Author: Grace Coppin

The British premiere of Ken Ludwig’s hilarious farce A Fox on the Fairway opened this week at the Queen’s Theatre and has left critics laughing and leaving in high spirits.

The Daily Mail expressed that the ‘theatregoers were chuckling and happy’ at this ‘amusing farce’.

London Theatre 1 gave the comedy four-stars and said it was a ‘comical and entertaining production’.

It was compared to some of the nation’s favourite British sitcoms by Hornchurch Life who claimed the show was ‘very much on par with classic British comedies’ and that ‘there isn’t a minute when you aren’t left laughing’.

Here’s what the other critics have been saying:

‘Will have you in uncontrollable laughter’ Yellow Advertiser

‘Production values are pleasingly high’ Reviews Hub

‘Hilarious’ Traffic Light Theatregoer

‘It’s great fun’ Anne at the Theatre

A Fox on the Fairway runs at the Queen’s Theatre until Saturday 16 September. For more information and tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit: https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/a-fox-on-the-fairway/

We have the opportunity for some local ladies to play the “Old Ladies” in our co-production of The Ladykillers this autumn – an adaptation of the much loved Ealing Comedy film.

We are looking for up to 16 mature ladies who could play over the age of 65 to play the “Old Ladies” who appear in The Ladykillers at the end of Act One and beginning of Act Two to watch a concert.

Production dates are below but we can be flexible with your current commitments, if you are not able to be present at all performances. You will be able to leave each performance after your second appearance, after the interval (approx. 9pm).

Production dates:
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 21 October 2017, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays. There will be some flexibility within these dates for those who are not available for all of them.

Rehearsal dates:
Ladies will be required to attend rehearsals on Monday 2 October day/evening and then technical and dress rehearsals on Tuesday 3 October day/evening.

Come along to find out more!

If you would like to be considered for a role in this production, please come along on Saturday 9 September to meet Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director, and take part in some activities as a group:

Place: Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT

Time: 3-5pm

Please call or email James Watson (Learning & Participation Producer) to let him know you are coming along: 01708 462377 | jamesw@queens-theatre.co.uk

For more information about the production The Ladykillers click here.

Philip Wilson is directing the British premiere of Ken Ludwig‘s A Fox on the Fairway. Philip spent two years as a producer for the BBC, and was the Performance Consultant for the film Shakespeare in Love. He won the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme bursary in 1995, and in 2015 was awarded a David Fraser/Andrea Wonfor Directing for Television Bursary. He is the former Artistic Director at Salisbury Playhouse (2007 – 2011) and his credits include the recent immersive staging of Grimm Tales and acclaimed The Three Lions.

During rehearsals, Philip revealed what first attracted him to the hilarious script and why people should come and see the show.

What did you love most about the script that made you want to direct A Fox on the Fairway?
I have long been a fan of Ken Ludwig‘s work – including Lend Me A Tenor, Crazy For You, Moon Over Buffalo, Baskerville and the like – and I have always loved farces in general: both watching them, and directing them. So when Ken and I met a few years back through mutual friends, I was delighted to learn that he was writing a new farce set in a golf club. And we started to talk about working together to create a British version.

I loved the setting – how it feels so English, and how the idea of a bet that goes wrong gives rise to so many comic opportunities. And also that it is all quite innocent: the humour lies in its witty dialogue, and the comedy arises from some clever situations, as the characters get into various scrapes. Actually, it’s deeply silly, really – and I love that.

What’s been your favourite part about working on this production?
Initial work with Ken – and then in rehearsals with the cast – on anglicising the play has been fascinating: after removing the ‘gees’ and the ‘oh boys’, there has been a careful sifting and rewording of some sections, to ensure that phrases sound British, and that some of the jokes land for an audience over here. The cast have been a total joy to work with, throwing themselves into scenes, without a care for their dignity. The creative team have worked their socks off, too; as has everyone at the Queen’s Theatre. Farces require a great deal of energy and input – and so with everyone’s enthusiasm, it has all been great fun so far!

Do people have to be knowledgeable about golf to be able to find this show funny?
Not at all! You absolutely don’t need to know your birdie from your bogey to enjoy this play. Ken cleverly teaches us all we need to know; so that you can invest in the stakes of this tournament. While golf is, of course, central to the plot, it’s really – as with all farces – about people getting themselves into tricky circumstances, and then striving to get themselves out of them!

Why should people come and see A Fox on the Fairway?
Because it’s great fun. There’s enough grimness in the world – come along for some good old-fashioned escapism: two hours of wit and silliness, performed by a terrific cast.

What’s been your favourite production to direct?
That’s a tricky one: I love all the shows I direct. Recently, I have been lucky enough to work on a new play by a fantastically talented young writer at Park Theatre, an open-air Shakespeare for Storyhouse in Chester, a new play with songs about music hall at Liverpool Playhouse, and a Rattigan at Theatre-by-the-Lake. And now this. Never a dull day!

What show would you love to direct, but have yet to have the opportunity to?
Recently I rewrote the book of an Ivor Novello musical, The Dancing Years, which we workshopped, but has yet to reach a full production. And I’m also working on a number of new plays. Working hard to get all of these on!

A Fox on the Fairway runs at Queens Theatre Hornchurch from 25 Aug – 16 Sep. For more information and tickets click here.

Writer of A Fox on the Fairway, Ken Ludwig is a two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright whose work is performed throughout the world in more than thirty countries and over twenty languages. He has written twenty-four plays and musicals, with six Broadway productions and seven in London’s West End. His Tony-winning play Lend Me A Tenor, was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. His other plays and musicals include Crazy For You (5 years on Broadway, Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical), Moon Over Buffalo (Broadway and West End), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Broadway), Treasure Island (West End) and Twentieth Century (Broadway).

He recently revealed more about what audiences can expect from the British premiere of his farcical comedy, A Fox on the Fairway at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch.

1) For those that don’t know the play, what is A Fox on the Fairway about?
The play is about a rivalry between two nearby golf courses. But what it’s really about is love, frustration, friendship, competition, sex, anger, joy, second chances, youth, middle age and all the insanity that goes into finding and living with the right person in life.

2) What can people expect from this farce?
I hope they can see their own lives and concerns ramped up into the frantic pace of a stage farce. Life is full of triumphs and tragedies and all of us try to enjoy the triumphs and get the tragedies behind us. In a stage farce, these highs and lows are exaggerated to create the fizz of art. All art tries to create a sort of fizz of recognition. We know when a piece of art is working when we get that little pop of joy at the right time. Maybe it’s a line of dialogue that feels just right. Or an entrance we were waiting for. Or an entrance that just surprises us. Whatever causes it, the hoped-for result is a sort of frisson of recognition. What I’m hoping is that A Fox on the Fairway creates at least a few of those wonderful moments.

3) What was your inspiration behind writing the play?
I love all plays when they make me sit on the edge of my seat; and I especially love stage comedies. I read them, see them and think about them all the time. My immediate inspiration for this play was a moment when I was playing golf. Confession: I am truly one of the worst golfers in the world. Not just in my city, mind you. In the  world. So I was playing golf with one of my best friends and telling him that I had just finished writing my latest play and was casting around for ideas for a new one, and he foozled a chip shot, joining me in a sand trap where I was about to play my 8th or 9th shot on that hole. At that moment he said “What about setting a play at this club. Golf is funny if you don’t kill yourself trying to play it.” And I thought, “What a good idea!”

4) You say that A Fox on the Fairway is a tribute to the great English farce tradition that began in the 1880s and grew in popularity in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Who are some of your influences?
My influences in the world of stage comedy start with Shakespeare, of course. So much for God. Then Goldsmith (She Stoops to Conquer), Sheridan (The Rivals), Farquhar, Wilde, Shaw, Coward, and on it goes. But for this particular kind of comedy – I like to call it muscular comedy (I never liked the word farce very much), my favourite writers are from the 1880s to the 1940s and include Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (Dandy Dick, The Magistrate, The Schoolmistress), Ben Travers (Plunder, A Cuckoo in the Nest, Rookery Nook, Thark), Coward (Hay Fever, Blithe Spirit), Philip King (See How They Run) Hecht and MacArthur (The Front Page) and Kaufman and Hart (Once in a Lifetime). In the world of prose comedy, I’m also always inspired by P.G. Wodehouse. In addition to his sublime novels and short stories about Jeeves and Wooster, and the Earl of Emsworth and his prize pig, he wrote two volumes of short stories about golf. One is entitled The Clicking of Cuthbert and the other is entitled The Heart of a Goof. In some ways, I’d love this play to feel like one of his golf stories come to life.

5) Many of your plays are set in the past, but this production has a very modern feel to it. What themes were you able to explore by doing this?
Sex, of course, is at the center of the play. Sex and golf – and what could be better? At the same time, I’ve tried to retain in the play a kind of dramatic innocence, which the setting and milieu demands. It is meant to be a light comedy in the tradition of Travers, Coward and Kauffman and Hart, so it would feel inappropriate, at least to me, to make it explicit in any way. So while the play is set modern, I hope there’s a feel of comic timelessness about it.

A Fox on the Fairway runs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 25 Aug – 16 Sep. For more information and tickets click here.

Are you hoping to grab yourself a bargain on your next theatre trip? Look no further, we’ve got some awesome discounts available on our autumn season opening show, A Fox on the Fairway!

Preview tickets from just £12.50

Be one of the first people to watch the British premiere of this hilarious farce and pay as little as £12.50 at the show’s three preview performances. You can even secure top-price seats for just £19 – that’s a saving of up to £10 compared to Friday and Saturday nights and £7 for midweek performances!

Preview performances are on Fri 25 and Sat 26 Aug at 8pm and Mon 28 Aug at 7.30pm. To book tickets call our Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/a-fox-on-the-fairway/

Tickets for previews are selling fast so don’t delay!

Limited £1 tickets up for grabs

If you live in Havering and have never been to the Queen’s Theatre before, you can access £1 tickets to any of the preview shows.

To purchase a ticket, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 and quote ‘First Timer’ offer. This is a limited offer so customers are urged to book very soon.

Midweek concessions (Mon – Thu evenings & Thu matinees only)

Come to one of our midweek performances and save up to £3.50 on your ticket. Plus we’ve got some awesome discounted tickets available:

Over 60s | £3.50 off full-price tickets

Groups of 8+ | £4 off full-price tickets

Schools & Colleges | £7 full-price tickets (plus 1 in 10 seats free)

Registered Deaf and Disabled People | £14.50 tickets (£12.50 at previews)

To take advantage of these offers call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit the theatre in person.

Under 26s – listen up!

We’re offering you an even cheekier bargain – sit anywhere in the house for just £10 on preview nights – Fri 25 and Sat 26 Aug at 8pm and Mon 28 Aug at 7.30pm or at any matinee or midweek performance (Mon – Thu).

To secure these discounts call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit the theatre in person.

About A Fox on the Fairway:

This summer we’ll be transporting you into the world of a private country golf club that’s gloriously preposterous and filled with extravagant antics.

Written by Ken Ludwig, one of America’s most performed playwrights, this hilarious farce is packed with slapstick, quick-fire wit and tongue-in-cheek humour. Expect breakups and make-ups, love affairs, revealed family secrets and lots of madcap comedy.

If you enjoyed our production of Lend Me a Tenor in 2014, you’ll love this show!

This British premiere runs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 25 August – 16 September.

For more information about the production visit  https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/a-fox-on-the-fairway/

 

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to be presenting the British premiere of two-time Olivier Award-winning Ken Ludwig’s critically acclaimed farce, A Fox on the Fairway. The season’s opening show runs at the theatre from 25 August – 16 September.

Ken Ludwig is America’s second most performed playwright who has written twenty-four plays and musicals, with six Broadway productions and seven in London’s West End. After a successful production of Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor in 2014, the Queen’s Theatre is excited to be bringing this gloriously preposterous comedy to British audiences for the first time. Ludwig’s other productions include Crazy For You (5 years on Broadway, Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical).

This hilarious romp takes audiences on a charmingly whacky adventure about love, life and a man’s eternal affair with… golf. The shenanigans in the clubhouse are packed full of slapstick, quick-fire wit and tongue-in-cheek humour. Expect breakups and make-ups, love affairs, revealed family secrets and lots of madcap comedy.

It’s the day of the annual golf tournament between rival country clubs. Bingham, president of Quail Valley, discovers that his star player has switched sides. Wagering his wife’s antique shop on the outcome now seems like less of a sure bet. Fortunately, he discovers that his new young assistant is a phenomenally good golfer.

Bad weather, the lead lost, the shop is under threat, and Bingham’s wife catches him too close to his stunning sex-starved vice-president!

What else could possibly go wrong…? Golfing has never been so outrageous!

It stars Damien Matthews (The Woman in Black, Tour & West End), Natalie Walter (Noises Off, National Theatre), Romayne Andrews (Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company), Simon Lloyd (The 39 Steps, West End), Sarah Quist (Travesties, West End) and Ottilie Mackintosh who recently appeared as Young Jo in Joanna Lumley’s Little Cracker (Sky 1). Philip Wilson is directing (previous Artistic Director at Salisbury Playhouse); his credits include the recent immersive staging of Grimm Tales and acclaimed The Three Lions.

‘Ken Ludwig has a wicked sense of comedic anarchy, giving his characters such zany idiosyncrasies that they soar to dizzying heights!’ The Washington Examiner

A Fox on the Fairway runs from 25 August – 16 September at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. Tickets are from £12.50 – £29 with £10 tickets available for Under 26s at certain performances. Audiences can see this show and two more Queen’s Theatre productions (The Ladykillers and The Invisible Man) for just £14 each with a Jump the Q season ticket. For more details and to book, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or click here.

We’re hosting a Family Fun Weekend on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July to celebrate 25 years of our vibrant youth theatre, QYouth, and you’re all invited! Join us for fun, games and activities that the whole family can enjoy between 10.30am and 7.30pm.

While you’re here why not treat yourself to a tasty afternoon tea at 3.30pm on Saturday 8 July or watch a musical version of the family favourite, The Wind in the Willows, featuring an incredible cast of over 120 young performers? Performances are at 7pm both days and 2pm on the Sunday.

This event celebrates the fantastic work created by members of QYouth over the last 25 years and gives former members the opportunity to return and be part of ‘The Big 25^th Moment’ reunion photo at 5pm on Sunday 9 July. Since 1992, our youth theatre has provided over 95,000 engagement opportunities for young people aged 7 – 18 in Havering.

The funds raised will go towards supporting and nurturing young talent, enabling us to continue to provide quality training and theatre experiences to young people for years to come. So come and get involved and help support your local theatre!

Tickets for the afternoon tea and The Wind in the Willows can be purchased online at queens-theatre.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01708 443333. Entry to the family fun weekend is free.

Here’s a breakdown of the key events happening over the weekend:

Saturday 8 July

10.30am – 7.30pm – Join us for fun and games in our foyer. Activities include a cake sale, cake decorating, a raffle, a book sale, crafts and more.

3.30pm – In the theme of Ratty’s picnic on the river, join us for a tasty afternoon tea with a selection of sandwiches, cake and scones served with traditional tea and a glass of Prosecco (For more information and tickets click here.)

7pm –The Wind in the Willows performance (For more information and tickets click here.)

Sunday 9 July

10.30am – 7.30pm – Join us for fun and games in our foyer. Activities include a cake sale, cake decorating, a raffle, a book sale, crafts and more.

2pm – The Wind in the Willows performance. (For more information and tickets click here.)

5pm – ‘The Big 25th Moment’ reunion photo

7pm – The Wind in the Willows performance (For more information and tickets click here.)

Our vibrant youth theatre, QYouth is set to stage a world premiere of the family favourite The Wind in the Willows on 8 & 9 July and you’re all invited!

The Wind in the Willows is Kenneth Grahame’s most famous and well-loved work. This classic children’s novel, first published in 1908, has since been adapted widely for stage and screen. We’re excited to be bringing you a brand new musical version which has been adapted by James Watson and Andrew Linham.

James Watson reveals more about the show, the author and how he has adapted this family favourite.

What’s the story about?

‘Following the inquisitive Mole in the search for a new home above ground, we stumble across the loveable yet reckless Toad of Toad Hall. Toad is causing chaos, distracted by one mad-cap idea after another – much to the frustration of the rest of the riverbank. Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the Wild Wood, the Weasels have their eyes set on Toad Hall and riverbank domination. With the help of new friends Ratty and Mr Badger, Mole tries to save Toad from himself (and the Weasels), before it is too late.’

What was the author’s inspiration behind The Wind in the Willows?

‘Kenneth Grahame (born in Edinburgh, 8 March 1859) spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother in Cookham Dean, Berkshire, where he was introduced to the riverside and boating by his uncle. Grahame married Elspeth Thomson in 1899; they had only one child, a boy named Alastair (whose nickname was “Mouse”) born blind in one eye and plagued by health problems throughout his life. Grahame would tell him bedtime stories about a toad, and when Grahame holidayed alone he would write further tales of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger in letters to Alastair.’

‘Alistair is noted to have been the inspiration for Mr. Toad’s wayward mischievousness and boastfulness: a family friend noted that “Alastair’s own tendency to exult in his exploits was gently satirized in Mr. Toad”. Colonel Francis Cecil Ricardo CVO CBE (1852–1924), the first owner of a car in Cookham in Berkshire where Grahame wrote the books, is also thought to have been an influence.’

‘In 1908, Grahame took early retirement from his position as secretary of the Bank of England. He moved back to Berkshire and spent his time by the River Thames doing much as the characters in his book do – “simply messing about in boats” – and expanding the bedtime stories he had earlier told his son into a manuscript for the book.’

How have you re-interpreted this classic tale for the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch?

‘The novel is notable for its mix of mysticism, adventure, morality and camaraderie. In adapting this treasured story we were keen to maintain the themes of place and identity, friendship and belonging. Originally set in an idyllic Edwardian England, creating a sense of charm and antiquity, we wanted to keep the essence of Grahame’s story and characters, but equally re-interpret the adventure to a more recent and relatable period of time. The alternating rhythm between slow moving, tranquil countryside and high speed adventure made for fascinating musical interpretation.’

So buckle up for a spin along the riverbank quite unlike any other… but watch out for those Weasels!

The Wind in the Willows will be performed at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch by over 120 young performers aged 7 – 18. It marks the 25^th anniversary of the theatre’s dynamic youth theatre.

Saturday 8 July | 7pm

Sunday 9 July | 2pm & 7pm

Tickets are £14 (£8 concs) and can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 01708 443333, in person at the theatre or online here: https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/the-wind-in-the-willows/

Were you were one of the original members of QYouth with founder Terry Abbott and Lea Madlin in 1992? The Queen’s Theatre wants to hear from you!

We’re appealing to past members of our dynamic youth theatre, QYouth, to reunite for our 25^th anniversary.

This July marks 25 years of our youth theatre, QYouth and to celebrate we’re inviting former members to come back and reminisce in the memories of their time here as well as reconnect with old friends. We’ll be capturing ‘The Big 25^th Moment’ in the form of a reunion photograph on Sunday 9 July at 5pm. The meeting point for the photograph is by the foyer stage. We’re encouraging as many people as possible to return to the theatre and be part of this fantastic piece of history. Former members will also be able to leave their mark by writing about their memories and stories alongside a display of production photos over the last 25 years in the foyer.

The Queen’s Theatre is celebrating QYouth’s 25 year anniversary by hosting a family fundraising gala over the weekend of 8 – 9 July. Families throughout Essex and East London are invited to join in the celebrations and can expect a range of fun games, stalls and workshops in the theatre’s foyer from 10am – 7.30pm on both days.

A cast of over 120 young people from QYouth will be providing the entertainment, treating audiences to a world premiere of the family favourite, The Wind In The Willows. Performances start at 7pm on 8 & 9 July, with a 2pm matinee on 9 July.

Over the last 25 years, our Youth Theatre has provided over 95,000 engagement opportunities for young people aged 7-18 in Havering. QYouth has grown from just 8 members in 1992 with founder Terry Abbott, to accommodating 150 young people every week across 7 groups. The QYouth programme offers young people opportunities in drama, dance and technical theatre, enabling them to develop their creativity in the arts, unlock potential, gain confidence and have fun through the power of theatre. Graduates of QYouth include Lloyd Warbey (Disney’s Art Attack), Gemma Salter (TV and West End performer) and Billy Irving who will be appearing in the upcoming UK tour of War Horse.

Learning & Participation producer James Watson says, ‘We want to celebrate these 25 incredible years with all those who have been a part of it, whether for a short period or as a long standing member. QYouth has been a remarkable springboard for so many young people, whether or not they have followed a performing arts route in later life, and we are excited to get back in touch with past members, and see where their journeys have taken them.’

Come celebrate in style with live entertainment, catch up with old friends, share stories and be part of history in this fantastic fundraising event to support QYouth so it can continue to grow and enrich the lives of young people for another 25 years.

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to be celebrating 25 years of nurturing and showcasing young talent in the form of our dynamic youth theatre, QYouth this July.

To mark this brilliant achievement, we’re inviting you to join us on 8 – 9 July as we host a celebratory fundraising weekend suitable for the whole family! It will be a fantastic opportunity for the local community to come together and celebrate the success and development of our youth theatre, QYouth; as well as fundraise so we can continue to grow and enrich the lives of young people for the next 25 years.

We’re encouraging families throughout Essex and East London to join in the celebrations. You can expect a range of fun games, stalls and workshops in the theatre’s foyer from 10am – 7.30pm on both days. A free exhibition celebrating QYouth’s history will also be in held in the café.

A cast of over 120 young people from our QYouth will be providing the entertainment, treating you to a world premiere of the family favourite, The Wind in the Willows. This production has been specially adapted by James Watson and Andrew Linham to mark this fantastic milestone. Performances are at 7pm on 8 & 9 July, with an additional 2pm show on 9 July. This production is sponsored by East Thames and supported by the Queen’s Theatre’s very own Theatre Club.

Over the last 25 years, our youth theatre has provided over 95,000 engagement opportunities for young people aged 7-18 in Havering. The QYouth programme offers young people opportunities in drama, dance and technical theatre, enabling them to develop their creativity in the arts, unlock potential, gain confidence and have fun through the power of theatre. Graduates of QYouth include Lloyd Warbey (Disney’s Art Attack), Gemma Salter (TV and West End performer) and Billy Irving who will be appearing in the upcoming UK tour of War Horse.

So join in this fantastic weekend of games, theatre and fun in support of the Queen’s Theatre’s vibrant youth theatre. It’s been at the heart of the community for thousands of young people and the funds raised will go towards continuing to support young people passionate about the arts for years to come.

To book tickets for The Wind in the Willows please call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit: https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/the-wind-in-the-willows/