social distancing measures in place, there is a much reduced capacity of 70 customers for dinner and show. Describing the post-lockdown design of The Mill, Hughes said: “Our in-house master carpenter has built small tables that will slot over the empty seats. These can move depending on the size of each group and will be dressed with small lights, so the auditorium will look more like an intimate cabaret space than a traditional theatre.”

During lockdown the venue used the auditorium space to film a series of video courses which will be released online in the coming months. The first will focus on professional make-up and the second which puts the spotlight on directing will be released in November. The Mill’s costume designer Natalie Tichener has also been making face masks using spare material from costumes from recent productions. Available at the venue, the masks cost £6 with a £1 from each mask sold going to local charities.

Angela Thomas