What’s on this week
Mon 28 Aug – Sun 3 Sept
How the Other Half Loves, Theatre Royal Windsor, Wed 30 Aug – Sat 9 Sept
One secret love affair (is there any other kind?). Two disaster-bound dinner parties. Three couples heading for trouble. Nope it’s not the wrap party of Strictly Come Dancing, but the critically-acclaimed West End revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s hilarious tale of matrimonial mishaps, How The Other Half Loves. It opens in Windsor before embarking on a national tour.
Open Air cinema, Caversham Court Garden, Thurs 31 Aug – Fri 1 Sept
At last the sun is out just in time to enjoy an open air cinema experience. Fire up the DeLorean and join Doc Brown and Marty for the classic Back To The Future on Thurs 31 Aug at Caversham Court Gardens. Alternatively, floppy haired Hugh Grant is trying to get in the knickers of Julia Roberts in the Richard Curtis rom com Notting Hill on Fri 1 Sept.
NT Live: Yerma, UK cinema release, Thurs 31 Aug
Photo by Johan Persson
The incredible Billie Piper returns to the stage in her Evening Standard Best Actress award-winning role in Yerma. A young woman is driven to the unthinkable by her desperate desire to have a child in Simon Stone’s radical production of Lorca’s achingly powerful masterpiece. It’s sold out but you can see it without leaving the count, thanks to NT Live.
Refresh Festival, Wellington Country Park, Sat 2 – Sun 3 Sept
Back to school countdown has begun, and I’ve got just the thing to ensure you’re ready for the new term. The Refresh Festival, hosted by Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes, is coming to Wellington Country Park. Fun, family friendly and focused on health, fitness and wellbeing, this is a chance to press the reset button. After a summer with the kids, I’m in.
Missiles, Politics and Peace, Corn Exchange Newbury, Sun 3 Sept
Have we learned anything from the Greenham Common nuclear showdown? BBC Radio Berkshire’s Andrew Peach will referee a live audience and a panel of experts as they explore whether the peace protests in the 80s and 90s made any difference to the nuclear power struggle of today.Pre-book and chain yourself to the Corn Exchange (joke).
Tractor Ted Little Farm Live, Stonor Park Henley, Sun 3 Sept
If your nippers’ two fave things in the world are Tractor Ted and bouncy castles then 3 Sept is their lucky day. Head to Stonor Park, Henley, and let the kids enjoy some end-of-the-summer-hols steam. They can hang out with farm animals, take a Tractor Ted driving test and try a bout of welly wanging. Which sounds a bit rude to us but we’re sure it’s good wholesome fun.
Stonor Park, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon, stonor.com
Knights in Training, Windsor Castle, Sat 2 Sept
Her Maj is having a spring clean of her knights. And who can blame her after the embarrassment they have caused with their tax dodging and sex scandals. Now Windsor Castle will host its biggest ever Family Festival and train young knights in the historic Quadrangle to sword fight, joust and other heroic stuff. If they pass muster, they’ll be ‘knighted’ in St George’s Chapel.
La La Land, Bucklebury Farm Park, Sat 3 Sept
Ah Ryan Gosling, you gorgeous specimen of man. Sorry, he stars in La La Land with Emma Stone. Yes it’s a musical of the old school variety, yes it is romantic and if you haven’t seen this Oscar-winning hit of 2016/2017, where have you been? Now’s your chance. Go hang out in the bucolic splendour of Bucklebury Farm Park, just for Ryan.
Brian Blessed directs Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web, Mill at Sonning, until 9 Sep
Gordon’s Alive! It’s only national treasure Brian Blessed in the director’s chair at The Mill at Sonning. This Agatha Christie murder mystery classic sees Clarissa discover a dead body in her house. Do any of her house guests have anything to do with it, we wonder?
