Category: Queen’s news

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/

To mark the 80^th anniversary of the Kindertransport the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is co-producing Diane Samuels’ extraordinary heart-felt play with with Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg in association with Selladoor Productions.

The Kindertransport ferried 10,000 Jewish children from Austria and Germany to safety in Britain before the outbreak of the Second World War. Children travelled through Harwich and London Liverpool Street and were placed into British foster homes, hostels, schools and farms.

The Queen’s Theatre has spoken to a number of Kinder children and their families in the run up to the production, here are some of their stories and memories.

‘Sitting in our lounge, I was told I was being sent to England for safety, with the parental promise that they would hopefully join me. Tragically they never did as they were deported to Izbica Camp in Litvia and died there in 1942. How did my parents feel at having to send their 8 year old son away, perhaps never to see him again? How was I to face the future? I knew no English, except for a sentence my parents taught me: ‘I am hungry, may I have a piece of bread?’  In March 1939 my mother accompanied me to Hamburg, from where I sailed with other youngsters to Southampton. The travel was part of the Kindertransport, as one of the 10 000 children that came to the UK as an outcome of Crystal Night. My sister came a couple of months later; she is some 7 years older than me. From Southampton I went to a Jewish hostel for boys, where I was the youngest. Now I had to start anew life, alone as yet. I started to lean English, adjust to living with others and take on board English life. The latter included collecting cigarette cards, playing hopscotch and seeing The Wizard of Oz; cinemas, theatres, etc. were forbidden to Jews in Germany.   Pocket money was 2 old pennies which I used for sweets or stamps to write home. My parents did write to me and stupid as I was to listen to an older boy, who after the war broke out, advised me to destroy those letters in case the Germans come!’ Bernd Koschland MBE

‘I was only four when I came to England on the Kindertransport with my seven year old brother. Because our non-Jewish mother was able to come on the train and bring us to England, right to our first foster home, I just thought it was a family outing – that is until Mutti was no longer there. I thought I must have been so naughty that she didn’t want me anymore, as she did not come back. And then I thought she must be dead, when the war started and she still didn’t come back. Our foster-mother was very cruel to us once war started. My brother said she blamed the Jews for the war, including us. Luckily we were sent to a lovely Quaker boarding school we both enjoyed, and after that two more very nice foster families. I had really come to terms with having no parents other than our third foster-parents, when in 1949 my mother appeared in England and wanted to take me back to Germany. I flatly refused because I was very scared of Germany from all the British propaganda against Germany in the war. My father served a court order on my foster-parents and they had to bring me to Germany and leave me in a terrifying place and my parents were complete strangers. I felt completely betrayed by everyone and it was the worst year of my life, until I got back to England.’ Ruth Barnett

‘On the 3rd September 1939 I sat on a chair in the large hall, which served as a dining room in the hostel in Margate-Cliftonville, clutching the square cardboard box firmly to my chest, as it contained my gas mask. I had only been evacuated here yesterday from London with 5 other boys. Some 60 children sat in a circle round a table, on which stood a wireless. I had only arrived in England 9 days earlier, on the 25th August, as a Jewish Refugee from Germany with a group of children. For nine days I had experienced an unknown freedom. I was not suppressed any more. I was suddenly an equal. I could walk down the road freely without being afraid that I might be beaten up by a group of Hitler Youth. My English was still poor, but I had understood every word of Neville Chamberlain’s speech. We were at war with Germany. We were at war. My parents were still there. How could I now help them to get out of Germany? How could I communicate with them? In spite of being in a hostel with other refugee boys, I felt very alone. But my mother would find a way. Somehow or other she would manage to write to me and make contact. She knew I was safe in England; I would have to be patient and wait.’
Ken Ward

‘I had a guarantor in Middlesbrough but, having missed one transport date because I had to have my tonsils out, there seemed little prospect of any early escape from Vienna. My mother was getting desperate. So every day, she packed my case and we haunted the station. I was getting quite used to these trips, me in my best clothes with a little label saying who I was and where I was going. Then, on 13^th June, we were standing by a crowded train when we saw a mother who was in a dreadful state. She just couldn’t bear to part with her child and at the last moment held her back. My mother took her chance and literally threw me on to the train. The doors slammed shut and off I went – no kiss goodbye, no time for hugs or soft words. I remember holding my doll and crying all the time. I wanted my mother but of course she wasn’t there anymore. We arrived at Harwich and then went onto Liverpool Street Station where we were met by members of the Refugee Children’s Movement (RCM), shortly after that another journey up to Middlesbrough to meet the family I would be living with.’  Sonja Altman born Fleischer

Fred Rosner and Edith Rosner share their experiences about travelling on the Kindertransport. The video has been produced by Anthony Rosner and has been shared with the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch by Martin Rosner.

Kindertransport runs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 8 – 24 March. For more information about the production and tickets visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/kindertransport/ 

Staff, trustees and supporters of the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch are currently training for the Brentwood Half Marathon to raise money for its wide-reaching Learning and Participation projects.

Last year, the theatre rose over £3,000 and is setting a target of £5,000. Running the Brentwood Half-Marathon on Sunday 18 March are Douglas Rintoul (Artistic Director), Leanne McDonald (Scenic Artist), Tom Lowe (Relationships Officer) and Phil Cleaves (Community Champion). Participating in the fun run on the same day will be Mathew Russell (Executive Director), Lauren Bracewell (Executive Assistant) and Sara Thompson (Theatre Trustee).

The Queen’s Theatre offers a variety of programmes that enables everyone the chance to discover and nurture their performing arts talents. Last year, it created over 24,000 engagement opportunities across Havering, East London and Essex with people of all ages and backgrounds.

This includes producing high quality productions involving the local community, training young people in theatre skills both on stage and behind the scenes and assisting schools in delivering the curriculum in an innovative way.

To donate please visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/QueensTheatreRunners or call the Queen’s Theatre Box Office on 01708 443333.

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

Oliver-Award winning actress Suzan Sylvester is playing Evelyn in Diane Samuels’ Kindertransport. She is excited to be returning to the production, which marks the 25th anniversary of the playwright’s heart-felt play, having performed as Faith in the premiere production in 1993.

Suzan is best known for appearing in the BBC TV drama Cherished and crime thriller Murder on the Home Front. Other TV credits include EastEnders, Kingdom and London’s Burning. She reveals more about the play, Kindertransport and how it has been working with an international cast and creative team.

1) For those that don’t know the play, can you tell us what Kindertransport is about?
‘History – Kindertransport, the children. Relationships between mother and daughter and about children as refugees who have to leave their homeland in order not to be killed.’

2) You starred in the original production of Kindertransport in 1993, how does it feel to be returning to the show and playing a different role?
‘I feel lucky I am able to revisit this 25 years older with a different perspective.’

3) Can you tell us about your character Evelyn and why you took on this role?
‘I wanted to play ‘mother’ as a tribute to my dear friend Elizabeth Bell who played Evelyn in the original production for Soho Theatre. I am also fascinated to work in a multi-national cast!’

4) How has the rehearsal process been so far?
‘Really good! Very much enjoying working with a multi-lingual cast!’

5) Who are your idols?
‘My aunt Suzan, My Grandmother, My Mother, Leonard Bernstein, George Michael. I admire Millar, Shakespeare, Gershwin.’

6) If you hadn’t become an actor, what would you have done?
‘I wanted to be a pilot until I found out you need maths and physics. Other than that teaching is close to my heart.’

7) What have you seen on stage recently?
‘Arcola – Insignificance, Hampstead’s Christmas play. In Luxembourg: Dancing Grandmothers, Révolte and Strangers.’

8) What would your dream role be?
‘A really good Comedy’

9) What do you do to unwind in your spare time?
‘Painting, Gardening, Cooking, Walking and drinking Guinness’

Kindertransport runs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 8 – 24 March. For more information and tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or click here