Reading Rep unveils new season with The Last Five Years, Educating Rita and more

Exclusive: Reading Rep Theatre has announced its 2025/26 season, featuring a mix of major revivals, a debut musical, and significant co-productions.

The season opens with The Last Five Years (19 September to 12 October 2025), Jason Robert Brown’s acclaimed two-hander musical chronicling a relationship in reverse chronology.

This production marks Reading Rep’s first foray into musical theatre and is co-produced with the Barn Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath, with additional performances planned in Cirencester and Bath following the Reading run.

For the festive period, Beth Flintoff’s much-praised A Christmas Carol (28 November 2025 to 3 January 2026) returns in a newly staged version. Relocating Dickens’s classic to Reading’s historic Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory, the adaptation blends local heritage with seasonal warmth. It is directed by Chris Cumings.

In spring 2026, Reading Rep presents Educating Rita (26 February to 21 March 2026), Willy Russell’s enduring comedy about self-discovery and class divides. This staging is the company’s first production of Russell’s work, which follows the iconic duo of hairdresser Rita and her disillusioned tutor Frank.

The season continues with a new take on Noël Coward’s Private Lives (16 April to 9 May 2026), the popular romantic comedy of manners. This modernised staging will revisit Coward’s text and its tiptoeing around the fine line between love and loathing.

For younger audiences, the early spring half-term sees the return of Rabbit on the Run (18 to 21 February 2026), a playful and immersive adventure designed specifically for early years theatre-goers.

There will be five pound preview tickets available to under-30s for every production. The season also includes a yet-to-be-announced production, set to be revealed in July.

In addition to its stage productions, Reading Rep continues to host National Theatre Live screenings throughout the year, further enhancing access to top-tier theatre in the heart of Reading.