How Does it Work?

1. Arrival

Welcome to The Mill at Sonning! Meeting you on your arrival, we have a great car parking attendant team who are here to direct you on where to park. Car parking is available at a certain capacity. Once parked in our on-site car park, make your way to our main entrance where you will find our Foyer and Box Office. When you arrive in our Foyer, please make sure you enter your vehicle registration number into a screen – there is also a screen in the Bar. If you need help, please make sure you ask a member of staff when you arrive. If you have been to us before, we no longer have your table numbers in our Foyer. Instead, head up to our restaurant when you are ready, where our host will greet you and take you to your table. If you are visiting us for the first time, please allow a bit of extra time as we are close to the historic one way bridge in Sonning and at peak times the traffic can be busy.

2. Waterwheel Bar

Upon entering from the Foyer, you will be able to take advantage of our gorgeous Waterwheel Bar where you are welcome to enjoy some pre-dinner drinks. The bar opens at 11am for matinees and 5pm for evening shows.

3. Restaurant

Take your time, enjoy a drink in our Waterwheel Bar and head up to the restaurant when you are ready. In our restaurant, our host will greet you and take you to your table. Our wonderful team of waiters and waitresses will take your food and drink orders. The gents’ toilets are on the ground floor in the Waterwheel Bar, and the ladies’ toilets are on the River Room floor in the restaurant. Once you have finished your meal you are welcome to have drinks in the Waterwheel bar before the call for the show.

4. Theatre

When we are ready, you will be invited to take your seats in the intimate auditorium. In a recent change, Interval drinks can be pre-ordered with the waiting staff during dinner for collection in the Interval.  At this time, we also offer a selection of traditional award-winning fresh cream dairy ices and sorbets for purchase with the waiting staff.

5. Encore

The Waterwheel Bar is open after the show on Saturdays. There will be live piano music from Tim Valentine.

The History Behind the Theatre

Our Story

There has been a ‘Mill at Sonning’ for many centuries, and with it, always a family. In the Domesday Book of 1086 three mills at ‘Sonninges and Berrochescire’ are mentioned.

In the 1600s the rents for the mill went to the Royal Revenue.

During the Civil War, when Cromwell had his headquarters in London and King Charles had his in Oxford, the troops met in the middle – Reading. It was Sonning which supplied the flour for the besieged garrison in the town. The site of the earliest Sonning mill could very well have been in a different place. Wooden buildings had a habit of burning down. This one dates back to the eighteenth century but the main parts of the present theatre building are from around 1890. It was owned then by the Witherington family who added the top two storeys and the larger waterwheels for more power to drive the machinery. Around 1898 they put in a steam engine to supplement the water power.

Behind the Scenes

A Unique Place Of Craft & Creativity

As a theatre, The Mill has gained an outstanding reputation for the quality of its productions. But do you know what goes on behind the scenes?

From Page To Production

Our Artistic Director reads scores of scripts each year. Each play is carefully selected to please our audiences. Sometimes, like in the cases of ‘The Whistling’ and ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’ they are specially commissioned. Each role is carefully cast. A Director is assigned. Rehearsals take place on the premises in our Rehearsal Rooms. A Set Designer creates the background settings; which are then built in our Workshop – we are one of the few remaining theatres in the UK that can boast its own workshop.

Finishing Touches

The Stage Management makes any of the speciality props that are required. Our in house Costume designer is every actor’s dream with the wonderful and flattering costumes that she creates and makes. Our Technical Team work with the lighting and sound designers to help create sunsets, coastlines or anything that helps suspend the audience’s disbelief.

Quality And Creativity On A Plate

As for the restaurant, the same care and consideration goes into our dining experience. Each menu is designed and created in our kitchens. The ethos of home-made and locally sourced food pervades our restaurant. Our famous Steak & Ale Pie. and Mouthwatering Bread & Butter Puddings are the signature dishes of our Chefs.

Buzzing Waterwheel Bar

Our bar is now another area of creativity with live music, storytelling, book signings and more. All events can be offered with a barista coffee and lovely homemade cakes, which can be enjoyed on our riverside terrace.