Exclusive: Judi Dench spearheads £600k funding appeal for the Mill at Sonning
Judi Dench has launched a £600,000 fundraising appeal to build a new rehearsal block at the Mill at Sonning theatre, Reading.
The appeal was kick-started by an afternoon event celebrating Dench’s life and career hosted by actor and writer Simon Williams on April 7.
Dench performed a soliloquy by Viola from Twelfth Night at the event, receiving a standing ovation from the sold-out audience.
Sally Hughes, managing director of the Mill at Sonning, said: "Like so many regional theatres, the Mill is always in need of modernising and updating."
"Planning permission has been granted for the building, now we just have to raise the money."
The rehearsal block is set to be a two-storey building, which will be on stilts in an effort to safeguard parking spaces.
As well as rehearsal rooms, the new building will house offices, a band room for the Mill’s annual Christmas musical and storage space for costumes and props, Hughes has said.
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Money raised by the appeal will also be put towards a new roof and other upgrades for the adjacent building, which currently houses the Mill’s dressing rooms and backstage offices.
Hughes continued: “The Dame Judi afternoon was a fantastic start in our aim to raise £600k and we will be holding more special events throughout the year. It was so special having acting royalty treading our boards.
"I found myself wiping away a few tears when Dame Judi performed the speech from Twelfth Night. It was beautiful and amazing to witness.”
Dench and Williams were joined on stage by Sewa Zamba and Reeus Sugden, second-year students from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Dench’s alma mater.
Zamba and Sugden performed selected lines from The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth, and were given a masterclass by Dench.
The appeal comes as Dench is also set to lend her support to Newbury’s Watermill Theatre after the venue lost Arts Council England funding in 2022.
A one-off fundraising event in May will see Dench take to the Watermill’s stage alongside actor and director Brendan O’Hea in an effort to raise money for the venue.
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