This October sees the launch of Outer Limits Southend, a two-day festival celebrating Essex creatives. Featuring play-readings, theatre, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, music, panel discussions and talks, the festival takes place throughout the weekend at Metal in Chalkwell Hall on Saturday 12 October, and at The Railway Hotel on Sunday 13 October.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to announce that John Barr, who garnered rave reviews for his turn as Dame Dotty Trott in 2018’s Jack and the Beanstalk, will be returning for this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood. This heroic panto spectacular will be playing from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 5 January.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has updated its auditorium lighting in a bid to be more environmentally friendly, and to increase the visibility for audiences pre and post show in the auditorium. This is the most recent development in the Theatre’s QNew programme, which celebrates the Theatre’s 65th Birthday with a refreshing facelift for artists, participants and audiences alike.

From songs and stories to music and crafts, the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is excited to present a variety of children’s entertainment this October half-term! Taking over the theatre’s main stage on 22 and 23 October is the most delightful tale of friendship and bravery ever to be seen on stage, Tabby McTat!

We are at last able to announce the line-up for our Scratch Night, taking place on Tue 1 Oct. Come see, discuss and feedback on the developing work of local artists, playwrights and performers.

This October sees the premiere of Love Unspoken from Spare Tyre, producers of The Garden. The final production in a trilogy conceived and directed by Arti Prashar (Fellow at the Centre of Contemporary Theatre at Birkbeck University and Winston Churchill Fellow in Dementia, Ageing and Spirituality), developed in collaboration with people living with dementias and their carers from South Asian communities.

We catch up with playwright Luke Norris ahead of the opening of razor-sharp play So Here We Are. The production plays from 7th September – 28th September, and sees the play performed in its local setting for the first time.

Full casting has been announced for Martin McDonagh’s (In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) The Beauty Queen of Leenane, co-produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Hull Truck Theatre. This is the second co-production between Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Hull Truck Theatre, after the landmark revival of The Hired Man in Spring 2019.

Radical new ideas to engage local Havering communities in arts and culture will be explored in a new project lead by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. Arts Council England has today (14 August) announced an investment of £1 million for the borough of Havering as part of the Creative People and Places programme.

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is bringing Luke Norris’ (Royal Court, Paines Plough) acclaimed So Here We Are home to its Essex roots this autumn. It plays alongside the world premiere of Sadie Hasler’s (Pramkicker, Fran & Leni) hilarious comedy Stiletto Beach as part of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Essex On Stage programme from 4th-28th September.

Playing the central role of Francis Henshall will be David O’Reilly. David has numerous stage and TV credits to his name, with highlights including: The Catherine Tate Show Live and The Book of Mormon (both in the West End); Grease (a No.

Choreographer & Movement Director Sundeep Saini talks about her vision on choreographing the second Public Acts production, As You Like It and what she is most looking forward to working on. This musical adaption of William Shakespeare’s classic play will be performed by over 100 community members, professional actors and performance groups from across London.

On Friday 28 June, Fairlytes Singers hosted its feel-good Friday sing-a-long concert A Right Royal Sing Your Heart Out at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and announced their generous donation towards nurturing young talent at the Theatre. Fairlytes Singers kindly donated £600 which will go towards the Theatre’s Youth Theatre and fund a young person for 10 terms on either its QSteps Programme (6 – 14 year olds) or Young Company Programme (14 – 18 year olds).

Designer Hayley Grindle talks about her inspiration and vision for the second Public Acts production, As You Like It. This musical adaption of William Shakespeare's classic play will be performed by over 100 community members, professional actors and performance groups from across London.

People of Havering, are you guilty of having a pair of unloved or forgotten Stilettos tucked away at the back of your wardrobe? Dig them out and give them a stomping new lease of life at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch!