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Bench Theatre is an award-winning amateur theatre group based at The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant, UK.

For tickets to any Bench show at The Spring, call the box office on (023) 9247 2700

Current Production

Our July 2025 production is Stepping Out by Richard Harris.

"Stepping Out" is a rollicking comedy about a group of eight ladies (and one man) at a beginners tap-dancing class in a run down church hall. When they learn they are to perform in a local charity showcase, the pressure is on! As they pull together and prepare for the big day, we follow the characters on a heartwarming journey that celebrates friendship, courage, and of course... dancing! Will they be ready in time?

From the writer of other comedies such as "Outside Edge", and the directors of "Dear Jack, Dear Louise" and "A Bunch of Amateurs", join Bench Theatre for this feel-good show that will leave your heart glowing and your feet tapping!

Performances:

Thursday 10th & Friday 11th July at 7:30pm

Wednesday 16th until Saturday 19th July at 7:30pm

Saturday 12th & Saturday 19th July at 2:30pm (matinees)

Ticket Prices

£14.00, concessions £13.00

Thursday 10th July. Buy one get one half price (on cheapest ticket)

Bench members and Friends: Free

Forthcoming Productions

Our September 2025 production will be Supernova9, the Bench Theatre's 9th festival of new short plays.

It is 25 years since Bench Theatre launched an ambitious one-act play competition aimed at promoting playwrights and displaying the fruits of their labours on our stage. Submissions for the 9th iteration are now closed and submissions are being scored by our judging panel. Winning playwrights will be informed by Wednesday 18th June.

Selected plays to be programmed into two sets, Set 1 and Set 2, to be performed three times each over 5 days. Reduced ticket prices to be available if tickets for both sets are booked at the same time. Winning plays to be listed in July.

Performances:

Set 1: Tuesday 9th September (7.30pm); Thursday 11th September (7.30pm); Saturday 13th September (2:30pm)

Set 2: Wednesday 10th September (7.30pm); Friday 12th September (7.30pm); Saturday 13th September (7:30pm)

Did You See?

Our April 2025 production was As You Like It by William Shakespeare.

What better play for spring at The Spring than Shakespeare’s well-loved and accessible comedy 'As You Like It'. Join Rosalind and Celia as they escape from the back-stabbing world of the court and flee to the Forest of Arden. This is a magical and timeless world inhabited by humble shepherds, exiled courtiers, melancholy philosophers, poisonous snakes, a hungry lion – and, of course, Love!

Rosalind disguises herself as a boy, Ganymede, to avoid discovery, and with her loyal cousin Celia, sets off on a challenging expedition into the unknown. In this new world she attracts the admiring eye of Phebe and flirts with Orlando (also fleeing the court and his murderous brother) who doesn’t, of course, recognize her without her frock! As winter’s storms give way to spring, others too find love in a series of lively if unusual romantic encounters.

Our February 2025 production was The Possibilities by Howard Barker.

An Emperor on the edge of madness; a beautiful assassin; a woman trapped in a dystopian interrogation; a family of weavers sheltering from war; and the guardian of the one remaining library. What do these disparate characters have in common? Each must navigate a treacherous path of survival, while clinging to what humanity they have left. Howard Barker offers us ten short plays, each with their own story to tell.

Bench News

Play Selected for November 2025:

In our Play Selection meeting on Thursday 8th May the play 'This Happy Breed' by Noel Coward' was selected. This is to be directed by Richard Stacey. More details to follows.

'Stepping Out' is Cast:

Our July production, Stepping Out, has been cast. Check out the play page for more information.

Upcoming Dates:

Jun 5th Club Night
Jul 3rd Club Night
Jul 6th 'Stepping Out' Get-In
Jul 20th 'Stepping Out' Get-Out
Sep 4th Annual General Meeting
Sep 7th 'Supernova 9' Get-In
Sep 14th 'Supernova 9' Get-Out
Oct 2nd Club Night
Nov 6th Club Night
Nov 9th November production Get-In
Nov 23rd November production Get-Out
Dec 4th Club Night

Next Club Night:

Our next club night is on 5th June and will be a special discussion about the future of club nights themselves. Club nights are the only occasions when members, who are not in the current production, meet. Amongst other things we would like to know what members would like to do in future club nights, should be change the start time, how do we make them more social etc. Please bring along your thoughts.

Club nights start at 7:45pm in the Harrison Room at the Spring Arts Centre (this is the room up the stairs from the foyer). These are opportunities for Bench Members to meet up either on a particular topic or just as a social. Members, Friends of the Bench and prospective members are welcome.

Updated Production Pack:

Have you ever wondered what needs to be done to get a play on The Spring stage? Maybe you are a prospective director or part of a production team. The Bench Theatre's Production Pack, guidance on putting on a Bench play, has been updated, see Production Pack - September 2024

Bench YouTube Channel:

The Bench Theatre has a YouTube Channel from which you can stream our trailers and other videos, check it out at Bench Theatre YouTube Channel.

Havant Borough Community Lottery

Havant Borough Council run the Havant Borough Community Lottery which supports good causes locally. Bench Theatre has been accepted as one of those good causes.

This is a small lottery with the emphasis very much on community and supporting good causes. That is where you come in! We would like to invite you, your friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues to take part, have some fun and support Bench Theatre.

Please visit Havant Borough Community Lottery website. Click on buy tickets, then on 'Support a specific cause'. Search for Bench Theatre then follow the instructions.

See any errors on this website?

If yes then please let the webmaster know on web@benchtheatre.org.uk so they can correct it.

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If yes then please let the webmaster know on web@benchtheatre.org.uk so they can forward you the login information.

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