Photos: In Rehearsal for THREE HENS IN A BOAT World Premiere

Reading Rep Theatre and the Watermill Theatre has released photos from inside rehearsal for the world premiere of Camille Ucan’s debut play, Three Hens in a Boat. 

Lovingly Inspired by the literary classic ‘Three Men in a Boat’, this new production charts the twist and turns of intergenerational family dynamics on a hen do with a difference.  Navigating the River Thames from Kingston to Henley and almost all the way down the aisle, Claudette, Gloria and Jay’s well-intentioned family outing soon devolves into a series of hilarious misadventures.

This fresh, female-led adaptation takes the text and flips it on its head, promising a riotous yet deeply touching exploration of family relationships and the importance of speaking your truth.  Three Hens in a Boat captures the essence of what bonds a family together – humour, forgiveness and unconditional love.

This production marks a long-awaited new collaboration between the two award-winning Berkshire theatres, with the production running at Reading Rep Theatre from 1-17 May and the Watermill Theatre in Newbury from 22 May–7 June.  

This production marks a major milestone for Reading Rep Theatre, reinforcing its status as a powerhouse of new writing and regional storytelling. Following its critically acclaimed productions ‘The Maids’ and ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, Reading Rep is fast becoming one of the UK’s most dynamic and forward-thinking theatres.

The Watermill Theatre is one of the UK’s most successful regional producing theatres, renowned for its innovative and playful productions which celebrate diverse stories through new writing and reinvigorated classics.  This co-production forms part of a vibrant 2025 season, which includes a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and a new adaptation of Charley’s Aunt.

Abigail Pickard Price, Associate Director at the Watermill Theatre, will direct the world premiere. For the Watermill Theatre, Abigail has directed productions of Macbeth, Our Man in Havana, Just So, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Prince and the Pauper and Burke & Hare.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography