Reading's 'Brutalist' venue breaks out the bubbly to celebrate 45 years

READING’S Hexagon is celebrating its 45th anniversary season. The iconic building was built by Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall in the Brutalist style and opened in 1977.

Children’s star Justin Fletcher, award-winning panto dame Paul Morse and the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk recently joined in the anniversary celebrations with a Gala Performance of the theatre’s flagship pantomime.

Jack and the Beanstalk - the12th in a long run of magical pantomime performances produced by the successful partnership of the Hexagon team and Imagine theatre.

The resident Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated the anniversary of their partnership with the Hexagon with a concert.

The orchestra, which has been playing concerts at the venue since 1978, launched a new Classical Music Alive season in November. They return on March 25 and May 5 next year.

The celebrations continue into 2023 with a ‘Hexabition’, exploring memorabilia from the Hexagon’s past and limited-edition Hex 45 merchandise.

Adele Barnett-Ward, lead councillor for leisure and culture, said: “While we celebrate the past 45 years we also have ambitions plans for the future of the Hex, with our aim to add a new performance space and our work to contribute to a net zero carbon Reading by 2030, as well as our exciting programme of shows for 2023.”