Shows go on as theatre given funding lifeline by consortium

A THEATRE in Sonning has said it has been thrown a “lifeline” following a donation from a group of local people.

Sally Hughes, who is the managing director and owner of the Mill at Sonning, told the Henley Standard that the theatre had received a “significant” donation that had given it hope for the future.

She said the undisclosed sum was provided by an anonymous consortium of about five people and described their offer as “nothing short of a miracle”.

Mrs Hughes, who has been running the theatre since 2002, said the funding would see the theatre through the busy Christmas period until March, when its new business plan would be in place.

As reported in the Henley Standard last month, the theatre had launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £125,000 which it needed to keep the doors open.

The theatre had been struggling due to a rise in costs, including hikes in labour costs due to the national insurance increase as well as a fall in audience numbers over the summer. She said that its struggles had been caused by the lingering impact of the covid pandemic and shifting audience habits.

Mrs Hughes said that the anonymous supporters had reached out to the theatre shortly after the launch of its crowdfunder, which was supported by Dame Judi Dench, Debbie McGee and Brian Blessed, all of whom had previously appeared at the theatre.

So far, the public campaign has raised £25,666 which Mrs Hughes said would be put towards renovating the building, a converted circa 1800 flour mill.

This work includes a new sprinkler system and work to the mill’s original wheel, which is encased in glass in the theatre’s bar.

The money from the anonymous consortium Mrs Hughes said would go towards supporting the productions, marketing and the venture’s future.

She said: “We were heartbreakingly teetering on the edge of having to close our doors. Then, out of sheer love and belief in what the Mill means to this community, an incredible group of people stepped forward to help protect it.

“They’re not investors looking for profit or gain, they’re local individuals who simply don’t want to see the Mill disappear.”

Mrs Hughes explained that the day after the crowdfunder went live, she received an email from a local resident wanting to help.

She said the contributors were not famous but local people who loved the theatre and had been attending for a number of years.

“It was the crowdfunder which brought it to their attention,” Mrs Hughes said.  “They see the theatre as a wonderful asset for the village and the community and want to help. It will put the Mill on to a very secure footing.”

The theatre employs
100 people across its restaurant, backstage and workshop and around 80 actors and creatives across a range of productions.

Mrs Hughes said that she was now hoping to employ stewards and greeters on a volunteer basis. The Mill is currently showing The Shadow in The Mirror, a ghost story set in an old country house and rehearsals have started this week for its upcoming production of My Fair Lady, which will run from November 20 until January 17 next year.

Mrs Hughes said that the anonymous donation had provided a positive vision for the theatre’s future but that she was still keen to promote the crowdfunder.

She said: “This consortium has given us hope and stability for now and for the future. But that doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. We still need our audiences more than ever.

“The best way anyone can help is to come to the Mill, buy a ticket, have a meal, enjoy a drink and donate to our crowdfunder. Every visit, every contribution truly matters.

“The Mill is more than just a theatre. It’s a home for creativity, laughter, connection and local employment.

“Thanks to the love of this community, our story can continue, but it’s everyone’s ongoing support that will write the next chapter.”