Category: Queen’s news

The cultural hub in the heart of Havering, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, today announced the final members of its leadership team with the appointment of a new Chair and Executive Director.

The Queen’s Theatre is excited to reveal Claire Gevaux as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. She succeeds Dennis Roycroft who said,
Claire brings invaluable experience from other arts organisations to the Queen’s Theatre. In addition, Claire’s appointment as Chair together with Mathew and Douglas creates a new and dynamic executive leadership team capable of building on the Queen’s Theatre’s reputation nationally.’

Claire Gevaux is very much looking forward to leading the theatre during this very exciting time and welcomes the newly appointed Executive Director, Mathew Russell.

‘We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Mathew Russell who will join Artistic Director, Douglas Rintoul as joint Chief Executives at the Queen’s Theatre. Mathew joins us at an exciting time and brings a wealth of skills and experience that we need to deliver an inspiring vision for the future. We’ve already achieved an incredible amount in the last year; winning ‘Most Welcoming Theatre’ award, refreshing our brand, creating innovative programmes to support local artists through ‘Outer Limits’, engaging a more diverse audience with the theatre as well as taking our work out to communities. Mathew’s appointment completes our new leadership team and we are looking forward to continuing with this ambitious vision for the Queen’s Theatre as the leading cultural hub in Havering, outer London and beyond.’

Mathew Russell is currently Executive Director at Cast in Doncaster, a major new arts centre in South Yorkshire that opened in September 2013. Previous to this, Mathew was Chief Executive at Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, overseeing a significant period of organisational change. From 2009 – 2014, Mathew spent five years as Executive Director of Watford Palace Theatre and before that eight years as Executive Director of Greenwich+Docklands Festivals.

As Executive Director, Mathew will oversee the delivery of the theatre’s business objectives ensuring that it thrives both artistically and financially now and in the future. He succeeds Thom Stanbury and Interim Chief Executive Mary Caws. Of his appointment, Mathew said:

‘I’ve seen some brilliant theatre at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, and very much admire its rich heritage, the warm support it enjoys from audiences and the recent impressive changes under the leadership of new Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul. I’m looking forward to working with the Board, Doug and staff team to help realise some exciting projects in the pipeline, on stage and off, and contribute to the continuing development of this much loved and vitally important regional theatre.’

Since Douglas Rintoul was appointed Artistic Director 18 months ago at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, he has pioneered a new era of creative collaborations with UK theatres and supported emerging local artists. The theatre is set to undergo even more exciting development under the direction of its two newly appointed leaders.

Over 200,000 people enjoy the Queen’s Theatre’s programme every year, including the best in home-produced theatre, visiting live entertainment and inspiring Learning and Participation projects.

As part of our upcoming production of the comedy Worst Wedding Ever, we’re looking for funny or quirky wedding photos and we’re welcoming local people to share the pictures that make them laugh.

These could be showcasing retro fashion and hairstyles, dancefloor disasters, wardrobe mishaps or cheeky children getting up to no good…

The photos will be projected in the auditorium prior to each performance and used at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch as well as at the partner venues in Ipswich and Salisbury.

Please e-mail jpegs to rachel@queens-theatre.co.uk by Tuesday 24th January 2017. Please do not send in hard copies of photographs and do ensure you have permission from subjects to share them.

Worst Wedding Ever runs from 15 March – 1 April. To book tickets visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/worst-wedding-ever-2/ or call our Box Office on 01708 443333.

Coronation Street’s Charlie Condou and Call The Midwife’s Victoria Yeates get ready to begin rehearsals for a major production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible this January.

Charlie Condou, who is best known for playing Marcus Dent on the UK’s best-loved soap, Coronation Street will be taking on the role of witch-hunter Reverend Hale in the spine-tingling thriller, The Crucible. Condou’s theatre credits include playing the lead in the Tony Award-nominated Broadway comedy drama Next Fall that premiered in the West End in 2014 and The Narrator during the 2013 UK tour of cult classic The Rocky Horror Show.

Appearing with Condou in The Crucible as Elizabeth Proctor is Victoria Yeates, who was most recently seen in the BBC period drama Call The Midwife Christmas Special. She has been a regular on the drama since series three and previously starred in Holby City.

The Crucible is co-produced with Selladoor Productions in association with Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and will premiere at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 17 February – 11 March before going on tour across the UK and to Luxembourg.

Written by renowned playwright Arthur Miller, The Crucible revolves around the history of the infamous Salem witch-trials in 1692 – 1693. Douglas Rintoul, the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s resident Artistic Director that thrilled audiences with his smash hit sell-out musical Made In Dagenham, will be directing. The Crucible is about more than just a witch-hunt and promises to submerge audiences into a melting pot of lies, hysteria, greed and manipulation. Audiences will be engrossed right from the beginning as they witness the young Abigail Williams tear through the village like a whirlwind to inflict fear and death. No one is safe.

Audiences can see The Crucible using the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Jump the Q season ticket, which enables them to see three fantastic shows from a mere £14 per show, a huge saving of up to 45% on top-price tickets. The two other shows available using Jump the Q are the laugh out loud comedy Worst Wedding Ever which runs from 15 March – 1 April and the joyous Willy Russell timeless and inspirational comedy Educating Rita from 22 April – 13 May.

For more information about The Crucible at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and the Jump the Q Season Ticket, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/the-crucible-2/

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is delighted to be helping the community inject more theatre into their lives in 2017 by offering a super-affordable Jump the Q season ticket scheme from just £42. These generously priced offers give audiences the chance to get the best seats at the best prices for three fantastic productions with savings of up to 45%. That’s the equivalent of £14 per show!

See TV stars Charlie Condou of Coronation Street and Call The Midwife’s Victoria Yeates in the Spring season opening show The Crucible. Written by the renowned playwright Arthur Miller, the terrifying witch-hunt classic about the infamous Salem witch trials runs from 17 February – 11 March. This major new production is being directed by the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul (who most recently directed the highly acclaimed smash-hit musical Made in Dagenham) and will tour the UK and abroad following its premiere in Hornchurch.

Next, join the biggest party of the year with the brand new comedy Worst Wedding Ever which runs from 15 March – 1 April. Penned by Broadchurch writer and soon to be Executive Producer of Dr Who in 2018, Chris Chibnall, this laugh out loud rib-tickler about downsizing wedding preparations is dubbed to be one of the biggest new comedies theatre has seen in years and comes with a live wedding band.

Finally, audiences will not want to miss Willy Russell’s timeless and inspirational comedy, Educating Rita which runs from 22 April – 13 May. The iconic and hilarious classic about a university professor and a gobby hairdresser wanting to better herself will offer something truly unique for Queen’s Theatre audiences as the stage will be extended into the auditorium to offer a more intimate experience.

Audiences can choose between a Saver ticket for £42 (Tuesday – Thursday) or upgrade to a super-flexible Weekender ticket for £52 which offers savings of up to £38 on top-priced tickets. This offer must end by 11 March 2017.

For more information about Jump the Q and to book tickets call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit https://queens-theatre.co.uk/join-support/jump-the-q/

Single tickets for all three shows can also be purchased online, by phone or in person.

Introduction to Directing is part of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme and offers FREE practical training for people (over 18 years of age) who are interested in finding out what a theatre director does and whether or not a career as a theatre director is for them.

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch in partnership with the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme will host an intensive, fun and informative programme including a mix of hands-on practical work, observation, discussion with experienced practitioners and an introduction to further opportunities.

The project is led by the Queen’s Theatre’s Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul. It will provide an introduction to the role of the director, demonstrate the skills of the job, involve practical exercises and talk about possible career paths.

Joe, Introduction to Directing participant:

‘I’ve never experienced a course like that before. I believed that theatre was a closed off world; so being involved has been life changing.’

To be eligible you MUST live in Essex (NOT Greater London), be at the very early stages of your career, have a specific interest in directing rather than in acting or any other theatre craft. The projects are not intended for those who have studied directing as part of a degree. We’re actively looking for participants currently under-represented in UK theatre as a result of barriers arising from social, gender, financial, ethnic, cultural, geographic or educational disadvantage or disability.

Dates are:

Sat 28 Jan, 2-7pm

Sat 4 Feb, 10-1pm

Wed 15 Feb, 6-10pm

Mon 20 Feb, 7-10pm

Sat 4 Mar, 10am-6pm

Sat 11 Mar, 10am-6pm

Sun 12 Mar, 10am-6pm

Sat 18 Mar, 2-10pm

You will need to be able to attend all sessions. There are subsidies available to cover travel expenses.

How to apply:

Write a short statement telling us a little about yourself and why you’re interested in this programme. We’ll want to know how you got into drama and what your ideal plans for your future career are. Email it to artistcallout@queens-theatre.co.uk with RTYDS in the subject field.

Deadline for applications is Monday 16^th January 5pm. Interviews will be held at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch on Thurs 19 & Fri 20 January (evening).

To find out more about the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme visit their website: www.rtyds.co.uk

With winter very much upon us and Christmas just around the corner it only means one thing, Panto Season is here – oh yes it is!

Tickets are selling like hotcakes for the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s unmissable fun-packed fairy-tale Cinderella with 24 shows already sold out!

Over 22,000 locals have purchased their tickets for the hottest Christmas show in town and with the last few seats remaining, be sure to grab your tickets now before you turn into a pumpkin!

Suitable for all ages and guaranteed fun for all the family, join Cinderella on an exciting adventure from rags to riches as the kind Fairy Godmother transforms her into a dazzling beauty fit for a Prince! There’s no more scrubbing for Cinders, she’s off to The Ball and you’re invited!

Everyone can cheer, boo and laugh at all their favourite panto characters – the riotously wicked Ugly Sisters, stupendously silly Buttons, handsome Prince Charming, dashing Dandini and a deliciously evil Baroness. Click here for the full cast list.

Our festive extravaganza will get you in the party spirit by featuring some of the best chart-toppers and dance floor anthems over the decades from artists including Adele, Elvis and Jackson Five. This year’s mega-mix party featuring magic, mayhem and mischief is not to be missed!

To book tickets give our lovely Box Office team a call on 01708 443333 or purchase them online at https://queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/cinderella/

Tickets range from £12.50 – £29 with discounts available for groups and families.                               

More than 50 people from the local community will perform in the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Community Musical 2016, the Olivier Award-winning Our House, from 27 – 31 July.

A London love story celebrating the iconic pop and ska songs of the hugely popular band Madness, Our House is a raucous tale of heartbreak, hope and hilarity, set in Camden Town in the ‘80s.

It’s Joe Casey’s sixteenth birthday and he’s treating his girlfriend Sarah to an evening in a brand new luxury apartment – the only problem is they have to break in. When the police turn up, Joe has to decide – run away, or face the music – a choice that will set the course of his life, and his love, forever.

The Queen’s Community Musical, held every two years, aims to get residents involved in the life of their local theatre. Our House’s enormous cast includes residents from all over Havering as well as across East London and Essex. After a day of open auditions during the spring, rehearsals are now in full swing for this wonderful musical directed by Ros Philips and written by Tim Firth, writer of several smash hits including Kinky Boots and Calendar Girls.

Audiences can sing and dance along to some of the best-loved hits of all time, all performed live by the Queen’s Community Company in this wonderfully uplifting show – It Must Be Love, Baggy Trousers, My Girl, Embarrassment, Driving in My Car, The Wings of a Dove, Night Boat to Cairo and of course the all-time foot-stomping dance-floor anthem Our House!

Our House will be performed at the Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch from Wednesday 27 – Sunday 31 July. Performances are at 7.30pm from Wednesday to Saturday, with 2.30pm matinee shows on the Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are £10, £12.50 and £15.

Call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or book online here

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help raise £2,000 for its much-loved Community Musical Our House.

The appeal has raised £150 so far – anyone interested in donating to this wonderful cause and helping to make this important event a reality can visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/our-house-community-musical. Crowdfunding, an innovative and increasingly popular method of fundraising, aims to appeal to a wide and diverse range of people, primarily using the internet and social media.

The Queen’s Community Musical, held every two years, works hard to involve residents in the life of their local theatre. Playing from 27 – 31 July, Our House has an enormous cast of 50 as well as a backstage crew, which includes residents from all over Havering as well as across East London and Essex – aged between 7 and 80 –  selected after an open audition process. The project aims to offer people the chance to work with a variety of theatre professionals – right on their doorstep.

Interim Chief Executive Thom Stanbury explains: “The Queen’s is incredibly proud of its Community Musical, which gathers together residents of all ages from all walks of life to produce a fantastic show with superb production qualities that fills the stage. Our Community Company is made up of passionate local people with real enthusiasm for making great productions. We aim for an inclusive company from all areas of the community, showcasing the very best of local talent.

“But as a registered charity which has experienced recent cuts to funding, the Queen’s finds it harder to maintain these wonderfully popular traditions – which are crucial to promoting community cohesion and well-being. We now ask for our audiences and community to support us and help this show be the best yet. We are so very grateful for anything we receive.”

Donations would go towards:

• Building an inspiring set
• Creating, hiring and adapting over 250 costumes
• Sourcing props to recreate a wide variety of scenes (from Camden to Las Vegas)

The Queen’s is eager to thank donors in a number of ways: ranging from name-checks on the website or the show programme to gifts of production photos or backstage tours and show tickets.

About the show: A London love story celebrating the iconic pop and ska songs of the hugely popular band Madness, Our House is a raucous tale of heartbreak, hope and hilarity, set in Camden Town in the ‘80s.

Tickets are just £10 – £15. More details about the production and the Queen’s crowdfunding appeal are available by calling the Box Office on 01708 443333 or online