Reading theatre stages Henry I above buried king at abbey ruins

Henry I is being staged above the king’s body in the ruins of Reading Abbey

An independent theatre company is set to stage its production of Henry I inside the ruins of Reading Abbey.

Rabble Theatre was awarded a grant of £100,000 in December from Arts Council England to stage the play.

King Henry founded the abbey in 1121 and his body is believed to lie beneath the ruins.

Following preview shows it was officially set for opening and press night at 19:30 BST and runs until 1 July.

The theatre company said the play's focus is on the undervalued women in the king's life

Kate Winslet, who supports the theatre, said it was "phenomenal" for the group "to stage their ambitious production, directly above his burial site".

"As a proud Reading girl, I'm thrilled that theatre of such a high quality, that is both diverse and inclusive, is coming to my community-rich home town this summer," the actress added.

Described by the theatre as a story of history, emotion, battle and injustice, the play focuses on the undervalued women in the king's life.

The theatre company said it was "part of Rabble's wider vision to champion forgotten women of history".

The arts council awarded the theatre a grant of £100,00 to stage the production

The theatre has also run its inaugural Finding Reading Festival alongside the play, an education project with local community groups, schools and organisations.

The production then moves to Winchester Great Hall between 12-15 July and St Pauls Church, Covent Garden, London from 20-22 July.