PRODUCTION IMAGES RELEASED FOR THE BARN THEATRE, READING REP THEATRE AND THEATRE ROYAL BATH PRESENTATION OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY TONY AWARD WINNINGJASON ROBERT BROWN

DIRECTED BY HAL CHAMBERS

READING REP THEATRE UNTIL SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER

BARN THEATRE, CIRENCESTER, FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 15 NOVEMBER

USTINOV STUDIO, THEATRE ROYAL BATH, TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 3 JANUARY

The Last Five Years

BARN THEATRE, READING REP THEATRE AND THEATRE ROYAL BATH PRESENT...

MARTHA KIRBY AND GUY WOOLF ANNOUNCED TO STAR IN REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

The Barn Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath are delighted to announce that Martha Kirby (Club NVRLND, Evita) and Guy Woolf  (The Cher Show, As You Like It) will star in the Built by Barn Musical of The Last Five Years. A Barn Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath Co-Production written by Tony Award winning Jason Robert Brown.

The Last Five Years will appear at Reading Rep Theatre between Friday 19 September – Saturday 12 October, moving onto the Barn Theatre, Cirencester on Friday 17 October - Saturday 15 November before heading to Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio from Thursday 25 November – Saturday 3 January, with a National press performance at Reading Rep Theatre on Tuesday 23 September.

Please enquire to Aeron James via: aeron@aeronjames.com

Martha Kirby, who will play Cathy, can currently be seen playing Wendy in the world premiere of the immersive musical Club NVRLND at 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and previous credits include Eva Peron in Evita at Leicester Curve Theatre, Raven in the UK tour of Bat Out Of Hell, and Sandy in the UK tour of Grease.

Guy Woolf, who will play Jamie, was recently seen as Reyzl the Dame in Yankl and the Beanstalk at London’s Pleasance Theatre and previous credits include Dennis in As You Like It at The Globe, alternate Sonny in the UK & Ireland tour of The Cher Show, and Electra in Becoming Electra: A Queer Mitzvah at The Roundhouse, Nottingham Playhouse, and Hope Mill Theatre.

Joining writer Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years will be directed by Hal Chambers (Yippee Ki Yay with Seabright Productions, As We Face The Sun at Rose Bruford College, The Holly King and The Oak King at Battersea Arts Centre) with set and costume design by Ethan Cheek (This is My Family at Southwark Playhouse, The Woman is White at Electric Theatre, Twelfth Night with the National Youth Theatre), lighting design by Jonathan Chan (Sinbad the Sailor at Sadlers Wells, Get Happy at Omnibus Theatre, Volpane at Central School of Speech and Drama), choreographer and movement director will be Georgina Lamb (Great British Bake Off: The Musical on the West End, Much Ado About Nothing at The Globe, Macbeth at Leeds Playhouse), music direction from Ellie Verkerk  (School for Scandal with Royal Shakespeare Company, Starter For Ten at Bristol Old Vic, Oh What A Lovely War at Blackeyed Theatre) and Harry Blumenau will be on casting direction. 

The Last Five Years explores the rollercoaster journey of two New Yorkers as they navigate their five-year marriage asking the question, “Can this couple that were once bonded by a shared love of creativity remain united as their lives move in different directions?”

Jamie’s side of the story starts at the beginning, filled with the fizz of new romance and continues chronologically, while Cathy’s retelling begins at the end, reflecting a much sadder reality and moving backwards. Indicative of the turbulent reality of love on the rocks, The Last Five Years is a beautiful and truly impactful musical that will be on your mind long after the final curtain.

Director Hal Chambers said “I’ve wanted to direct The Last Five Years for over twenty years. Though my background lies in classical adaptations and new writing, this is the one musical I’ve always dreamed of staging. I’m a passionate admirer of Jason Robert Brown’s extraordinary work - its storytelling, music, and emotional depth are unmatched. The narrative structure, with Cathy moving backwards through time and Jamie forwards, creates a compelling theatrical puzzle reminiscent of a Christopher Nolan film. It feels like a haunting memory play - dreamlike, poetic, and full of magical realism. Our production will lean into that, using bold imagery and movement to explore the ghosts of a relationship and the raw beauty of love and heartbreak. The music is breath-taking - joyful, witty, devastating - and I can’t wait to bring it to life with our cast. Performed in intimate venues, our vision promises a deeply personal and emotionally resonant Last Five Years that captures the show’s unique intimacy and power.”

Barn Theatre

Since launching in 2018, the Barn Theatre has gained national recognition having produced over 50 Built by Barn shows and being awarded The Stage Awards’ Best Fringe Theatre of the Year Award 2019. In 2023, the theatre celebrated its fifth anniversary with a season that included world premieres of Simon Reade's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's Waiting For Anya, Jonathan Lynn’s final instalment of his classic series I’m Sorry Prime Minister, I Can’t Quite Remember, as well as a reimagined revival production of the musical Once and the world premiere of a musical adaptation of Treasure Island. 2024 saw Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Fiend, Constellations, Midsummer, Stones in His Pockets, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Room 13 and The Three Musketeers: Trois. 2025 started with A Role to Die For followed by Michael Morpurgo’s In the Mouth of the Wolf, Educating Rita, Friends! The Musical Parody, Haywire and The Last Five Years, before finishing the year with A Christmas Carol.

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For further information, press tickets and interviews please contact:

Arabella Neville-Rolfe for ANRPR on 07815025364, arabella@anrpr.co.ukMax Pollard for ANRPR on 07803344477, max@anrpr.co.uk 

Reading Rep Theatre

Reading Rep is a leading regional producing theatre based in Reading, Berkshire. Since its founding in 2012, the company has built a reputation for bold programming, inventive adaptations, and boundary-pushing revivals - often in collaboration with some of the UK’s most acclaimed theatres. Its productions have toured nationally and received praise from The Guardian, The Telegraph and Broadway World.

From their state-of-the-art venue on King’s Road, Reading Rep produces reimagined classics, West End–quality musicals, fresh new writing, and innovative adaptations. Their work has garnered national critical acclaim, touring regionally, nationally and internationally – while remaining rooted in the community they serve.

As a disabled practitioner, Stacey founded Reading Rep to break down barriers to accessing theatre. That founding principle continues to define the company’s mission: to create world-class theatre for everyone. Either through their financially accessible offers to placing community at the heart of the company or by working with over 10,000 individuals, through their ENGAGE award winning outreach programme, to ensure anyone no matter their background can access the arts.

The 2025/26 season marks a new high point for the company, featuring co-productions with The Barn Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath, following their successful co-productions with The Watermill Theatre and London’s Jermyn Street Theatre, reflecting Reading Rep’s growing national profile.

@readingreptheatre / @readingrep

Praise for Reading Rep

“Heart-stopping theatre” — The Telegraph“Sexy, fresh and captivating” — Broadway World“Sincere and moving performance” — The Guardian“One heck of a show” — Spy in the Stalls“To have such an excellent theatre on our doorstep is a huge plus” — Audience member

Theatre Royal Bath

Theatre Royal Bath is a registered charity (number 277723) which provides a programme of high-quality entertainment throughout the year and delivers arts education and participation opportunities for the local community. Built in 1805, the Theatre Royal Bath has three auditoria currently, the Main House, Ustinov Studio and The Egg.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions (TRBP) - the Theatre Royal’s commercial production arm - has created over 200 plays and productions since its inception, including more than 40 West End transfers. Recent West End transfers from the Ustinov Studio include A View From The Bridge starring Dominic West after its hugely successful opening run in spring 2024 and In 2025, The Deep Blue Sea starring Tamsin Grieg and The Score starring Brian Cox. A Man For All Seasons starring Martin Shaw and Gary Wilmot has also recently transferred to the West End after opening in the Theatre Royal’s Main House.

Website: theatreroyal.org.uk / X: TheatreRBath / Instagram: theatreroyal1805 / Facebook: Theatre Royal Bath

"The Ustinov Studio - the Theatre Royal's increasingly indispensable studio space" -The Guardian