Grace Coppin, Author at Queens Theatre

New musical film Cells to be released episodically from 19 April 2021

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Grace Coppin

We are pleased to be partnering with Metta Theatre – one of the UK’s leading production companies devoted to British musical theatre – to announce the release of a film of a brand-new musical, Cells, written, developed and recorded entirely during lockdown by the award-winning writer/director P Burton-Morgan and composer Ben Glasstone and starring Metta’s recently announced Patron, the Olivier award-winning Clive Rowe alongside rising star Lem Knights.

A university science lab. A kebab shop at 2am. An online gaming forum. Two strangers’ lives become intertwined. Alan Bennett meets The Streets in this tender and uplifting new work, giving voice to the lives of two everyday blokes.

Metta are partnering with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and two other major regional venues – Royal & Derngate in Northampton and the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough – and we will being hosting episodes of the film on our websites. The first episode will be launched on Monday 19 April, with subsequent episodes released daily, and the full film will be available on Monday 26 April, along with the album to be released on Spotify and other digital platforms.

The film, in episode form and then in its entirety will be free to all to access via YouTube with a suggested donation (£3 per episode, £10 for the whole film) – all of which will go to the three theatres to help support their recovery.

Cells is written and directed by P Burton-Morgan (Madam Butterfly UK tour, In the Willows, UK tour, Jungle Book UK & International Tour), with music by Ben Glasstone, mixed and mastered by Simon Small and the Musical Director is Phil Cornwell. The Director of Photography is Jon Dickinson, the films are edited by Will Reynolds. Phil Cornwell plays keys and double bass and Curtis Volp is on guitar.

P Burton-Morgan, who in 2020 won the Writers Guild of Great Britain Award for musical theatre book writing for In the Willows explains, ‘I’ve been talking to Clive about writing something specifically for him ever since we met 4 years ago, so I’m thrilled to have this opportunity. It’s been a wild adventure creating a music video musical for this brave new world of ‘digital theatre’ in which we find ourselves. Hopefully we’ve succeeded in taking the best of both theatre and film to create something intimate and unique.’

Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch said, ‘Musicals are at the heart of our programme here at QTH, and so we’re thrilled to be supporting this innovative digital project from our exceptionally talented colleagues at Metta.’

Creative Estuary project callout

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Calling out for directors, designers, choreographers, musical directors, composers, performers and stage managers, all living in South Essex

This summer, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is leading an exciting new collaborative project, a Creative Estuary Co-commission, stretching in impact across South Essex.

Together we’ll be creating a new piece of place making theatre that’s accessible and cross generational, touring to community venues, and reaching under served and under represented audiences.

We want to ‎make this with a diverse range of artists all living in the area itself, so it’s truly South Essex in its roots, helping build a regional community of creative practitioners, and fostering further relationships into the future.

So if you’re an artist living in South Essex – in the districts of Thurrock, Castlepoint, Southend on Sea and Basildon, plus the south of Brentwood district – and would like to find out more, please contact douglas@queens-theatre.co.uk with ‘Creative Estuary project callout’ in the subject line, explaining why you’d love to make collaborative work about the area in which you live, attaching your CV.

So we can consider your interest, please be in touch by Wednesday 31 March 2021

About Creative Estuary Co-commissions

Creative Estuary Co-commissions is an ambitious creative programme taking place along the length of the Thames Estuary in Kent and Essex. The Co-commissions will support creative practitioners and organisations to make and present new work. These co-commissions will be delivered through a network of partners and at a range of scales, responding to local contexts and communities. From grassroots organisations to established cultural venues, as well as smaller-scale commissions working directly with local artists and collectives, the Co-commissions will create opportunities for creative innovation and new cultural production throughout 2021 & 2022.

CREATIVE ESTUARY has a vision to forge a new future founded on creative energy and innovation, along the length of the Thames Estuary. The project is supported by The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and led by a consortium of public sector and cultural organisations. They include the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Kent and Essex County Councils, the Greater London Authority, 11 local authority areas represented by Thames Gateway Kent Partnership and opportunity South Essex, South East Creative Economy Network (SECEN), University of Kent, University of Essex, Locate in Kent and cultural organisations Metal and Cement Fields. In early 2019 the University of Kent was awarded £4.3m from the DCMS Cultural Development Fund on behalf of the partners. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund which is administered by Arts Council England.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch announces new Board members

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is today delighted to be announcing the appointment of five new Board members, and a new Fundraising Board member too.

These new trustees join this vibrant and ambitious producing theatre, working in Outer East London, Essex and beyond, at an important time where the theatre is playing an ever increasing role at the heart of a changing community, as well as providing important leadership culturally across the sub region.‎ QTH was recently awarded London Theatre of the Year 2020 (The Stage awards), the first Outer London theatre to receive this prestigious award.

The new Board members are:

Andrea Cunningham – Assistant Regional Director at Metal in Southend, with a background in learning in national museums and galleries
Dominic Hedges – a theatre maker from East Ham, with over ten years experience creating work with children and young people
Dr Neha Issar-Brown‎ – director at one of the UK’s biggest medical research charities, and a Havering resident, who’s voluntary work reflects a broad commitment to diversity
Sonja Lahiff – an experienced fundraiser, working at English Heritage, living in Hornchurch, who has worked in the arts and culture sector for ten years
‎George Morgan – a drama teacher, actor and writer, living in Basildon, with a passion for inclusivity amongst young people in the arts

And joining the Fundraising Board, is Natalie Chan, an arts fundraiser and producer from Hong Kong, currently working for Creative Youth and The Bread and Roses Theatre.

These appointments follow Claire Gevaux stepping down as Chair in December, after four years of successfully steering the charity through significant change, alongside retiring Trustees Asma Hussain and Steve Moffitt. Sara Thompson, Deputy Chair, has taken on the role of Chair on an interim basis, and David Shearing the role of Deputy Chair.

The Theatre is currently undertaking the search for a new Chair.

Sara Thompson said: ‘The existing trustees and I are delighted to be working with Andrea, Dominic, Neha, Sonja, George and Natalie, and pleased that the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Board has members from an increasingly diverse range of backgrounds and lived experience. Despite the challenges of the last year, the Theatre has an impressive range of plans for the future, which as trustees we’re looking forward to playing our part in. We’re also exceptionally grateful to Claire, Asma and Steve for their considerable insight, support and dedication over the last four years.’

For more details about our board, click here.

An interview with Jack Scannell-Wood and Jessica Rothon who play Sharon ‘n’ Barry’s nibling in our up-coming comedy drama.

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Jack and Jess, from our QYouth programme, are alternating as Sharon ‘n’ Barry’s rather helpful nibling in our up-coming comedy drama Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet’. James Watson, Head of Learning & Participation, took sometime out from assisting them with rehearsals to gain their thoughts on being in a Zoom production, Shakespeare and passing the time in Lockdown.

Jack Scannell-Wood

My favourite part of being in the show has been meeting new people and working with David again – he’s really funny.

I’ve always been interested in Shakespeare, everyone talks about him. I’ve enjoyed it a lot more performing the words and learning to understand what they mean and how they feel. I can dive straight into his words now.

Doing this on Zoom is very different to being in Macbeth last year. It’s been fun to play around with the virtual backgrounds, but I would rather be on the real stage. I miss what happens off stage, being with other performers, and playing games with the chaperones in the dressing room. I am more nervous on Zoom than being in the theatre as there is no-one to help if something goes wrong – but at least I can’t accidentally fall off the front of the stage!

I’ve been a member of QYouth for about a year. It’s lots of fun.

I also love reading fiction books, especially books set around the war.

I’ve done lots of things to make Lockdown fun, like Zoom baking with friends. We all made an Oreo mug cake – it was really tasty. After Lockdown, I’m looking forward to starting my catalogue modelling which I was just starting to do before Coronavirus came.

Jessica Rothon

My favourite part of being in the show is getting to do something so different – you don’t normally act over Zoom, and as you can’t go anywhere in Lockdown, it’s nice to still be doing something I enjoy.

In year 5 we learnt about Shakespeare and got to see a production in school. Some of the words nobody understood, but it was good. I thought he was strange to begin with, with lots of made-up words but it has been really interesting to learn what they mean and performing them.

Acting on Zoom is different to what I was used to doing. You can’t do as much but also it’s exciting because you can do different things. It was a really short rehearsal time and we had to learn a lot quickly which was good. It will be great to be back on stage and share it with other people. I get more nervous on Zoom because there is more to go wrong – like technology! Even a small problem can be bigger or harder to put right. And, you must remember your own props and (virtual) backgrounds.

I’ve been a member of QYouth for over 3 years, since I was about 8, and have been in shows such as The T.I.P. and Icarus.

When I’m not acting, I like swimming and watching Heartland with my Mum. During the first Lockdown we did family quizzes every week and it was really fun. When Lockdown ends, I am looking forward to going swimming and seeing my swim friends again.

An interview with Joanne Seymour who plays Sharon in Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Grace Coppin

It’s the last week of rehearsals for Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet’, our up-coming new everyday comedy which previews this Thursday. We had a chat with Joanne Seymour who plays Sharon. She gives us an insight into rehearsals, her character and why people who reside in Essex will especially enjoy the show.

How are rehearsals going?

Really good. It’s starting to come together and look like a piece. It’s been very, very hard work but it’s enjoyable and I’m loving being at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for the first time.

How does preparing a show for Zoom compare to your experiences of rehearsing a show for the stage?

It feels very different, like a hybrid between TV/film and theatre. Your instinct is to act for the theatre because it’s a play, but you need to be conscious that what you’re acting to is the size of a television screen. It’s exciting.

Have there been any surprises/differences that you weren’t expecting from performing a show on Zoom?

You don’t need to be as big, so you need to try and remember to hold back a little bit which in this piece, is quite difficult because we’re playing characters with large personalities. That’s been quite a challenge! It’s a strange one as you know that the audience are watching the show live, but it feels like a TV show. It’s an odd feeling but a good and refreshing one.

Have there been any specific challenges that have come up during rehearsals?

We’ve created the roles of Sharon and Barry from scratch so that’s been amazing. It’s been challenging but very enjoyable. We developed and created everything that they are saying during the rehearsal process. There wasn’t a script at the beginning of rehearsals, just a concept. Everything has been improvised in the rehearsal room with the guidance of Douglas Rintoul, the Director. It’s been a great experience devising those characters from scratch. It’s felt natural, we’ve been able to get into character quite quickly. The characters now feel like an extension of ourselves.

It’s been very different to work with the Shakespearian language, which you need to be exact with, against the complete improvisation of Sharon and Barry’s lines. You use both disciplines which has been motivating.

What’s been your favourite part of the process so far?

Devising Sharon and Barry. Plus, I love Shakespeare! Although Sharon and Barry aren’t that good at Shakespeare, it’s been wonderful for me as an actor to play Juliet. It really has! I never thought I’d get the chance in my fifties so that’s been an incredible feat for me!

What are your feelings about performing to a Zoom audience?

Yeah… strange. I can’t imagine really. As I said, they’re going to be live and we’re going to be able to see them, but we won’t obviously get the feedback that you’d get in a live theatre, so I don’t know how that’s going to feel. I can’t even imagine. I’ve got a feeling it might be a bit nerve racking, but we’ll go with it.

Can you tell me about your character Sharon?

She’s wonderful! She’s a very confident person, she’s very secure in her own skin. She’s lovely, a proper salt of the earth Essex lady. I’m from Essex myself and I think that she’s a good representation of the County. A very positive representation! She’s a much more confident version of me. The very fact that she’s taking on this absurd idea to perform Romeo and Juliet as a Zoom performance shows that she’s fearless. She’s nervous at the beginning but fundamentally I think she’s a confident woman with her own business. She’s a good character to play.

You mentioned that you’re from Essex. Which part are you from?

Yes, I’m Essex born and bred. I’ve lived in Southend on and off. I’ve lived in Romford and then London for a bit, but I’ve been back in Southend since 1996.

Why should people book to see the show?

I think that particularly for Essex people, they’ll recognise Essex in the piece. I think it’s a bit of fun, it’s something totally different. You don’t need to know anything about Shakespeare to enjoy the show but if you do enjoy Shakespeare, that’s bonus as you’ll get the best of both worlds. I don’t think it’ll be like anything else you’ll have seen.

An Interview with Douglas Rintoul, Director of Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Grace Coppin

It’s the beginning of the tech week of rehearsals for Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet’, our up-coming new everyday comedy. We had a chat with Douglas Rintoul who is directing the piece. He gives us an insight into what inspired him to direct this show now and why you should book a ticket.

What inspired you to direct this piece now?

In mid-January, when we knew we were in for another long lockdown, we decided to make another small piece because we wanted to keep up a connection with our audiences. A few weeks later we were in rehearsals for something we never planned to do. This is our fourth show since the first lockdown and our third online. This lockdown has been so hard for everyone, so I wanted to make something fun and joyous – something a bit daft.

I’ve been inspired by the creativity and sense of play of our community during the lockdown. One couple has engaged with lots of our digital workshops and posted pictures of themselves in costume and using props, and I thought, what would happen if they created a play in their living room?

People have done and experienced things they have never had to before during the last 12 months, home schooling, DIY, fundraising, isolating, musical instruments, Zoom parties, binge-watching Netflix, baking, online fitness and workshops, so it didn’t feel far-fetched that a household was being super creative to keep themselves occupied. I wanted to make something that celebrated this collective experience and endeavour to stay engaged.

During my career, I’ve always been blown away by how non-professionals can own Shakespeare quickly and can perform it with ease and freedom from the constraints of academic reverence. This has really influenced the piece. We don’t laugh at Sharon ‘n’ Barry; we laugh with them as they take claim and own Shakespeare in their own way. I hope we imagine ourselves doing the same thing and seeing our own potential to do something daft and fun in our restricted circumstances.

Why should people book a ticket?

It’s fun, joyous, daft and touching – we get to hang out with two gorgeous yet familiar characters in their living room as they climb their own creative Everest.

An Interview with David Nellist who plays Barry in Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Grace Coppin

It’s the second week of rehearsals for Sharon ‘n’ Barry Do ‘Romeo & Juliet’, our up-coming new everyday comedy. We had a chat with David Nellist who plays Barry. He gives us an insight into the rehearsal process and creating a production for Zoom.

ARE YOU ENJOYING BEING BACK AT THE QUEEN’S?

I love it! I don’t notice it so much in the rehearsal room but when we break, put the masks on and go to our Dressing Rooms, rather than the Green Room, I do notice it and it’s a little bit more isolating, so I miss that social side things. I also miss the ‘welcome back’ hugs. However, it’s really nice to be back!

WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT REHEARSING FOR A ZOOM PRODUCTION COMPARED TO A STAGE SHOW?

It’s quite a complicated production already because it’s like a double play. We’re playing Sharon and Barry who are playing the characters in Romeo and Juliet. So sometimes as you’re rehearsing, you’ll feel like that felt like Barry playing Romeo but then ahh…. you’re out of shot, so then you have to change that.

Also, all the things that you normally must hide from the audience like the props and costume changes, now just must happen out of shot rather than in the wings, so that’s different.

It’s anarchic which is good, the way we’re having to solve the problems. You get to a scene where there is three characters in it, and we as actors are quite used to doing that and improvising. Sharon and Barry wouldn’t be, so what will they do when they discover that they’ve got to play two characters in one scene, how would they approach it? That’s the ingenious and funny part about it.

It’s been quite fun to use the different tools of Zoom like different backgrounds. There’s a lot of humour to be had.

HOW HAS IT BEEN REHEARSING WITH YOUR ‘NIECE/NEPHEW’?

We met them on the first day in person and then we’ve only seen them over Zoom since. James Watson has obviously been doing great work with them in between the rehearsal sessions because when they come back, you can see that their performance is so much better than the last time we heard it. And of course, Jack was in Macbeth so it’s nice to be working with him again. They’re both really blossoming. It’s great to see young actors gaining their confidence. One of them performs their part and then you’ll see that the other one realises that they’ve got to raise their game a little more. They sort of buoy each other up.

THIS PIECE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED DURING REHEARSALS AND IMPROVISED. THE CONCEPT WAS THERE BUT THE SCRIPT IS BEING CREATED IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM. HOW ARE YOU FINDING THAT PROCESS?

There’s still a lot of Shakespeare that we’ve had to learn but this is harder because we’re playing multiply characters. I’m playing Romeo, then the Nurse and then Romeo again, and you’re talking to yourself back and forth whilst also remembering which costume you’ve got to have on for the next scene. Then Doug, the Director, will remind me that I forgot to put the music on!

The interaction between Sharon and Barry really developed from day one. Doug told us from the start what he wanted us to mention and then we improvised around it. Gradually Doug has recorded what we’ve said and then told us what to keep and what to cut. We now know the characters quite well. We know when it feels wrong and when they wouldn’t be saying or doing that. The modern parts aren’t going to be 100% scripted, it will be slightly different at every performance.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE SEE THIS SHOW?

First and foremost, it’s funny! If you know Romeo and Juliet, it’s a different way to how you would traditionally view it. If you don’t know the play, it doesn’t matter, it’s a nice story. It’s a bittersweet comedy and there’s a lot of love in the show. We all need that at the moment!

AND FINALLY, WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING IN BBC ONE’S SHERLOCK?

It was good…, it’s just good TV. I feel a sense of pride about the show because, as well as being in some later episodes, I was in the pilot when nobody knew if it was going to work at all. People thought that it should be set in Victorian London with foggy streets but when the show went out, it just grew. Martin and Benedict are both so good it in that you couldn’t imagine anyone else playing those roles, which is always the mark of good telly. They’re such nice lads, really lovely lads.

Casting announced for world premiere of a new everyday comedy at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Full casting has been announced for Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s upcoming production of Sharon ‘n’ Barry do ‘Romeo & Juliet’, a new everyday comedy, on Zoom from 25 February – 6 March 2021.

The cast is: East London actor David Nellist (BBC One’s Sherlock and Macbeth, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch) and Southend-on-Sea actor Joanne Seymour (BBC One’s Eastenders and The Killing of Sister George, Palace Theatre Southend). Completing the cast are Jessica Rothon and Jack Scannell-Wood, from Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s QYouth programme, alternating as Sharon and Barry’s niece/nephew.

Sharon and Barry are done with baking, Joe Wicks & Netflix and have stumbled upon Sharon’s old battered school text of Romeo & Juliet in their loft. After a bit of a read and a watch of the classic, the couple’s been inspired to have a crack at the play themselves…

They’ve hacked out the boring bits, worked out playing all the parts, and the props have just arrived from Amazon!

So, join them live from their living room for this inadvertently hilarious, but surprisingly touching, take on Shakespeare’s most romantic story.

The play will be performed live online via a private link and is directed by Douglas Rintoul, the Theatre’s Artistic Director (Christmas Allsorts; Misfits; As You Like It; In Basildon; and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).

This new work builds on a year of digital innovation at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch in 2020, with the international streaming of co-production The Hired Man, live streamed community response piece Here I Am and world premiere of award nominated digital theatre piece Misfits.

Sharon ‘n’ Barry do ‘Romeo & Juliet‘ will be performed on Zoom from 25 February – 6 March 2021. Tickets cost £8 plus 65p QRenew Fee, suitable for all ages 7+. For more information and to purchase tickets click here.

The magic of live theatre direct to your home… but with comfy sofa seating, shorter queues for the loo and cheaper snacks.

😊 Let’s make Havering happy and more news from your theatre! 🎭

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Join The Changemakers Network!

Our Young Changemakers are excited to launch The Changemakers Network to connect and champion creative young people.

Sign up and be first to receive the upcoming Young Changemakers Podcast, seed commissions for young artists and invitations to live events later in 2021. Joining is free and easy, click here!

The network is open to anyone who wants to get involved, with most opportunities focussed at 18-25 year olds from across Outer East London and Essex.

With thanks to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for their support of our Learning and Participation programme.

Let’s Make Havering Happy

We want to know your creative ideas and projects that will help spread some joy and put a smile on someone’s face who may be experiencing loneliness during this lockdown.

Havering Changing is looking to work with artists, craft makers and community groups to spread some creative happiness at this time and are welcoming applications as part of an open call.

Ideas should inspire people to engage in creative activities, make them feel valued, and lift their mood to help their mental health and general wellbeing.

The projects should all be activities that people can do at home and do not require an internet connection or mobile phone to connect to.

Even if you do not have a creative idea, but want to help or know a person or group who would benefit from some creativity at this time, please get in touch.

Find out more here.

Romford Winter Garden

From Monday 1 February, Havering Changing launches their Winter Garden Project, in partnership with artist Carlos Cortes.

The Winter Garden will be bringing to the streets and houses of Romford a large kaleidoscope of colours and natural forms. Local people can get involved and use their creative flair to make colourful flowers, plants, and display them in the windows of their homes creating a collective Winter Garden.

Winter Garden workshops will be delivered through online tutorials and creative packs that residents can request or pick up in selected shops in Romford, Rush Green and Collier Row when doing their essential shopping.

Find out more here

Coven celebrates using our Artist Space

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Associate Artist, Rebecca Brewer, talks about being back in the Theatre:

‘We feel really lucky to be able to come into the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch to do some work on COVEN next week.

A lot of planning has gone in to the rehearsal to make sure that we are COVID-19 secure; we have people zoom-ing in for rehearsals as well as a handful of people coming into the space, as well as lots of masks, temperature checks and sanitiser!

We’ll be exploring the music and script further, but also exploring some shadow puppetry, movement and even some moments of magic! We hope that we will be able to share COVEN again with you as soon as time allows, but in the meantime, take care and you can find us on Twitter @COVENtheshow’

If you’re a local performer or performance-maker and would like to use the Artist Space, please email douglas@queens-theatre.co.uk

Find out more here.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch announces world premiere – Sharon ‘n’ Barry do ‘Romeo & Juliet’

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Grace Coppin

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is thrilled to announce the world premiere of a new everyday comedy, Sharon ‘n’ Barry do ‘Romeo & Juliet’, on Zoom from 25 February – 6 March 2021.

They’ve hacked out the boring bits, worked out playing all the parts, and the props have just arrived from Amazon!

So, join them live from their living room for this inadvertently hilarious, but surprisingly touching, take on Shakespeare’s most romantic story.

The play will be performed live in real time online via a private link and is directed by Douglas Rintoul, the Theatre’s Artistic Director (Christmas Allsorts; Misfits; As You Like It; In Basildon; and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).

Rintoul says ‘Once again we’re heading into rehearsals during a lockdown to bring audiences some live theatre. We were desperate to make something fun and joyous, so I am chuffed that today we’re announcing details of our new comedy, Sharon ‘n’ Barry do ‘Romeo & Juliet’. It’s something daft and beautiful that we hope will brighten up these last winter weeks.’

Author: Grace Coppin