RABBLE Theatre to present work on their new play, William the Conqueror

Following the unprecedented success of RABBLE Theatre’s Henry I - declared a Top 5 UK Show by The Telegraph – Reading’s acclaimed creative team are back, hard at work and dreaming bigger than ever.

With investment from Arts Council England and the support of Région Normandie, France, RABBLE are creating the next instalment of their epic historical trilogy: William the Conqueror.

And this time… they’re inviting you into the rehearsal room.

Initially scheduled for Reading Gaol, this exclusive event will now take place inside Reading’s St Laurence’s Church, founded 1121, owing to costs associated with safely bringing a public audience into Reading Gaol.

A New Chapter Begins: William the Conqueror

Step Inside the Rehearsal Room

Join RABBLE on Saturday 28th June 2025 for a world-exclusive opportunity to enter the creative process of WIlliam the Conqueror, their most ambitious project yet.

“This is such an exciting moment. We’re welcoming people into the rehearsal room - something of a sacred space for theatre makers - and we’re doing it because we know that is an incredibly exciting part of the process. We want to share that with our incredible Reading audiences” Toby Davies, Artistic Director

This special behind-the-scenes event offers a rare chance to see how professional theatre is made, from initial ideas to opening night.

Introducing the event, which takes place inside Reading’s beautiful St Laurences Church (founded 1121), will be RABBLE’s artistic director, Toby Davies, who played Henry I in 2023.

Beth Flintoff, associate writer at RABBLE and London’s Royal Court Theatre, will present an overview of the extraordinary story, before RABBLE’s associate director, Hal Chambers (RSC, Hull Truck, Eastern angles) discusses the world that he and the RABBLE team are creating and introduces selected scenes from the play, performed by the professional cast.

Fight Director Dani Mac (fresh from combat projects in Sydney, London and Leeds) and Movement Director Gareth Taylor (mastermind behind The White Ship’s sinking in Henry I) will display how they’re merging combat and movement with new influences, such as parkour and street dance, to capture the chaos of war.

A live music session with electronic composer & DJ, Benjamin Hudson (National Theatre), and platinum selling lyricist, Sami Chokri, will showcase how the show soundtracks are created and how, this time, spoken word, music, and storytelling are being blended for a new experience.

A Thousand Years in the Making

As we approach the millennium of The Bastard’s birth, RABBLE is delving into the life of one of history’s most controversial and captivating figures. With innovation, heart and more than a bit of rebellion, they’re here to conquer history on stage.

Join the RABBLE. Book Now at rabbletheatre.com.