Cast Set For DON'T ROCK THE BOAT at The Mill at Sonning
Performances run 10 July - 6 September.
By: Stephi Wild Jun. 13, 2025
The cast has been announced for Don't Rock The Boat, directed by Sally Hughes, at The Mill at Sonning. Performances run 10 July - 6 September.
In Robin Hawdon's brilliant comedy, set on a wild ride down the river Thames, the tranquil river waters soon turn into a storm in a teacup
Brash, self-made property tycoon Arthur Bullhead (Steven Pinder) is on a mission to seal the deal of his dreams. But instead of a boardroom, he chooses the quirky setting of his converted riverside barge, the Bunty, for a weekend getaway with the local planning committee chairman and his unsuspecting family.
Little do they know, Bullhead's idea of a relaxing weekend involves more chaos than calm. With personalities clashing like bumper cars at a fairground, the stage is set for a comedy of errors as Bullhead's shady business tactics clash with the straight-laced Coombes family's morals faster than you can say “high tide.”
As the weekend unfolds, Bullhead's antics leave the Coombes in knots, with his offer dangling like a carrot on a fishing line. But will they take the bait, or will they stage a mutiny on the Bunty?! With Bullhead's skittish wife Mary and rebellious daughter Shirley adding fuel to the fire, it's a recipe for hilarity that'll leave you in stitches!
Cast:
Francesca Barrett (Shirley Bullhead) is best known or playing Beka Levy in Holby City and Casualty.
Hannah Brown (Wendy Coombes) was Zoe in Greatest Days (UK Tour), Peter's Mother in The Magician's Elephant (RSC), Natalya in Preludes (Southwark Playhouse).
Rachel Fielding (Carol Coombes) played the mother of a profoundly deaf child in the Oscar-winning film, The Silent Child. At The Mill she appeared in It Runs in the Family, Father of the Bride, Love Loss and What I Wore, Relatively Speaking, Barefoot in the Park and Calendar Girls.
Harry Gostelow (John Coombes) was last seen at The Mill in It's Her Turn Now, Funny Money, The House On Cold Hill and Two Into One. Recent theatre credit includes Witness For The Prosecution (County Hall) and Coram Boy (Chichester Festival Theatre).
Melanie Gutteridge (Mary Bullhead) was in Abigail's Party (UK Tour), Spider's Web, Enchanted April, Alone Together (Mill at Sonning), Roaring Trade (Park Theatre).
Steven Pinder (Arthur Bullhead) is best known for playing Max Farnham in Channel 4's Brookside from 1990 until the show ended in 2003. He most recently played Doctor Dillamond in Wicked in the West End. He previously appeared at The Mill at Sonning in It Runs in the Family, Calendar Girls, Funny Money, Two Into One, Who's Under Where?, Father of the Bride, Scared To Death and The Sound of Murder.
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