The Watermill Theatre in Newbury wins top prize

A venue that staged a Lord of the Rings musical after losing its arts funding has won theatre of the year at a national awards ceremony.

The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, Berkshire, was jointly recognised alongside The National Theatre in London at the Stage Awards 2024.

The theatre launched a successful version of JRR Tolkien's books in July.

Claire Murray, executive director at the Watermill Theatre, said to win the award "feels amazing".

The Watermill was hailed for its ambitious comeback after losing £464,000 in Arts Council funding last year.

The immersive production encompassed all three of Tolkien's books, staged both inside the mill and in the grounds surrounding it.

Artistic director Paul Hart said: "The Lord of The Rings was the centre piece of our year, drawing 17,000 people to the world of the Shire to enjoy an epic story on an intimate scale told by an astonishing company of 20 actor musicians."

The Stage Awards celebrate British theatre and were held at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on Monday.

Ms Murray said: "To win an award that celebrates the work we made in our first year without Arts Council funding feels amazing. It's testament to the hard work of the staff team.

"We're proud to have navigated the first year without subsidy so successfully.

"We know there will be greater challenges ahead, but this award is a wonderful boost to our confidence giving us the recognition of the industry for the quality and ambition of our work."

These awards launched in 2010 to recognise and celebrate excellence in British theatre.

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