Actor-musician Jesus Christ Superstar and Rob Madge to feature in Watermill 2025 season

Exclusive: The Watermill Theatre has unveiled further shows in its 2025 season.

The summer musical will be a brand new actor-musician revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar, running from 24 June to 21 September. Directed by the venue’s artistic director Paul Hart, the production will feature set and costume design by David Woodhead, choreography by Anjali Mehra, and musical supervision by Stuart Morley.

Hart explained his vision for the show, saying: “It’s going to be really special for audiences to experience this legendary musical in the intimate setting of the Watermill, with music played live onstage and a semi-immersive staging which will spill out of the theatre into the gardens. We have expanded the run to 100 performances this year to ensure more people than ever have a chance to book for an unforgettable summer musical following our recent sell-out shows.”

From 3 October to 15 November, Charley’s Aunt will be staged in a new adaptation by Rob Madge. Directed by Sophie Drake, the farce follows two students attempting to navigate romance with the help of an absent aunt, leading to confusion and mistaken identities.

The festive season will see a new adaptation of The Little Mermaid by Lara Barbier, directed by Elgiva Field with songs by Amie Parsons. Running from 26 November to 4 January, the production will incorporate folk and sea shanty-inspired music.

Executive director Claire Murray took the time to explain some of the great strides the venue continues to take, as well as its international impact: “Working with EM Acoustics we’ve upgraded our sound system over the last month and we’re looking forward to having audiences experience these improvements – particularly on our actor-musician-led productions of Piaf, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Little Mermaid.

“We’re also delighted to see The Lord of the Rings, which started its life here in 2023, return to the UK in October with a run in Plymouth before heading on a European tour, and the continuing success of Calamity Jane which is entertaining audiences all over the country.

“The support of funders and donors and the commitment of our staff team has been essential to all of the work both in Newbury and beyond and we are indebted to everyone has been part of bringing these shows to life.”