News

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and the National Theatre announce the return of Public Acts with As You Like It, to be performed at the Queen’s Theatre in 2019. Following the success of Pericles in the National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre this summer, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul will direct next year's Public Acts production As You Like It in a musical adaptation first seen at the Delacorte Theater, New York, in 2017 as part of The Public Theater's Public Works programme. Performances will take place at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 24 - 27 August 2019. This version of As You Like It is by Director of Public Works Laurie Woolery and Shaina Taub, featuring music and lyrics by Taub, and set and costume design by Hayley Grindle. The score is infectious, with sounds ranging from calypso to pop, Broadway musical to soul. Pericles director Emily Lim will collaborate with Douglas Rintoul in the role of Public Acts Director, continuing to work with the Public Acts community partners: Body & Soul, Bromley by Bow Centre, Coram, DABD, The Faith & Belief Forum, HASWA, Open Age and Thames Reach. The UK premiere of this work will see more than one hundred community members, a small group of professional actors, together with cameo groups from across London, perform together in this magical tale of faithful friends, feuding families and lovers in disguise. True to Shakespeare's play, the universal narratives of exile, displacement and reconciliation that are explored seem more timely and important than ever. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, one of the city’s producing theatres working in a part of London that’s rapidly changing, diverse in many ways and often forgotten, was the Theatre Partner for Pericles earlier this year. As You Like It will take the aspirations of Public Acts to its next stage. Tickets for As You Like It go on sale via the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch website queens-theatre.co.uk from next month. Public Acts is inspired by Public Works, The Public Theater's ground-breaking programme of participatory theatre in New York.