Author: Grace Coppin

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has announced its first cohort of Associate Artists as part of its Outer Limits artist development programme. Making up the Outer Limits Associate Artists are:

• Romford-based D-Live!, a leading Deaf-led British Sign Language professional theatre company;
• Old Trunk, a Southend based theatre company led by playwright Sadie Hasler and director Sarah Mayhew;
• Rebecca Brewer, an actor, songwriter and performance-maker based in Thurrock.

The artists are professionals local to the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, with a track record of making excellent work on the small scale. The Theatre will provide artistic and producing mentorship, rehearsal and performance space, funding application support, and much more. The Theatre hopes that this will enable these artists to realise their ambitions: working on a larger scale, reaching more audiences, and gaining national recognition for Essex creativity.

The announcement marks a growth in the Theatre’s Outer Limits programme, which supports, nurtures and unites artists in the region. The Theatre acted in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw an industry-wide crisis as buildings were closed and shows cancelled across the country. The Outer Limits Online initiative has recently moved meetings remotely onto Zoom, running successful online peer led development sessions facilitating skills-sharing and networking to combat the sudden increased isolation. Both responses aim to stem stagnation and propagate growth in the independent sector in the region.

Artistic Director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Douglas Rintoul says:  ‘It’s a balm in these times to be able to announce our first cohort of Outer Limits Associate Artists. We recognise how difficult it is for independent artists to get projects off the ground, now more than ever. These associateships will give these brilliant local creatives extensive support to realise their aspirations. In turn we hope to be influenced by their unique talents and perspectives.’

Steven Vevers-Webb, Artistic Director of D-Live!, says: ‘D-Live! is thrilled to become a new Associate Artist at the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch.  As a relatively new deaf-led theatre company, producing work in British Sign Language and spoken English, we are so excited to be partnering with the Queens to learn from their wealth of experience in producing theatrical productions.  We are from (and based in) the borough of Havering and we’re excited this local venue will be supporting a local theatre company wanting to make creative work for deaf children, young people and their wider families.  We can’t wait for the next 18 months of this Associate Artist programme and look forward to working with Douglas and his team.’

Sadie Hasler of Old Trunk says: ‘We are so delighted to be offered this fantastic opportunity. We’ve come so far in eight years making our own work and getting it out there, and are eager to work with their brilliant team on taking our work into exciting new realms. In these times of uncertainty places like Queen’s can and should be beacons to creatives. We’re so happy to be part of their fold, making fearless work for a stronger future.’

Rebecca Brewer says: ‘I am completely delighted to become an Associate Artist at the Queen’s Theatre. I’ve been connected with the theatre for the last year or so through their Artist Development programme. Doug and everyone at the theatre have been brilliant, providing the perfect concoction of support and provocation that artists need in order to push themselves to make and continue to make work. I feel really lucky to have such a welcoming and supportive team, 15 minutes from my house!’

For the last three years‎, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has had much success making Christmas shows for younger audiences in unusual settings. An adaptation of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ premiered at the National Trust’s Rainham Hall, and new story ‘Sparky the Elf and the Secret Toyshop’ in an empty shop unit at the Mercury Shopping Centre, before both transferred to the Theatre’s Rehearsal Space for extended runs in the subsequent year.

For December 2020, we’re looking to work with a company of professional theatre makers who have a new idea or existing show they’re looking to develop for this Christmas, to play in the Theatre’s Rehearsal Space.

We’re looking for a festive show suited to aged 4 – 7 year olds, with lots of non verbal content, and a cast of at least one! It should be as site specific and unusual as possible, making the most of the space, and be able to play two or three times a day for an audience of 40 – 60 children and parents each time, over several weeks.

We’ll provide a guaranteed fee for the run against agreed costs, production support with making a set and costumes, and designing lights and sound, rehearsal space, producing support if helpful, marketing, box office and FOH.

The ideal company would be experienced in making work for families and perhaps be able to bring some funding or resources to the project to help make ‎something very special that might have a future life too.

If you have an idea, please send in a short proposal about what you’d intend, with details‎ of relevant experience and an outline budget, to hollyh@queens-theatre.co.uk by Wednesday 29 April 2020. Once we’ve had a look at the proposals, we’ll then be in touch to discuss or feedback.

Thanks in advance for your brilliant festive ideas!

In light of the latest government advice about COVID-19, we can confirm that all performances until at least 26 Aug have been postponed (and in some cases cancelled)‎.

The affected performances are listed below:

You can also make a donation to the Theatre here.Thank you so much for your support and patience during a period of great uncertainty – it’s very much appreciated.If your show has been cancelled, and you are able to consider donating the value of your tickets to the theatre, rather than seeking a refund, this would help us greatly at a difficult time. We’re incredibly grateful for anything you can do in this respect.As a much-loved charity serving the local community, the cancellation of lots of events at the theatre will be financially devastating for us, particularly as our public funding received represents less than 15% of the costs of running the theatre and putting on productions and participatory projects.Ticket holders will be contacted by the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Box Office in the coming days – please wait to be contacted, as our small team will be very busy dealing with the impact of this unexpected news.

A call has gone out to all emerging and established live performance artists in Thurrock.

The Outer Limits artist development programme is coming to the Thameside Theatre in Grays in May for a day of performance, expert industry advice and opportunities for performance creatives across Thurrock to meet and connect.

The aim of the programme is to uncover, connect and help develop creative performance talent.
After similar successful events in Hornchurch and Southend, the programme comes to Thurrock on Sunday 24 May and is calling for performing artists to submit proposals for scratch or fully formed or work in progress performances.

Emerging or established theatre makers or performers who love, live in or are connected to Thurrock can submit a proposal for inclusion in Outer Limits Thurrock. Scratch performances can be up to 15 minutes in length and expenses up to £100 will be paid. Ready to go performances can be between 30-60 minutes in length and depending on the scale of the piece, will receive a performance fee up to £500. The theatre’s technical staff will be available to support performances.

The deadline for proposal submission is Friday, 20 March at 5pm. All submissions will be considered by the Outer Limits Thurrock steering group made up of industry professionals. To find out more and request a proposal form, email qthouterlimits@queens-theatre.co.uk

The Outer Limits is part of the two year Essex on Stage programme which is championing positive ideas about Essex, celebrating theatre made by working class people and raising aspirations for emerging artists from Essex and Outer East London. Essex on Stage is supported by The Clothworkers’ Foundation.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is thrilled to announce the cast for its production of Love Letters, a brand new musical written and directed by Douglas Rintoul. The production runs 24 April – 16 May. The production marks the next step in the Theatre’s Essex On Stage programme, going on to tour to Towngate Theatre in Basildon and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford.

Natasha Lewis stars as Danni. She comes direct from Royal Shakespeare Company’s critically acclaimed musical adaptation of David Walliams’ book, The Boy In The Dress, which features music by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers. Joining her as her love interest, Justin, is Alex Tomkins, who has just finished his run as the lead in the hit West-End musical School of Rock. The pair have been regulars at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, starring in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Made In Dagenham respectively.

Several others of the cast will be familiar to Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch audiences, Molly-Grace Cutler, Claire Greenway, Claire Storey and Steve Simmonds, have all had brilliant roles in hit Queen’s Theatre musicals and pantomimes. Molly-Grace Cutler has starred in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Beauty and the Beast, Claire Greenway in Jack and the Beanstalk, Claire Storey in Steel Magnolias, Two and Two Make Sex, The Taming of the Shrew and Hayfever, and Steve Simmonds in Lend Me A Tenor, Twelfth Night, Made in Dagenham and Return to the Forbidden Planet.

Director Douglas Rintoul says ‘we’re thrilled to have so many familiar faces return to Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. This storming company is made up of the crème de la crème of the actor-musician world, many coming straight off smash-hit shows. They’re going to make Love Letters a joyous and unmissable show.’

Love Letters tells the story of an unposted love letter meant to be sent between a passionate young couple‎ dating, only to be delivered many years later. With a raft of brilliant songs from Essex’s very best‎, with hits ranging from the 60s to today, this funny and popular working class love story promises to be an uplifting night out for everyone proudly calling Essex their home.

Cast includes Molly-Grace Cutler (The Worst Witch, West End tour); Andrew Gallo (Sunny Afternoon, UK Tour); Claire Greenway (Sister Act, London Palladium), Jon House (Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall), Natasha Lewis (The Boy in the Dress, RSC); Steve Simmonds (Return to the Forbidden Planet, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Claire Storey (British Theatre Awards: Best Supporting Actress – Importance of Being Earnest, Nottingham Playhouse) and Alex Tomkins (School Of Rock, Gillian Lynne Theatre).

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is staging a brand new musical written and directed by Douglas Rintoul. Love Letters tells the story of an unposted love letter meant to be sent between a passionate young couple‎ dating, only to be delivered many years later.

After successful innovative on-stage seating for Kiss Me Quickstep, DNA and Educating Rita, audiences will be able to get up close to the action once again, as the Theatre will be extending the stage into the auditorium to offer a truly unique and intimate viewing experience. The staging will bring to life the play’s pub setting, with 21 on-stage stools and bar tables. Audiences will also have the exciting chance to be served a range of drinks by members of the cast on stage pre-show and during the interval. It’s a theatre experience not to be missed!

With a raft of brilliant songs from Essex’s very best‎, with hits ranging from the 60s to today, this funny and popular working class love story promises to be an uplifting night out for everyone proudly calling Essex their home. The production marks the next step in the Theatre’s Essex On Stage programme, going on to tour to Towngate Theatre in Basildon and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford.

Love Letters plays at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 24 April – 16 May.