News

Co-director Matthew Whitney tells us about the unsusual approach to sound effects used in our production of Recovery Position, one half of this year's Progress Premieres. Why Foley? When looking at the original script of Recovery Position it resembled a monologue with a lot of sound effects. The sounds are integral to Francis’ inner world, whether [...] Read more

Calling experienced or aspiring playwrights! Our short play competition, now it's 13th year, is open for entries from 5 March 2018. We are looking for short plays, 10-20 minutes long. Chosen entries will be assigned to directors and presented at the theatre in October. This is your chance to get your work staged. Deadline for applications: 1st May [...] Read more

It’s a particularly art-filled week at Progress. If you come to see our excellent Youth Theatre performing The Picture of Dorian Gray, you will find our foyer walls lined with works of art donated by friends, members and local artists. These pictures are all available for you to bid for in our silent auction. The auction closes on 22 December - [...] Read more

We are proud to announce an exciting programme of plays for our 2017-18 season. Two of Shakespeare's plays - one tragedy on stage and one comedy in the open air, eight new works, two classic novels brought to the stage, more comedy, more drama and some poetry - there really is something for everyone. Download 2017-2018 programme See What's on for [...] Read more

Our patron, Sir Kenneth Branagh, welcomes you to Caversham Court Gardens for Wind in the Willows Hello everyone, and welcome to a fresh chance with a classic story, to do some ‘messing about on the river’. There was never a more apt tale to present in the open air than The Wind In The Willows, given that most of the characters extol the virtues of [...] Read more

Progress Theatre and Progress Youth Theatre have both been nominated in the inaugural Reading Cultural Awards. These awards were instituted following Reading's Year of Culture: "Reading’s brilliant cultural scene reached new heights during Reading Year of Culture. The Reading Cultural Awards will provide an opportunity for Reading’s cultural [...] Read more

Director Kate Shaw tells us how she came to Murder, Margaret and Me, staged by Progress 22-27 May 2017. I first became aware of this play in the Spring of 2015. I was working on my dissertation and desperate for any form of distraction – adept as I am at procrastination. My dissertation was on the nature of unreliable narration and the concept of [...] Read more

Louise Banks explains the key props she made for His Dark Materials. With the rise of eBay and online shopping the world of props sourcing has been turned on its head and what used to take weeks of visiting every charity shop you could find and calling in favours now takes a few minutes and a search engine. The art of prop making however has not [...] Read more