This autumn, Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul presents his first season at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, which launches with the first-ever revival of the screen-to-stage musical Made in Dagenham. Bringing the West End hit back to its roots just a stone’s throw from The Ford Factory Dagenham in which it is set, Made in Dagenham is co-produced with New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich and heads a new era at the Queen’s of creative collaborations with some of the UK’s other best theatre companies.
Made in Dagenham – The Musical, is written by Richard Bean with music by David Arnold and lyrics by Richard Thomas and runs from 26 August – 17 September 2016. Douglas Rintoul directs this uplifting musical comedy.
Set in Dagenham in 1968 it tells the story of Rita a busy mum, loving wife and hard-working Ford factory employee who, along with her female colleagues, works long hours sewing car seats for far less money than the men. They’ve had enough. Finding a voice she never knew she had, Rita leads a trailblazing battle for equal pay, taking on the unions, Ford’s top brass and the Government. Made in Dagenham is based on true events and takes an inspirational look at how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
Made in Dagenham is followed at the Queen’s Theatre by Bob Larbey’s comedy A Month of Sundays; and Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime, a Tommy and Tuppence thriller, presented by the Queen’s in association with Eleanor Lloyd Productions and The Watermill Theatre.
From 23 September – 15 October, the Queen’s presents the first major revival of the Evening Standard award-winning A Month of Sundays, since its Nuffield Theatre Southampton and West End premiere in 1985. This funny and tender masterpiece about growing old is by the celebrated Bob Larbey, the writer of iconic TV hits The Good Life and As Time Goes By. In his pleasant nursing home, Cooper rails against his ageing body but remains proud of not having ‘lost his marbles’. But Aylott, his friend, is increasingly concerned about losing his. Humour keeps their worries at bay: Cooper flirts with pretty nurses while both men fantasise about escaping to the Swiss Alps. But if the laughter runs out, where do they go from here? Russell Bolam directs.
The rip-roaring thriller, Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime directed by co-artistic director of Peepolykus, John Nicholson, will run from 28 October – 19 November. 1920s London. Tommy and Tuppence are home from the War. Broke and jobless, our heroes embark on a daring business scheme, ‘The Young Adventurers Limited’. Willing to go anywhere and do anything, their first task plunges them into a perilous world of political intrigue, criminal conspiracy, murder and mayhem. This inventive new adaptation by Sarah Punshon and Johann Hari is shot through with fast-paced action, comedy, live music and a dash of romance.
The Autumn season runs in conjunction with Outer Limits, another new venture – a rolling festival of cutting edge modern theatre made by performers and companies from Essex and the outskirts of London. It includes performances by Southend’s Old Trunk theatre company, Romford’s Dan Murphy, Wandsworth’s SpareTyre and Essex performance poet Justin Coe.
Douglas Rintoul says:
“I’m thrilled to introduce my first season as artistic director. It’s the result of hundreds of conversations with our audience, staff, artists, partners, schools and arts organisations across East London, Essex and beyond. It takes what the Queen’s Theatre does best and opens it up to new influences including collaborations with the best theatre makers and arts organisations in the UK, work by exciting local independent theatre-makers and makes it all available to more people than ever before.”
