A Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch production
by David Eldridge
A juicy slice of Essex family life
Len is a die-hard West Ham supporter who proudly made a career at Ford Dagenham. Now he’s on his deathbed with the nearest and dearest gathered to say goodbye.
His sisters, slogging away on the checkouts at Asda Romford and Tesco Basildon, haven’t spoken in 20 years.
Over a ham sandwich spread, the banter soon flows and old animosities emerge as it’s time to read the will…
A sharply funny play, charting an East End family’s history from the homelands of Hackney, via Romford, to Basildon and beyond.
Written by Romford playwright David Eldridge (Market Boy, National Theatre; Beginning, West End), this explosively knotty drama is being brought back to its roots after a 2012 premiere at the Royal Court Theatre
‘Gripping… funny, touching’ The Telegraph
‘A gloriously rich, humorous, agonising and politically provocative play’ The Independent
UNDER 26? In Basildon is part of our Essex on Stage programme.
On Saturday 23 March, you can see all three Essex on Stage readings (listed below) AND the evening performance of David Eldridge’s In Basildon for just £18! Put a ticket for each of the four shows in your basket and the discount will apply automatically. (Offer applies to the Sat 23 Mar performance only)
Essex on Stage is an ambitious new two-year programme led by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, championing positive notions of Essex, celebrating theatre made by working class people and raising aspirations for emerging artists from Essex and Outer East London. It includes commissioning new plays, establishing a network of venues, touring drama about Essex across Essex for new audiences, organising local events to develop talent and making life-changing projects with communities.
The programme kicks off with the regional premiere of David Eldridge’s In Basildon. Alongside the performance on Sat 23 March, there will be rehearsed readings of new plays in development from three exciting Essex playwrights.
Tammy by Kelly Jones
Legacy by Dan Murphy
Stiletto Beach by Sadie Hasler.
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.
14 - 30 Mar 2019
Various times, see below
Previews
£12.50 | £17 | £19.50 (+ 65p QNew Transformation Fee)
Tue - Thu
£19 | £23.50 | £27 (+ 65p QNew Transformation Fee)
£8 | Under 26s (Collection only - Please show proof of age)
Fri & Sat
£21.50 | £26 | £29 (+ 65p QNew Transformation Fee)
140 minutes
20 minutes
Talk Back
Wed 20 Mar
A chance to meet and questions the creatives after the show.
Sign Language Interpreted performance
Wed 27 Mar | 7.30pm
Audio Description via a headset will be available at every performance from 19 Mar.
Main House
Lucy Benjamin
Maureen
Peter Bray
Tom
Patrick Driver
Ken
David Hemsted
Barry
Emily Houghton
Jackie
Beverley Klein
Doreen
Charlotte Law
Shelley
Peter Temple
Len/Reverend David
Connie Walker
Pam
By | David Eldridge |
Director | Douglas Rintoul |
Designer | Natasha Jenkins |
Lighting Designer | Alexandra Stafford |
Fight Director | Bethan Clark |
Casting Director | Matthew Dewsbury |
Casting Assistant | Tom Hurley |