A free pre-show with the writer and director. Book tickets for the main show here.
Genre: Drama
It Walks Around The House At Night
Following a sell-out UK tour, the award-winning ThickSkin present this chilling new play by Tim Foley (former Bruntwood Prize-winner).
When an out-of-work actor takes a job playing a ghost at an old countryside manor, he expects nothing more than a few cheap scares. But as night after night unfolds, the role begins to blur with reality – and something far more sinister starts to emerge.
Part ghost story, part psychological thriller, It Walks Around The House At Night draws audiences into a world of creeping dread, unexpected twists and dark humour. A haunted house story for a new era, brought to life through inventive staging, immersive sound and bold visual effects.
ThickSkin, one of the UK’s most exciting touring companies, joins forces with Tim Foley (award-winning writer of Doctor Who audio dramas; Electric Rosary, Royal Exchange Theatre) to create this thrilling production. Directed by Neil Bettles (ThickSkin’s How Not To Drown, Disney’s Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Frantic Assembly’s The Unreturning), with sound design by Pete Malkin (Othello, National Theatre; The Encounter, Complicité– Tony Award winner) and lighting and video design by Joshua Pharo (Measure for Measure, RSC; Kenrex, The Other Palace).
Book tickets for the free pre-show talk on 25 Sep here.
A ThickSkin production supported by Queens Theatre Hornchurch.
★★★★★ ‘An unforgettable spooky story.’ Theatre South East
★★★★★ ‘a damned good scare’ Northern Arts Review
New Dawn Fades
The play tells the story of four ordinary lads who, inspired by the punk revolution of 1970s Manchester, came together to form one of the most influential bands of all time, Joy Division.
Following the untimely death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band went on to huge world-wide success as New Order. For 2026, New Dawn Fades reunites the creative team from last year’s sell-out tour, with producers Nigel Carr and Tony Davidson.
It is written by the award-winning Brian Gorman, who received much praise for his portrayal of Factory Records boss Tony Wilson. He guides the audience through the heart and soul of both the band and the city, introducing historical figures, including Roman General, Julius Agricola, Dr John Dee, Friedrich Engels, Paul Morley, and Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks!
The result is a spellbinding journey of love, passion, grief, and of course music, drawing inspiration from the enigmatic lyrics of Ian Curtis, with a soundtrack featuring iconic hits of the late 1970’s UK music scene, including of course Joy Division. The play is directed by Brian Gorman and Lauren Greenwood, who reprises her role as Debbie Curtis. A smash hit when it debuted at the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival in July 2013, New Dawn Fades has continued to wow audiences across the country, playing to capacity crowds and standing ovations.
Centre Stage Scratch Night
Join Havering Changing and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for Centre Stage – a vibrant showcase of top Essex/East London deaf, disabled, and neuro-divergent talent!
Dive into our scratch night: a relaxed evening of fresh ideas, short works-in-progress, live feedback, food, music, performances, and community fun.
Blackout – Fear Loves an Audience
Late at night, a small cast gathers inside an old theatre for what should be a straightforward rehearsal. But the building carries a reputation. Whispered stories, half-remembered warnings and long-held superstitions that most performers dismiss… until they can’t.
When the theatre doors close, something shifts and what should be fiction starts to feel dangerously real. Expect the unexpected as reality and storytelling begin to blur, plunging you into a shadowed world where nothing is as it seems.
Blackout puts you inside the experience, where every movement, sound and shadow pulls you deeper into the dark. Brace yourself for unnerving twists, creeping shadows, and moments that will make your heart race.
Because fear loves an audience.
Loot
A bank robbery, a family funeral, and a coffin with a shocking secret – nothing is off limits in this mischievous comedy of chaos! When a daring heist goes spectacularly wrong, the money ends up in the most unlikely hiding place, and the lies begin to pile up fast. What follows is a whirlwind of cover-ups, confusion and sheer audacity as everyone scrambles to stay ahead.
Orton’s masterpiece is packed with razor-sharp dialogue, physical mayhem and twists that spiral towards the absurd. Daring, dark and unmissably funny, nothing is off limits in this mischievous comedy of chaos!
Attend our FREE pre-show Director’s Talk on Mon 23 Feb at 6.30pm. Book your space here.
✭✭✭✭✭ “A clever play with razor sharp dialogue, farcical situations, and completely over the top characters.” Southend Theatre Scene
“This outstanding production of Loot is a must-see” The Havering Daily
“We very much enjoyed seeing this version of Loot” Jupiter Hadley
“A sharp swipe at authority, religion, and respectability.” Stagedoor Joe
Caroline: A New Musical
Caroline dreams of something more than stacking shelves at the local greengrocers. Her days are routine, but her nights come alive, walking the pier, sharing laughs with her best friend Mary, and spinning records with Robbie, her music-mad boyfriend who’s big on charm yet short on direction.
But a music revolution is coming, and Robbie lands a shock gig with Radio Caroline – the pirate radio station blasting pop, soul and rock ’n’ roll from a ship off the Essex coast and suddenly everything changes. Caroline is swept into a tidal wave of music, mayhem and a movement that would shake up British culture forever.
Set to a soundtrack of iconic hits from the 60s, Caroline: A New Musical is a vibrant, heart-warming and rebellious new musical about love, ambition and discovering your own voice.
She’s not a DJ. She’s not a rock star. But in the middle of Britain’s radio revolution, Caroline might just steal the show.
Related Events
Attend our FREE pre-show Director’s Talk on Thu 7 May at 6.30pm. Book your space here.
We also have a pre-show talk with Ray Clark on the fascinating history of pirate radio on Fri 15 May with Radio Caroline: The True Story of the Boat that Continues to Rock.
Caroline: A New Musical is produced by the East Anglian Touring Consortium. It is penned by the award-winning writer Vikki Stone and Directed by Douglas Rintoul (Chief Executive/Artistic Director at the New Wolsey Theatre) and Alex Thorpe (Co-Creative Director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).
Essex local Vikki Stone says “It has been a delight to develop Caroline, a bold, loud, and joyfully defiant show which celebrates the rich cultural history of the East Anglia”
Douglas Rintoul adds “As someone who also grew up in the area, I’m thrilled that we’re bringing this extraordinary story home. We are committed to creating high-quality, original theatre made by and for the people of East Anglia and what better story to tell than one that’s so deeply rooted in our region’s rebellious, creative spirit? Caroline: A New Musical celebrates the mavericks who changed the airwaves forever, blending wit, heart, and a glorious soundtrack that defined a generation. Audiences can expect an uplifting, joyful, and distinctly East Anglian story told with all the energy, humour, and humanity that defines our actor-musician work.”
The East Anglian Touring Consortium unites eight leading regional arts organisations from across East Anglia: Eastern Angles, HighTide, Landmark Theatres (New Theatre Peterborough), Mercury Theatre Colchester, New Wolsey Theatre, Norwich Theatre, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. Their mission is to create a sustainable, inclusive model for midscale touring, producing original theatre that champions local talent and reaches under-served communities. Supported by Arts Council England, it aims to strengthen East Anglia’s creative economy, expand access to the arts, and set a national example for collaborative, environmentally responsible theatre-making.
Caroline: A New Musical was developed with the support of the National Theatre’s Generate programme.
Director’s Talk – Di and Viv and Rose
This is a FREE pre-show event.
‘Murder Mystery Evening!’
After clinching the film rights to an international best-selling novel, the bosses at Foxglove Studios thought they had struck gold. But who will get the starring role – a Hollywood A-lister, or a humble film extra?
Just as shooting is about to start, a murderer strikes and the spotlight turns on some of the biggest names in the industry as they become suspects in the case of the decade.
The Police are left reeling and need your detective skills to help solve this complex puzzle.
Murder Mystery Evening!
After clinching the film rights to an international best-selling novel, the bosses at Foxglove Studios thought they had struck gold. But who will get the starring role – a Hollywood A-lister, or a humble film extra?
Just as shooting is about to start, a murderer strikes and the spotlight turns on some of the biggest names in the industry as they become suspects in the case of the decade.
The Police are left reeling and need your detective skills to help solve this complex puzzle.
