News

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch announce casting for the 10^th anniversary production of Tom Wells award- winning, irresistibly funny and tender play, The Kitchen Sink (17 Mar - 2 Apr 2022). Playing Martin is Ken Bradshaw (War Horse, The National Theatre), with Sally George as Kath (The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Park Theatre), Dominic Jones as Billy (Growth, Paines Plough/UK Tour), Joseph Reed as Pete (The Nobodies, Chalk Line Theatre/UK Tour), and Matilda Tucker as Sophie (Dangerous Liaisons, Playground/STARZ). Things aren’t going to plan for one Yorkshire family. Martin’s milk float is falling apart and something’s up with Kath’s sink. Billy’s trying to get into art school with a portrait of Dolly Parton. Sophie’s dreaming of her black belt whilst Pete, a local plumber, is quietly falling in love. Amidst the dramas and the dirty dishes, something has to give… Playwright Tom Wells work includes: Big Big Sky (Hampstead Theatre, 2021); Stuff (National Theatre Connections Festival, 2019); Drip, with music composed by Matthew Robins (Boundless Theatre, 2017/8); Broken Biscuits (Live Theatre/Paines Plough UK tour, 2016); Folk (Birmingham Rep & tour, 2016); Jumpers for Goalposts (Watford Palace Theatre, 2013); The Kitchen Sink (Bush Theatre, 2011) and Me, As A Penguin (Arcola Theatre, 2010). He received critical acclaim for The Kitchen Sink winning the George Devine Award and the Most Promising Playwright Award at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. ★★★★★ ‘Comic, poignant and utterly gripping’ - Evening Standard 'I cannot recommend it too highly'- Charles Spencer - Daily Telegraph The Kitchen Sink will be directed by Caroline Leslie (The Wipers Times, The Watermill Theatre, The Arts Theatre & UK Tour), designed by Zoë Hurwitz (We Anchor in Hope, The Bunker Theatre), with lighting design by Stephen Pemble (All My Sons, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch) and sound design and music composed by Jack Baxter (Yes So I Said Yes, The Finborough Theatre). Director Caroline Leslie says: “The family in this awesomely funny play are a bit like the coastline they live on, under attack from erosion; not by the sea itself but by the collapse of local businesses and a lack of investment in what was once a thriving economy and popular tourist destination. Like the crumbling coast, the family has to work out what the changes are that it needs to make in order to survive. Full of pride, humour and tenderness, this timely play has deeper undercurrents that explore how we can feel stuck in our co-ordinates and what it takes to make a leap into unknown waters”. “I think this play should really chime for our audiences. Tom Wells understands that everyone’s family can be brilliant, messy and a bit dysfunctional all at once, which makes the play instantly familiar, hilarious, and thought provoking. It’s a hopeful play for troubled times that looks at how we support and challenge each other in our chosen units, and the trials and often comic tribulations of what it is to go through life together in uncertain, changing and challenging times. It’s a real honour to be directing it for The Queen’s Theatre”. Likened to the plays of Alan Bennett don’t miss this affectionate and sweet yet often hilarious portrait of working-class family life. To book your tickets and for more information about the Theatre visit queens-theatre.co.uk. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has joined over 100 theatres UK wide for a new campaign, for which The National Lottery is providing up to £2 million to subsidise over 150,000 tickets across the UK. During March, National Lottery players can get 2-for-1 theatre tickets for performances of The Kitchen Sink. Tickets are available to purchase via loveyourlocaltheatre.com The theatre will also be providing an Audio Described performance (02 Apr) with Audio Description available via headset at every performance from 21 Mar, a Dementia Friendly performance (24 Mar) and a Relaxed Performance (26 Mar) for more details visit the website.