News

Christmas has come early as the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has revealed details about its new immersive festive show, Sparky the Elf and the Secret Toyshop. This December, families can enjoy an elftastic adventure with one of Santa’s pointy eared and rosy-cheeked helpers at a top secret location at Romford’s The Mercury Mall Shopping Centre.  The special venue will be transformed into Santa’s enchanted workshop, and running from 15 – 30 December. Whilst Santa is busy making his list and checking it twice, his most trusted head elf Sparky Tinselbottom is frantically working away repairing abandoned toys. Families with children aged 7 – 11 can join in as one of Sparky’s friends and discover fantastic adventures of unloved toys from around the world. But don’t distract Sparky for too long, as Father Christmas needs everything to be ready for loading his sleigh and the clock is ticking… Families must arrive 15 minutes before the advertised start time by the Help Desk on Level 2 (Street level) of the The Mercury Mall Shopping Centre, where they will be met and led to Sparky’s secret toyshop, which will be a short walk away. Written and directed by the Queen’s Theatre’s Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul, this unique experience is from the team behind last year’s sell out festive treat, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas which was performed at the National Trust’s Rainham Hall. Sparky the Elf and the Secret Toyshop runs from 15 – 30 December. Tickets are £7.50 for all weekday performances and £10 at weekends. Performances are at 11am, 2pm, 4.30pm, 3pm and 6pm (varies each day). To book, call the Queen’s Theatre’s Box Office on 01708 443333 or go online at queens-theatre.co.uk