Shear Madness - The Mill At Sonning

A trip to The Mill at Sonning is always at the top of my most anticipated outings of the year, though rarely for the shows themselves. My theatrical curiosity is, of course, always piqued, as the plays at this venue are never ones I have previously encountered. That said, this venue does not necessarily target my generation, and its shows often reflect this through revivals of niche twentieth century plays that are inevitably quite dated. However, that does not mean that I ever leave The Mill at Sonning without a smile on my face and a eagerness to return.

Every Saturday afternoon I spend at The Mill is a pure joy. I have taken the following paragraph from a previous review that still very much applies here:

“The Mill at Sonning has one of those stellar reputations, and not without good reason. As one of the few remaining dinner-and-theatre experiences, it offers the kind of outing that feels genuinely distinctive from the moment you arrive. Having previously reviewed productions at this venue, I can say with complete honesty that, while not every show has been an outright success, the overall calibre of the experience has always compensated for any shortcomings on stage. It is a venue that understands atmosphere, and that alone raises expectations before the show even starts.”

That said, the dining experience is so relaxed and generous that the show itself must work hard to hold its audience. It has often been the case that productions at Sonning start slowly before finding their pace, and this is one such example. But once the audience is brought into the action, everything changes.

Photography: Pamela Raith

Shear Madness is originally a German play, which premiered in 1963, and is set in a hair salon where a murder has occurred. At first the plot is quite standard as we come to understand who the suspects are and how they relate to one another. Sadly, the show offers little in the way of character development, with the audience afforded little more than a surface introduction to each of them. All of this, however, melts away when the audience is brought into the production and asked to participate. From that moment on, what occurred in that auditorium was pure comedic chaos.

The cast of six are great, especially considering how unruly the audience got with their suggestions at times. The costumes are cleverly designed by Nathalie Titchener, with every character given a distinct style and colour that makes them easy for the audience to distinguish quickly. The set design by Alex Marker, though reminiscent of the 1970s despite the show being set in 2026, is bright and lively, making it a great fit for the energy of the piece.

Though mediated by the cast, most of what made the show truly memorable came from the audience itself, and that is absolutely fine. It is not a great play by any means, but for this venue and everything it sets out to achieve in the way of warmth and relaxation, it is exactly what is needed. It is entertaining, if not thrilling, and rounds off the experience very nicely.

Production Value (Show ONLY): 60%

Value For Money (Dining + Show): 85%

Personal Enjoyment (Dining + Show): 70%

Overall Score: 72% - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)

(AD | Ticket gifted in exchange for an honest review)

Show Information

Venue: The Mill at Sonning, Reading

Playing until: 15th August 2026

Run Time: Approximately 2h15 - including a 20-minute interval

Tickets for this show can be found at this link.