Caroline Horton News

The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch is bringing Mike Leigh's cult classic, Abigail's Party home to its Essex roots this autumn. Set in 'theoretical Romford', this delicious 70s comedy notorious for its references to cheesy-pineapple and Demis Roussos is co-produced with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and international partner Les Theatres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

It's been over forty years since Mike Leigh's gauche hostess Beverly slow-danced her way into theatrical history, but what happened to Abigail? The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Derby Theatre have joined forces to commission Abi, a contemporary response to the classic comedy Abigail's Party.

The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch is bringing Mike Leigh's cult classic, Abigail's Party home to its Essex roots this autumn. Set in 'theoretical Romford', this delicious 70s comedy notorious for its references to cheesy-pineapple and Demis Roussos is co-produced with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and international partner Les Theatres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

Everybody has a nationality: most are inherited, and some are given to us. In the midst of a cultural and political climate dominated by Brexit, the Windrush scandal and debates about who has the right to belong, Chris Thorpe questions how we acquire these narratives and the internal and political conflicts that arise when people choose not to accept their nationality.

The second phase of a scheme to improve access to dance in rural communities has been launched with a call out to artists interested in creating or developing work for village halls. Rural Touring Dance Initiative 2 is a partnership between the National Rural Touring Forum (NRTF) and The Place, Take Art and China Plate. Dance is underrepresented on the rural touring circuit and the partnership is seeking to increase opportunities for rural audiences to experience the art form.

Based on her own true story, Urielle Klein-Mekongo's debut show delves into the trials of a young Black girl growing up, from Hello Kitty knickers to 'lightys' to the terrible secret of her stolen childhood. Using original music, spoken word and a loop station, this one woman show presents a story of teenage angst and survival. Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, the show is set to open at the Southbank Centre's WOW Festival before touring nationally and returning to London be presented at five leading venues across the city in an innovative new London touring model.

Join the vanguard of feminist theatremakers in the battle for gender equality at CPT's Calm Down Dear festival, which this year is foregrounding stories from artists of colour.

The New Wolsey Theatre's PULSE Festival Ipswich is now open for applications for 2018! Working with our Festival Directors China Plate, the festival will run from Thu 31 May to Sat 9 June.

Independent producing studio China Plate is seeking candidates to apply for its producer training programme the Optimists, which returns this Autumn and again next Spring.

Ellen McDougall today announced the full cast for The Unknown Island, her inaugural production of Artistic Director of Gate Theatre.  She directs Jon Foster, Hannah Ringham, Thalissa Teixera and Zubin Varla in the adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago's short story which opens on 18 September, with previews from 11 September, running until 7 October. 

Having recently joined ACE's National Portfolio, Independent theatre studio China Plate are set to bring a collection of four shows and readings to the 70th Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Morvern wants to get up and walk away from this desk. Danny wants to write something revolutionary. Joe wants to protect what good we still have left. And then there's Isma. We don't know much about Isma. We know she's twelve. We know she speaks only Arabic. We know she's here. And we know she's watching. Here, in this room, four speakers pick through the fragments of four shattered lives.

The Bush Theatre is thrilled to announce that their production of Nassim written by Nassim Soleimanpour (While Rabbit Red Rabbit) and directed by Bush Theatre Associate Director Omar Elerian (One Cold Dark Night, Islands) will transfer to the Traverse Theatre for a full run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.

Seiriol Davies' sell-out show from Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 was a huge hit with audiences and critics alike; now the musical extravaganza will be returning to the Fringe and touring the UK.

Following the success of the first Orbit Festival in autumn 2016, HOME is delighted to confirm the programme for this year's festival, to be staged Thu 28 Sep - Sun 15 Oct 2017, bringing together exciting new work from theatre-makers across the globe who want to explore our place in the world, and which investigate our relationship with our past.

The Bush Theatre, MA Dramatic Writing at Drama Centre London at Central Saint Martins, Writers at Work Productions and Oberon Books have announced the book launch and showcase of the winning student and emerging writers' work from 'The Student Guide to Writing: Playwriting' competition.

Fresh from its Summerhall run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016, the multi-award winning Inspector Sands bring their characteristically absurdist exploration of our twilight years to Contact, Manchester and Soho Theatre. Inspector Sands explore how difficult it is for all of us - young and old - to engage with the fact that we are individually, and collectively, ageing. Developed with the support of a Wellcome Trust Arts Award, and with biomedical experts specialising in the psychology and philosophy of attitudes towards ageing and mortality, the company explore what it means to be older in today's society.

First Bite Festival returns in 2017 and it's bigger than ever, this time taking place across three events at three venues. For the first time, the theatre festival will visit the East Midlands with dates in Leicester and Derby. Over the course of the festival, 18 local companies will present new ideas and extracts from shows, offering audiences the chance to discover them before anyone else.