Christopher Bond's Country Musical ROMFORD ROSE Premieres at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch Today

Beginning today, 27 May, Queen's Theatre Hornchurch presents the celebrated playwright Christopher Bond's ROMFORD ROSE, a sparkling yet heartfelt new musical, brimming with foot-stomping, original country melodies by Jo Collins and featuring some of the UK's most talented musicians performing on a wonderful selection of instruments from the mandolin and banjo to the mighty pedal steel.

Rose is 18 today, it's party time in Romford... And it sure looks like that soldier boy Jack is tryin' to tame this Romford Rose. Well, her Daddy don't like it, her Mama's hittin' the hooch... and it's only Miss Dolly Parton who seems to understand. So how 'bout it Rose -- you ever gonna make your own music and do what you want?

Christopher Bond, who also directs, is the prolific and fantastically inventive writer of many hits at the Queen's and around the world, including Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , which was the inspiration for and formed the basis of the Stephen Sondheim musical of the same name, and Alice on the Underground, an imaginative modern take on the Lewis Carroll classics.

The Romford Rose stars Nicky Croydon, Sarah Day and Queen's regulars Wade Lewin and Sam Pay, whose wonderfully diverse credits include plenty of stage and screen work - from the West End's Lion King and Gary Barlow's Calendar Girls to the BBC's Brush Strokes and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The Romford Rose band features the Country's most respected instrumentalists: Jo Collins MBE, also musical director, has written songs recorded by Sir Cliff Richard and Elaine Page; BJ Cole is regarded as one of the world's greatest pedal steel guitarists, who has worked with living legends such as Elton John, Sting and R.E.M.; Iain Whitmore, formerly a member of the 1970s rock band Starry Eyed and Laughing; and Jennifer Douglas, Liz Kitchen and Howard James Martin, whose impressive music credits include a wide variety of musicals across the UK including the upcoming Sister Act UK tour as well as work with the Liverpool Philharmonic, Opera North, Ballet Rambert and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Design is by Ellen Cairns, lighting design by Douglas Kuhrt, sound design by Andy Smart and Rachel Yates is choreographer and assistant director.

IF YOU GO:

MAY 27 TO JUNE 18?

ROMFORD ROSE

Written and directed by Christopher Bond?

Music composed and directed by Jo Collins

The Queen's Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT

Previews | Fri 27 & Sat 28 May | 8pm

Opening Night | Tues 31 May | 7.30pm

Perfs | Tue - Sat | 8pm

Matinees | Thu 2 Jun | Sat 11 Jun | 2.30pm

Tickets: £12.50 - £27

Box Office: 01708 443333
Website: queens-theatre.co.uk

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