Please note that this is a private screening for members of Woodbridge Film Society and not open to the public. If you wish to join the Film Society then please visit their page here

Last Swim follows Ziba (Deba Hekmat) as she holds her breath on A-level results day. Desperate to study astrophysics at university, she’s equally determined to make the first day of her adult life a day to remember. But when her tight-knit group of friends are joined in a cross-London all-day party by newcomer Malcolm (Denzel Baidoo), she must reckon with a darker truth that none of her friends have been brought into.

Last Swim’s plot has plenty of high-stakes elements, but it never strays into melodrama, aided by an impressive young cast – many of them new faces – who bring improvisational and lived-in quality to the performances. At the centre of this group is the wonderful Deba Hekmat, in a performance that makes her one to watch. As in her terrific supporting role as tearaway best friend in Luna Carmoon’s Hoard, Hekmat conveys a world of grand and petty frustrations in a single look. Giving specificity to Ziba’s Iranian-British roots (as well as crafting a genuine friendship group to surround her), first-time director Sasha Nathwani captures a day that will live on in nostalgia; at once quotidian and human-sized, but tinged with emotions that scream with galactic significance for those on the edge of adulthood.

Five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic.

Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of that old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost?

Filmed live from the West End, this new production reunites Staunton with director Dominic Cooke (Follies, Good), exploring the clash between morality and independence, traditions and progress.

SPECIAL EVENT !

We are delighted that highly acclaimed British filmmaker Gerard Johnson, director of tonight's film, will be joining us this evening for our screening of ODYSSEY, along with his brother, Matt Johnson, who has scored this film and Gerard's previous films. Matt Johnson is perhaps better known to many as The The.

Fiery, sharp-tongued, and ambitious real estate agent Natasha Flynn lives every day on the verge of total success – or ruin. Her luxurious lifestyle is an unaffordable mask for the lonely void she’s tried to fill with the hustle for success. Then, when a shady lender forces her complicity in a criminal scheme to settle a debt, Natasha seeks out a dangerous old friend for help. As pressure from colleagues, collectors and criminals escalates, so begins a wild, neon-soaked ride through London’s dark underbelly.

This stylish, gritty, and darkly comedic thriller fearlessly confronting the contemporary housing crisis and corporate greed is led by a powerhouse performance from Polly Maberly (Muscle) who stars alongside Mikael Persbrandt (Sex Education, The Salvation, The Hobbit). The cast is rounded out by incredible British talent including Guy Burnet (Oppenheimer, Ray Donovan), Jasmine Blackborow (The Gentlemen, Marie Antoinette), Daniel De Bourg (MobLand, Fountain of Youth) and Peter Ferdinando (Ghost in the Shell, High-Rise).

A critical hit following its World Premiere at SXSW 2025, Odyssey is the latest feature from acclaimed director, Gerard Johnson, known for previous adrenaline-fuelled thrillers Tony, Hyena and Muscle.

“Heart-pounding” ★★★★ DREAD CENTRAL

“Riveting” ★★★★ THE HOLLYWOOD NEWS

“Wildly entertaining” ★★★★ THE MOVIE WAFFLER

“A new breed of antihero” DEADLINE

“Refreshingly dark” COLLIDER

“A masterclass” SCREEN ANARCHY

6:00pm Intro from Gerard and Matt Johnson

6:10pm Film

8pm - short break

8:10pm Q&A with Matt and Gerard

9:00pm End

At one of her lavish parties, celebrated Parisan courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont. The two fall madly in love, and though hesitant to leave behind her life of luxury and freedom, Violetta follows her heart. But the young couple’s happiness is short-lived, as the harsh realities of life soon come knocking.

As intimate as it is sumptuous, La traviata features some of opera’s most famous melodies, and is a star vehicle for its leading soprano role sung by Ermonela Jaho. In director Richard Eyre’s world of seductive grandeur, the tender and devastating beauty at the centre of Verdi’s opera shines bright.

Cast:  

Violetta Valéry ERMONELA JAHO

Alfredo Germont GIOVANNI SALA

Giorgio Germont ALEKSEI ISAEV

Annina VEENA AKAMA-MAKIA

Doctor Grenvil BARNABY REA

Flora Bervoix ELLEN PEARSON

Baron Douphol SAM HIRD

Gastone de Letorières GIORGI GULIASHVILI

Marquis d’Obigny OSSIAN HUSKINSON

Creatives:

Music GIUSEPPE VERDI

Conductor ANTONELLO MANACORDA

Director RICHARD EYRE

Designer BOB CROWLEY

Lighting Designer JEAN KALMAN

Director of Movement JANE GIBSON

“There was one small problem - neither of us wanted to be Paul Simon. To make it work one of us was going to have to get a hair cut. And that simply wasn’t going to happen. The novel solution…we decided to call ourselves The Garfunkels.”

Not many 20-year-old lads think of starting a Simon & Garfunkel tribute act — but Suffolk-based musicians Tom Mumford and Angelo Littler did exactly that.

The Garfunkels’ set is a celebration of Simon & Garfunkel’s music and story. With rich harmonies and engaging storytelling you can expect to hear the most iconic songs over the years - from their first album Wednesday Morning 3AM through to the  bestselling, award winning Bridge Over Troubled Water.  

This January, The Garfunkels are very excited to bring their show to The Riverside stage in their hometown of Woodbridge.

Doors Open: 7pm

On Stage: 7:30pm

Interval: 8:15pm

On Stage: 8:30pm

Ends: 9:15pm

Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

Trapped between duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, young Prince Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.

National Theatre Deputy Artistic Director, Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Operation Mincemeat) directs this sharp, stylish and darkly funny reimagining.

Please note that this is a private screening for members of Woodbridge Film Society and not open to the public. If you wish to join the Film Society then please visit their page here

Wind, Tide & Oar is a compelling exploration of engineless sailing, shot on 16mm film over three years. The film delves into the experiences of those who travel solely by harnessing the natural elements alone, following a diverse array of traditional boats and uncovering the unique rhythms and motivations of engineless navigation.

Journeying through rivers, coastlines, and open seas, spanning the UK, the Netherlands, and France, Wind, Tide & Oar creates a contemplative space, addressing themes of ecology, heritage, traditional skills, and maritime history. Using a 1960s hand-wound camera, Wahl offers a poetic and intimate perspective on a millennia-old craft, upended by the invention of mechanised power.

Through the film’s reveries, sailing becomes a means to explore our interaction with and responsibility to the environment. It invites deep reflection on our relationship with nature, our understanding of and commitment to sustainability, and our care for the world around us.

The film is shot around Suffolk, Cornwall and Essex.

A comedian, musician, actor and improviser, Rachel Parris is also an avid fan of Jane Austen. For 14 years she has been touring an improv comedy group called Austentatious and now she has written 'A Pride and Prejudice Novel'.

'Introducing Mrs Collins' imagines the life of Charlotte Lucas, the good friend of Elizabeth Bennet. In her marriage to Mr Collins, Charlotte chose stability over romance, but may she yet find her own happy ending?

This is a witty, warm, accomplished and entertaining novel and Rachel is a fabulous speaker whose enthusiasm for all things Austen is infectious!

A familiar face through her appearances on 'The Mash Report', 'Would I Lie to You?' and 'Mock the Week', Rachel is also a regular guest on BBC R4's 'The Now Show' and 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'. She will be in conversation with Catherine Larner and signing copies of her book.

Tickets are £20 (including a copy of 'Introducing Mrs Collins' RRP £18.99) and one further ticket may be purchased for £12 (without the book).

Please book at The Riverside in person or on the website www.theriverside.co.uk and be sure to include your name with your booking so that we can allocate your book on the night.