Don’t Rock the Boat – The Mill Sonning

The Mill at Sonning is an 1800 circa flour mill converted into a professional theatre and restaurant. Located on an island in the River Thames at Sonning Eye. The environment offers guests dinner and theatre and a welcoming greeting by the Director of Don’t Rock the Boat, Sally Hughes.  

Sally Hughes decided to keep Don’t Rock the Boat this 1990’s play to its original prose billed as a comedy but beneath the surface “there are some sharp and family themes” that unfold throughout. This play features two quite different families, the perfect and the chaotic who spend a weekend together on ‘The Bunty’, a barge situated on the River Thames. Everything is not quite how it seems, as the families grapple with ideologies of morality, bribery and political differences. Thes two seemingly dysfunctional families experience each other lives to find out that there are similarities of thought, personalities and emotion, 

From the opening act it felt a little predictable, the actors reticent, and slow to get going.

The comedy lines didn’t land too well at first as the audience was figuring out the point of the storyline. The language is direct and beguiling but in keeping with the 90’s genre of attitudes. In the second act the story started to gel and become more focussed, really portraying the brilliance of Arthur played by Steven Pinder, John and Carol Coombes played by Harry Gostelow and Rachel Fielding. The gritty interactions between these three characters drew you into the undulating turmoil of family life, that people could relate too. Observing Arthur an entrepreneur pitching his rationale through bribery and blackmail to purchase land saw the local councillor Coombes uncomfortable in a way that denotes the meaning of ‘stepping over the line’. This intense dialogue fills the second act to its closure. 

The set was the star of the show meticulously designed by Jackie Hutson ‘The Bunty’ was decked out with golden old wooden oak, country style 1990’s décor large prints and garish design. The furnishings created in a style that the converted lounge areas, morphed into bunk bedrooms and the kitchen area, the place of heated debates and uncomfortable silences was housed. To create this magnificent barge into such a small space was truly incredible. This gritty play has all the offerings of a comedy, a soap opera drama, acted out with style.  A play of mixed messages, as it continues its run at The Mill Sonning until September enjoy the ambience of the flour Mill with its delightful food, warm welcome and touch of theatrical drama, what is there not to love.      

This show commences at 8.15pm – ends 10.30pm with a 20minute interval

Booking Link https://millatsonning.com Run 10^th July – 16^th September 2025.

Reviewer: Michelle Knight

Reviewed: 18^th July 2025  

North West End UK Rating: