A Taste of Theatre at The Blade

June 20, 2023
News & Insights
Community
For the past few weeks, we’ve lent our 12th floor to RABBLE Theatre so they can rehearse for their upcoming production of Henry I. RABBLE is the region’s leading community-led professional theatre company. Based in Reading, the team focus on delivering local stories that place women front and centre and give those from low socio-economic backgrounds routes into the arts.

As a gesture of thanks to our team at The Blade for the rehearsal space, the RABBLE performers wanted to share more about the play with our occupiers and we recently held a Workshop Session for those who were keen to learn more. Occupiers and staff from across The Blade were invited to breakaway from their workspaces for an hour, bring their lunch and enjoy some theatrical entertainment. With the set being built in the Abbey Ruins there’s been great interest in what’s happening, and some of the panoramic views from The Blade’s windows have allowed us to spy on what’s taking shape below!  

Toby, from RABBLE Theatre introduced the session giving an overview of the play and sharing some details of the three venues in Reading, Winchester and London where it will be performed. The playwright, Beth Flintoff, also joined us to talk through her inspiration and the writing process, sharing details of little known Henry I who built Reading Abbey and made the town a European powerhouse. We then had a chance to see some of the costumes along with a model of the set.

The session ended with a live rehearsal of the one of the play’s scenes – a lovely sneak preview for our occupiers of what’s to come later this summer.

‍

Subscribe to newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest blog posts to your inbox every week.

What's your email?
By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

You may also be interested in

Community
5 min read

Diversity at The Blade

We’re often asked what size and type of organisations choose The Blade. And there really is no obvious answer! The truth is that we encourage and celebrate a diverse range of businesses at our office space. In turn this is helping us create a vibrant and successful business community. So why might The Blade be the right fit for your organisation?
Read the article
Insights
5 min read

Elizabeth Delivers!

It’s now just over a year since The Elizabeth Line arrived in Reading, connecting the town to the centre of London, reducing commuting times. With The Blade just over 5 minutes’ walk to the station, the Crossrail connection, as it was originally named, meant that our occupiers could go from their desks to the West End in an hour and all the way to Canary Wharf in less than an hour-and-a-half.
Read the article
Blade News
5 min read

A Fresh New Welcome at The Blade

If you’re visiting The Blade soon, be ready for a new encounter following our recent reception makeover. Welcoming a stream of occupiers and their guests every day, our reception area is always a hive of activity. From early in the morning until the last few dedicated workers depart in the evening, there’s always someone passing through reception, stopping for a coffee or a chat, taking a call or just taking five minutes away from their desk – so we felt it deserved a little refurb!
Read the article