Last Abbot of Reading resurrected in Abbey ruins

The Last Abbot of Reading will be staged outdoors in Reading Abbey Ruins on the 900th Anniversary of the Abbey.

Previews run from June 11-15, with performances between June 16 and July 3.

Reading’s multi-award-winning production company, RABBLE Theatre, return to live performance after over a year of closed theatres, with significant support from Arts Council England.

The Last Abbot of Reading, written by Newbury’s Beth Flintoff, will take place outdoors in the Chapter House of Reading Abbey ruins, once the envy of all Europe, which commemorates its 900th anniversary at the same time as the show itself.

The production follows in the vein of RABBLE’s successful Conquerors Trilogy by celebrating the extraordinary history of this region of England. Beth’s dramatic play tells the tale of Reading’s unlikely last Abbot, Hugh Faringdon, and his devastating relationship with Henry VIII.

Reading Abbey Ruins are immediately beside and underneath Oscar Wilde’s Reading Gaol.

Watch The Last Abbot of Reading, Making Of film: https://youtu.be/qZl97zm9Irc

The production was made possible thanks to public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Formerly known as Reading Between the Lines (RBL), RABBLE was formed in 2012 by a group of actors. The Ensemble of monks and nuns will be played by members of Get Up On Stage, RABBLE’s weekly adult acting class.

Alongside creating work of national significance, the company produce themed art exhibitions and interactive performances, deliver workshops, run education programmes across Berkshire and engage with various local institutions - they are a key figure in the community.

www.rabbletheatre.com