William the Conqueror

RABBLE Theatre are bringing William the Conqueror to the Reading Hexagon as part of a national tour running from 17 September to 13 November 2027. It's a new play written by associate artist Beth Flintoff, and it's the first part of a historical trilogy RABBLE are building around the Normans, with Henry I and Matilda the Empress to follow. The production is part of the international MILLENIUM 2027 European Year of the Normans, marking 1,000 years since William the Conqueror's birth and the 1066 Battle of Hastings.

Reading was chosen for the official celebrations, and it makes sense when you look at the town's layout and its oldest visible history, both of which owe a great deal to the Normans. The play itself is a physical one: RABBLE use parkour to convey the warriors' sense of overwhelm, and stage trickery to capture the vulnerability of a man tormented by vengeful paranoia. As with all their work, women are placed centre stage and diverse representation is a priority.

It's a local company with a national reach. RABBLE was founded here in Reading in 2012 by Toby Davies, and they've built their reputation on local stories that carry national weight—Glitch - The True Story of the Post Office Scandal is one of them, and it toured 17 UK cities. William the Conqueror will follow a similar path, playing at the Hexagon before heading out on a national tour that takes in Exeter, York, Winchester, Peterborough, Canterbury, New Wolsey, North Devon and Chichester.

So, it's a Reading-born company returning home for the start of a wider tour, all tied into a European anniversary year. The play runs from 17 September to 13 November 2027, with the Reading Hexagon as one of its stops.