Author: Grace Coppin

The regional professional premiere of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert opened at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch this week and it has left critics laughing and strutting home in high spirits.

London Theatre 1 were thoroughly entertained by this ‘fun and flirtatious production’, awarding it four-stars.

Pocketsize Theatre applauded the production for being ‘a celebration of what it means to be yourself.’

Here’s what other critics have been saying:

★★★★‘Sassy disco glam down under’ RemoteGoat

★★★★ ‘An enjoyable romp with a big heart’ ActDrop

★★★★ ‘A talented ensemble cast of actors and musicians, plus some clever staging, sets and props bring this West End classic to life’ Everything Theatre

‘Powerfully performed regional premiere’ The Stage

‘Loud, proud & camp as hell!’ Stage Faves

‘A show to see’ There Ought to be Clowns

‘Glitter, drag queens and a pink bus – if this doesn’t recommend a show, I don’t know what will’ thespyinthestalls

‘Full of Outback charm, tons of sequins and familiar pop anthems’ Theatre Life

‘Vibrantly colourful and outrageously fun’ Yellow Advertiser

‘I want to immediately see it again’ Romford Recorder

‘It’s all about lights, music and dance’ Hornchurch Life

‘Sensational choreography’ Bedrock FM

‘Spectacularly fun and feel good night out’ Essex Enquirer

‘West End quality’ GatewayFM

Priscilla Queen of the Desert runs at the theatre until Saturday 26 May. For more information and tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert/

April was Autism Awareness Month. To celebrate the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch housed an arts exhibition by RAGS (Romford Autistic Group Support) which was open for the public. It displayed artwork created by adults and young people with Autism.

Every year RAGS presents an Autism Awareness Award to a person or organisation that has supported the group and helped to raise awareness of Autism in the community. This year, it was awarded to the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for their continued support to RAGS over the past few years. The award was presented to the theatre by the Mayor of Havering, Linda Van den Hende, on Saturday 28 April.

Speaking on behalf of RAGS, Jackie Perryman says, ‘We are pleased to award the Queen’s Theatre for 2018, they have been very supportive of RAGS and as a small charity with no regular funding, this is much appreciated. The art exhibition has been held regularly almost every year at the Queen’s Theatre allowing the public and theatregoers to view the children’s artwork. It is a very valuable event to us and all helps to raise awareness of Autism within our community. The theatre has been most generous in offering our families seats at their pantomime and also providing Autism-friendly performances to families who would normally avoid this type of activity. A huge thank you to all at the Queen’s Theatre for your support to RAGS.’

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch was delighted to receive the award in recognition of its continuing work towards ensuring the theatre is accessible for everyone. This includes providing Relaxed Performances of its annual pantomime since 2016. A Relaxed Performance is a specially adapted performance tailored for anyone who would benefit from a quieter and supportive environment including people with Autism, sensory and communication disorders, learning disabilities or Dementia.

RAGS was founded in 2003 by a group of Havering parents who have children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It became a registered charity in 2009 and is dedicated to helping families in Havering.

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has today announced its autumn programme for its 65^th anniversary year.

The season opens with the hilarious situation comedy Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh which runs from 30 August – 22 September. Made famous by the BBC Play for Today starring Alison Steadman, the Queen’s Theatre is co-producing this fresh but faithful look at an iconic classic with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and international partner Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

Following the success of their production of Made in Dagenham in 2016, the Queen’s Theatre and New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich are joining forces to produce the UK regional premiere of the multi-award-winning musical Once. Based on the Academy Award-winning film, this smash-hit romance will feature an ensemble of actor-musicians and plays from 3 – 20 October.

From 1 – 17 November, the Queen’s Theatre is producing Haunting Julia. This hauntingly tense study of grief and the supernatural is punctuated with trademark wit from Alan Ayckbourn, one of the world’s most popular and prolific playwrights.

Theatregoers can enjoy all three of these productions with a cost-effective Jump the Q season ticket from £45 (£15 per show). The season ticket goes on sale from Monday 9 April and individual tickets can be purchased from Monday 16 April.

Derby Theatre and the Queen’s Theatre have also commissioned Abi by Atiha Sen Gupta, a fresh new piece of writing as part of Derby Theatre’s RETOLD series, which comprises of new one-woman plays. Abi, which will run alongside Abigail’s Party from 4 – 22 September, is told from the viewpoint of 15 year old Abisheera who surveys what’s left from the previous generation’s night before, in response to Mike Leigh’s seminal play. Deals on Abi are available when purchased with Abigail’s Party or a Jump the Q season ticket.

The theatre is also welcoming two major visiting productions. Dishoom! a new play by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti comes to the Queen’s Theatre as part of a national tour from 25 – 29 September and is produced by Rifco Theatre Company, Watford Palace Theatre and Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

LOVE, written by Alexander Zeldin transfers to the Queen’s Theatre from 25 – 27 October, and is co-produced by the National Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. This new play about the housing crisis premiered at the National Theatre and was hailed by the Evening Standard as ‘the National Theatre’s play of the year’ in 2017. This is part of Queen’s Theatre‘s developing relationship with the National Theatre which includes being Theatre Partner on the Public Acts project.

For further information about these productions, Jump the Q and to book tickets, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit queens-theatre.co.uk

From 3 – 7 April, the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch will be hosting its first ever Take Part Festival. It features fantastic work performed by its youth theatre as well as other local young people including dance troupes and schools and community groups.

The festival begins with six youth companies presenting brand new work from 3 – 5 April as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival 2018. Each year the National Theatre commissions ten new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. The Queen’s Theatre is thrilled to be partnering with the festival for the third year running and is looking forward welcoming five drama groups from across Essex to its stage.

On Tuesday 3 April, audiences will see two thrilling performances; St. Bernard’s High School is performing The Free9 by In-Sook Chappell and Store Room Youth Theatre will be bringing Chris Thompson’s Dungeness to life.

The drama continues on Wednesday 4 April with Outloud Productions performing Chris Bush’s The Changing Room and Green Shoes Arts get political by staging a performance of These Bridges by Phoebe Éclair Powell.

Finally, Big Deal Young Actors Company will be presenting a unique piece of theatre using [Blank] by Alice Birch and the Queen’s Theatre’s Cut2 Company will be performing The Free9 on Thursday 5 April. Performances start at 7pm and tickets are £6. (Cut2 recently performed TheFree9 in the atmospheric Barn at Thames Chase Forest Centre last month).

The 20^th anniversary of the Queen’s Theatre’s dance showcase First Feat will take place on Friday 6 April at 7pm. First Feat celebrates the creativity and diversity of young dancers in East London and Essex. The showcase enables local dance groups aged 11 – 19 from different backgrounds with varying styles and interests to be united through a passion for dance. The Queen’s Theatre QDance group will be performing their new work, titled Boiling Point. Tickets are £7.50.

Take Part Festival concludes with the QYouth One Act Play Festival 2018 Twisted Tales on Saturday 7 April at 7pm. This celebratory evening features four one-act plays brilliantly performed by over 100 members of the Queen’s Theatre’s youth groups. Tickets are £10.

James Watson, Learning and Participation Producer at the Queen’s Theatre says, ‘We are so proud of all the young people we work with, and what better way to celebrate than a week jam-packed with young talent presenting powerful, vibrant and inspiring pieces of theatre.’

For more information about Take Part Festival and tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit queens-theatre.co.uk

Ilford-resident Hella Pearlman, who came to Britain on the Kindertransport, attended the matinee performance of Kindertransport on Thursday 22 March at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and was given the opportunity to meet the cast after the show.

Hella Pearlman was one of 10,000 Jewish children ferried from Austria and Germany to safety in Britain before the outbreak of the Second World War. She was almost 7 years old when her father arranged for her and her sister to travel to Britain. ‘I arrived at London Liverpool Street station, with a ticket around my neck. We were only allowed one suitcase. I can still remember the hat I wore. I couldn’t speak a word of English. A man from Thrapston (Northamptonshire) who was quite well off picked me up; he had two businesses, a grocery shop and a pet shop.’

After watching the performance of Kindertransport, Hella joined the cast on stage to share her story with them – including the loss of her parents, her memories of being on the train, about her life now in Britain, how she met her husband, and how she went back to her birth place to see where she used to live.

Kindertransport is co-produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg in association with Selladoor Productions. It finishes at the Queen’s Theatre on Saturday 24 March but transfers to Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg from 27 – 31 March. It then embarks on a UK tour to the New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich (17 – 21 April), Richmond Theatre (24 – 28 April) and Manchester Opera House (1 – 5 May).

For more information about the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch visit queens-theatre.co.uk

Full casting has been announced for the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s regional professional premiere of the glamorously feel-good musical, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It runs at the theatre from 27 April – 26 May.

Mark Inscoe is thrilled to be reviving the role of Bernadette having previously performed the part in the West End production. Playing Tick is Tom Giles (Ragtime, Charing Cross Theatre; Muse of Fire, Shakespeare’s Globe) and Adam will be performed by Daniel Bailey (Motown the Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre; The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre).

They will be joined by Miracle Chance, Michael Cuckson, Molly-Grace Cutler, Clara Darcy, Lemuel Knights (Finalist on BBC1’s The Voice), Natasha Lewis, Tom Self, Lauren Storer and Josh Tye.

This uplifting and heart-warming production will be directed by the Queen’s Theatre’s Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul (Rope, The Crucible, Made in Dagenham). He says, ‘Following on from our hit production of Made in Dagenham, I was keen to make another regional premiere of a great modern musical at the Queen’s Theatre. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is absolutely ripe for a new more intimate, stripped back, actor-musician midscale production. The film blew me away back in the mid-1990s – it’s a great story of friendship and empowerment and is packed full of top tunes, fierceness, fun and poignancy – what more could one ask for?’

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to announce that it will be providing a dementia-friendly performance on Thursday 24 May at 1.30pm in addition to an Audio Described Performance on Saturday 19 May at 2.30pm and a Sign Language Interpreted Performance on Wednesday 16 May at 7.30pm.

Based on the smash hit movie starring Terence Stamp and Guy Pearce, audiences are promised a highly entertaining new take on an iconic musical. It’s jam-packed with 70s, 80s and 90s dance floor favourites including I Will Survive, Hot Stuff, I Say A Little Prayer and Finally. So hop aboard the party bus, it’s time to feel fabulous!

For more information about Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Queen’s Theatre visit queens-theatre.co.uk.

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to receive such high acclaim for its inspiring production of Diane Samuels’ heart-felt drama Kindertransport including three five-star reviews.

★★★★★ Everything Theatre was deeply moved, claiming it was a ‘beautiful and poignant production of a timely play’ and ‘the cast is a five star one’.

★★★★★ ‘This is a deeply poignant and an emotionally intelligent production’ was the verdict given by London Theatre1 who became fully immersed and absorbed in the performance.

★★★★★ ActDrop  was ‘satisfyingly engrossed for the duration’ by this ‘sensitive and compelling production’.

Here’s what the other critics have been saying:

‘Kindertransport is certainly not one to miss’ Romford Recorder

‘Fantastic’ Hornchurch Life

‘A truly inspirational show’ Bedrock FM

‘The performances are excellent’ Anne at the Theatre

Kindertransport is co-produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg in association with Selladoor Productions.

Kindertransport runs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch until Saturday 24 March. For more information and tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit: https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/kindertransport/

There’s egg-cellent fun to be had this Easter half-term with plenty of children’s activities at the Queen’s Theatre.

Don’t miss The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, an enchanting new interactive show for under 5s, their families and their favourite teddy bears on Sunday 8 April at 11am! Bursting with sing-along songs, funny stories, audience participation and non-stop fun and games, The Teddy Bears’ Picnic will leave youngsters singing with glee and laughing until they are tired little teddy bears! Tickets are £10 or £35 for families of 4.

Children aged 4 – 6 can enjoy three Easter Create and Play Mornings, two hours of jam packed fun involving drama games, storytelling and craft activities – Up, Up & Away on Tuesday 10 April, Egg-cellent Adventures on Wednesday 11 April and Treasure Trails on Thursday 12 April, from 10am – 12pm. Tickets are just £10. Customers booking two Create & Play Mornings receive the third for free!

There’ll be a double dose of fun on Saturday 14 April. Children aged 5 – 7 will be able to build, make and decorate Birds & Butterflies in this hands-on fun packed creative craft workshop at 10am. Tickets for this Crafty Kids workshop are £5, no adult ticket is required. Afterwards, be sure to meet the amazing Wizard Stonering with his colourful and exciting show with lots of comedy, participation and surprising magic at 11.30am. Tickets are £5 per person and suitable for ages 3 – 7 years.

For more information about any of these events and tickets call the Queen’s Theatre’s Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/