Our Scratch Night is an invitation into the creative process and a chance to be there at the very beginning.  It’s also a chance to meet the Queen’s Theatre team, have a drink, take a seat and give constructive feedback to the creatives performing.

Join a selection of local professional performers as they share developing work. Including short plays, movement, spoken word, comedy, puppetry, and more.

How To Apply

• Fill out the Scratch Night Application Form
• Attach a script if you have one (or an extract or treatment) – 15 minutes is the absolute maximum running time.
• The closing date for applications is Mon 3 Feb
  • We’ll then go through all of the applications and let you know within a week whether your piece has been selected.
  • We’ll then hold your place for a week.  In that time, you’ll need to get your cast and creative team together (if you haven’t already) and request rehearsal space if you need any.
  • If we don’t hear from you (with all of the people in place) by Mon 10 Feb we’ll give your place to someone else.
• The evening itself commences at 8pm.  There will be slots to rehearse on stage before the performance.

We endeavour to put together a varied evening of performance. Therefore, please do not be disappointed if your work is not selected, it can always be re-submitted for the evening in the autumn.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch will open its Spring 2020 season with a revival of Shakespeare’s bloodiest thriller, Macbeth. The revival continues the Theatre’s tradition of quality, classic drama and will be directed by Douglas Rintoul, following his acclaimed productions of Much Ado About Nothing and UK tour of The Crucible. Most recently, Douglas has directed this Summer’s highlight musical adaptation of As You Like It; a European premiere in partnership with the National Theatre. This co-production with Derby Theatre follows successful collaborations on Abigail’s Party, Abi and One Man, Two Guvnors.

Cast includes: Rikki Chamberlain (Flashdance, Selladoor), Martin Johnston (Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, Palace Theatre), Adam Karim (Years and Years, BBC One), Danielle Kassaraté (The Color Purple, Leicester Curve), Daniel Kendrick (We Anchor In Hope, Bunker Theatre), Collette McNulty (DNA, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), David Nellist (Taboo, BBC One), Ewan Sommers (Sinbad, Perth Theatre), Phoebe Sparrow, (Rope, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Paul Tinto (1917, Universal Studios), Connie Walker (In Basildon, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch) and Tilda Wickham (Out Of Water, Orange Tree Theatre).

The show will play at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 7 – 29 February and at Derby Theatre from 3 March – 14 March. It will then go on a national tour, with the Theatre making its first visit to Perth Theatre, and returning to long-term partner New Wolsey Theatre.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is thrilled to announce that Mathew Russell, Executive Director, and Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director, have been listed as one of The Stage’s top 100 most influential figures in theatre, a new entry for the list.

Under the directorship of Douglas Rintoul and Mathew Russell, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch‘s on-stage programme and off-stage community and outreach work have a symbiotic relationship. In 2019, the Theatre produced 14 shows, with an estimated 37% of audience members attending for the first time – in a borough that has the fourth lowest arts engagement in London.

Its landmark project, Essex on Stage, championed positive notions of Essex. Beginning with an acclaimed production of David Eldridge’s In Basildon in March 2019, it included talent development and new artistic work, with the commission of Sadie Hasler’s Stiletto Beach and the regional premiere of Romford-born playwright Luke Norris’ So Here We Are in Autumn 2019. Essex on Stage has been made possible by the generous support of The Clothworkers’ Foundation. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is the recipient of the 2018 Clothworkers’ Theatre Award, a competitive annual prize given to a regional producing theatre, that has only ever been awarded five times.

Elsewhere, the Theatre partnered with the National Theatre on the second iteration of the NT’s large-scale Public Acts programme – with an impressive participatory production of As You Like It – while co-producing partners have also included the New Wolsey in Ipswich, Central School of Speech and Drama, Hull Truck Theatre and Derby Theatre. At a time when theatres’ need to be open and accessible to all parts of their communities is at the top of the collective agenda, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is making this its raison d’être and proving that quality theatre and outreach can go hand in hand.

The Stage 100 is intended to reflect who are the 100 most influential people working in the theatre and performing arts industry. It is considered from the point of view of The Stage, as a trade publication, and so focuses both on theatre as a business and an art form. Inclusion within the list and ranking is weighted towards achievements in the past 12 months, but also takes into account continuous achievement.

For a full list, please visit www.thestage.co.uk/features/2020/the-stage-100-theatres-most-influential-2020-analysis/

A staple of every traditional pantomime is the costumes, especially the outrageous, extravagant dresses worn by the panto dame. The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Wardrobe department have been making the dresses for the pantomime dame at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for many years, and have worked on all of the costumes for 2019’s panto, Robin Hood.

Nicola Thomas has worked at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for ten years after graduating from a BA in theatre design and costume construction, and has been Wardrobe Manager since 2018. Her favourite costume in this year’s pantomime is the evil witch Morgana’s elaborate horned ensemble.

‘I love making period costumes so any show that I can do that for is great but I do love making costumes for panto too because of the scale of makes and they’re always very different and interesting.’

Richard Foxton, who has worked on many pantomimes, including last year’s panto at Queen’s Theatre, Jack and the Beanstalk, designed the costumes and set for the show.

Construction on the costumes begin as early as September, with over 250 metres of fabric being used. There are 65 costumes in the show, all of which are washed more than twice a day.

Written by Andrew Pollard and directed by Douglas Rintoul (the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Artistic Director), this family friendly actor-musician panto is twanging to the beats of pop hits from across the decades, filled with traditional audience participation and laugh out loud silliness. This heroic panto spectacular will be playing from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 5 January.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is thrilled to announce that it has been shortlisted for London Theatre of the Year Award at The Stage Awards 2020.

It has been a transformational year for Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. It has undertaken a £1 million facelift to refresh its front and back-of-house spaces, as well as created new accessible rehearsal, learning and research and development facilities – carrying out the entire project without closure.

Under the directorship of Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul and Executive Director Mathew Russell, the organisation’s on-stage programme and off-stage community and outreach work have a symbiotic relationship. In 2019, the theatre produced 14 shows, with an estimated 37% of audience members attending for the first time – in a borough that has the fourth lowest arts engagement in London.

Its landmark project, Essex on Stage, championed positive notions of Essex. Beginning with an acclaimed production of David Eldridge’s In Basildon in March 2019, it included talent development and new artistic work, with the commission of Sadie Hasler’s Stiletto Beach and the regional premiere of Romford-born playwright Luke Norris’ So Here We Are in Autumn 2019. Essex on Stage has been made possible by the generous support of The Clothworkers’ Foundation. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is the recipient of the 2018 Clothworkers’ Theatre Award, a competitive annual prize given to a regional producing theatre, that has only ever been awarded five times.

Elsewhere, the theatre partnered with the National Theatre on the second iteration of the NT’s large-scale Public Acts programme – with an impressive participatory production of As You Like It – while co-producing partners have also included the New Wolsey in Ipswich, Derby Theatre, Hull Truck Theatre, Oldham Coliseum and Central School of Speech and Drama. At a time when theatres’ need to be open and accessible to all parts of their communities is at the top of the collective agenda, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is making this its raison d’être and proving that quality theatre and outreach can go hand in hand.

The Stage Awards launched in 2010 to highlight the achievements of theatre companies and individuals across the UK and globally. The winner of each category will be announced at the awards ceremony on January 31, 2020 at the Royal Opera House, London.

For a full list of the nominees, please visit www.thestage.co.uk/awards/#2020shortlist

Christmas is the most magical time of the year and the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch will be getting into the festive spirit by hosting a Christmas Fayre fundraiser on Saturday 14 December from 10.30am to 7pm – a day of festive fun for the whole family.

Indulge in Christmas treats including luxury hot chocolate and warm cider as you browse round a variety of festive stalls and take part in festive games. There will be plenty of opportunities to get crafty including gingerbread icing and designing a Christmas cupcake. Don’t forget to leave a personalised message on the Christmas Tree!

The funds raised will go towards supporting and nurturing young talent, enabling the Theatre to continue to provide quality training and theatre experiences to young people for years to come. So come and get involved and help support the Queen’s Theatre!

A junior chorus is a staple of the modern panto, and Robin Hood at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is no different. Every year a group of young people from the local area are cast to play the villagers, minions and guards, singing and dancing to support of the production’s principal cast. This year, a call was put out and 30 children out of 141 auditionees, aged 9 to 16 were recruited to join the team of chorus members, who share 60 performances of Robin Hood during its run from 28 November 2019 – 5 January 2020.

Candidates were auditioned in June and auditionees had to be able to sing and dance to a high standard, as well as have some theatrical training. Recruited from Havering and the surrounding area, the chorus rehearsed on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays every week for three weeks.

The chorus are divided into three groups of ten: Team Oak, Team Willow and Team Sycamore, who rotate show to show.

Team Oak

(Top row, L-R) Selinah-Shallom Oloyede, Roni Stock, Kira McFaull, Alfie King, Alyssa-Isabella Ponton, Lucy Billington, 

(Bottom row, L-R) Vinnie Kidner, Lucy Norton, Inez Weronika Danielak, Sydney Crollie

Team Willow

(Top row, L-R) Molly Perry, Imogen Grock, Isabelle Rice, Priya Kaur, Aimee Lampart

(Bottom row, L-R) Alexander Castles, Daisy Oludipe, Charlotte Christiansen, Joshua Neal, Amelia Rice

Team Sycamore

(Top row, L-R) Zara Ludlow, Mollie Greene, Rebekah Durrant, Ruby Coyte

(Bottom row, L-R) Robyn Russell, Saffiah Kelly, Faye Taylor-Thomson, Alfie Sellers, Josh Brown

(not pictured) Victoria Ferreira

Approximately half the chorus had had previous experience in Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch pantos, with the more experienced members serving as mentors to the newer performers. The chorus worked with creatives on the show, Douglas Rintoul, the director of the production, choreographer Sundeep Saini and musical director Tom Self.

Sydney from Team Oak says ‘I love taking part in panto, it is an amazing experience and a great opportunity to try many new things.’

Inez from Team Oak says ‘Panto is amazing! It’s so fun to be able to perform on stage, and to see the smiles on people’s faces. It’s an experience like no other.’

The Junior Chorus have also received glowing reviews from press:

‘Great to see the young cast dovetailing with the professionals so smoothly’ – The Havering Daily

‘The cast is supported by a Junior Chorus, [who] sang and danced wonderfully, and those who had speaking parts delivered their lines flawlessly’ – London Theatre 1

‘The cast is supported by a very game chorus of youngsters, whose simple but well-choreographed dancing by Sundeep Saini is a high point.’ – The Stage

‘What really made this panto were the Junior Chorus: high levels of energy and some fantastically delivered choreography they took the show to another level’ – Theatre Life

Several members of past junior choruses have gone on to have successful theatrical careers, including choreographer for Robin Hood, Sundeep Saini, Billy Irving who has starred in the UK tour of War Horse, and Samuel Ward-Smith, who starred in ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch in 2018.