Three Hens in a Boat premiere confirms casting

Reading Rep Theatre and the Watermill Theatre have unveiled the full cast for the world premiere of Three Hens in a Boat.

The debut play from Camille Ucan is inspired by the literary classic Three Men in a Boat and follows an intergenerational family on a hen do as they navigate the River Thames from Kingston to Henley.

The comedy will be directed by Abigail Pickard Price, who’s joined on the creative team by set and costume designer Jasmine Swan, lighting designer Jonathan Chan, movement director Sarita Piotrowski, and sound designer Ella Wahlström.

Lauryn Redding will compose the score for the production.

Ucan will play the role of Jay and will be joined by Verona Rose as Gloria and Ellen O’Grady as Claudette.

The playwright said today: “When Jerome K Jerome wrote Three Men in a Boat, he may not have expected that over a hundred years later it would inspire a play about three ‘hens’ on a hen party!”

Continuing: “Jerome’s romp of a novel provided me the perfect backdrop to celebrate the fun and interrogate the frictions between female family dynamics. I also wanted to explore heritage and how three generations in the same family connect with their own stories, inspired by my Guyanese grandmother and our own hand-me-down history.

“I hope you enjoy watching the characters muse and meander along the River Thames as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. It has been so much fun reimagining this comedy classic for a modern audience and I’m really looking forward to performing alongside the amazing actors we have cast. If you’re a die-hard fan of the book then sorry I got rid of all the men but I reckon you’ll still love it!”

The co-production will play at both Berkshire theatres. It’ll run at Reading Rep Theatre from 1 to 17 May 2025, before visiting the Watermill Theatre from 22 May to 7 June 2025.