Located in Hornchurch, East London, the Queen’s Theatre is an in-house producing theatre with a 500-seat auditorium. Having opened in 1953, the same year as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, the venue is named in her honour.

The building in which the theatre resides was bought by Hornchurch District Council. Having been used for storage during the Second War, the venue was then a derelict old cinema. However, the building didn’t hold up to standards and so the local authorities constructed a new purpose-built theatre on Billet Lane, designed by Hallam and Brooks. It was opened by famous theatre director, Sir Peter Hall, in April 1975, presenting a production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The Queen’s Theatre has been the recipient of the UK Theatre Award for most welcoming theatre in three consecutive years (2016, 2017, 2018). The venue also plays a large part in the local community, by hosting amateur productions and providing a learning and participatory programme which involves over 11,000 participants each year, encouraging them to express themselves and their stories through theatre and the arts.

The Queen’s Theatre (Hornchurch) produces over eight shows annually and has been home to notable productions including the award-winning Blood Brothers, Return To The Forbidden Planet, and a major revival of Made In Dagenham The Musical.