We sat down for an exclusive interview with Alex Thorpe from Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch who have recently announced their 2026 season.
Find full details of the programme here and book your tickets now.
How would you describe the spirit behind the 2026 programme?
There is a rebellious spirit to the 2026 programme. It takes well-known and much-loved stories and puts them through an Essex lens. These stories help us to get closer and better understand the world we live in today. With Loot by Joe Orton, directed by Beth Pitts, it’s a great time to reimagine this well-known, much-loved British comedy of anarchy. With Caroline: A New Musical by Vikki Stone, set in Essex with the Essex heart within it, we’re telling a story of music revolution. It’s impossible to imagine a world without the influence of Radio Caroline. Many people feel a sense of ownership over this story; it’s part of their history. Rebellion wasn’t intentional, but I love that through line.
Collaboration seems to be a big part of this season – from new partnerships to nurturing artists. What excites you most about that sense of creative exchange?
I’m so pleased that you’ve picked up on that idea of partnerships. I think Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is better and stronger when it works in partnership. Partnerships enable us to develop more ambitious work, collaborate with a wider range of artists, and ultimately tell a broader range of stories to our audiences. Working in partnership also challenges us and pushes us to do our best work. We continually learn from and with our partners. That learning in turn benefits the audiences we serve and the artists we work with. I’m proud of all the new partnerships we’ve formed, and I know that they will continue to grow over the next few years, both locally and nationally, and eventually internationally – sharing work made in Havering with a wider audience.
It has always been Kate and I’s ambition to support artists to sustain a career in theatre, and it’s great to be welcoming Beth back into the building after her 2023 production, A Different Class by Kenny Emson. There are so few opportunities for artists to make work at the scale of our theatre, a medium-sized auditorium of 507 seats. Whilst our decision to dedicate a slot for a mid-career director isn’t going to change the landscape of British theatre, I am pleased that we are on the right side of this challenge and playing our part in providing meaningful opportunities and supporting mid-career artists.
The revitalised Outer Limits programme sounds like a brilliant opportunity. What kind of artists do you hope will take part – and what kind of support will they find?
The refreshed Outer Limits programme is born from an acknowledgement and excitement about the incredible artists working in Hornchurch, Havering, Outer East London, and South Essex. I want QTH to be a place where local artists have a home, develop their craft, and ultimately create work in and for their local community.
We often hear that there is a lack of development opportunities for mid-career artists – individuals who have been working for a few years, have created work on the fringe, and are looking to take that next step in their careers. Equally, there is sometimes a frustration with artist development schemes that struggle to deliver what they set out to do. What I hope, with the artists that we have brought on board, is that Outer Limits is a meaningful opportunity to continue to build and practice skills.
Co-leadership is quite unique – how do you two complement each other creatively?
Co-leadership is relatively rare, although it is becoming more common. We’ve seen the return of co-Artistic Directors at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Paines Plough, the new writing company, has had a co-leadership model for over 15 years. It’s an acknowledgement of the size and scale of the Artistic and Creative Director roles and what they entail in 2025. It’s not just about being creative but also strategic. Having two minds on that is refreshing. It encourages challenge and rigour. Creative ideas are stress-tested at an early stage. Is this play or project right for us? Is this the story we want to share with our audiences? And, if the answer is yes, how do we deliver it? What is the best route for it? It’s really hard to imagine not having that critical friend on tap.
What moment or memory from your time at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch so far captures why you love what you do?
My favourite thing to do as a Creative Director is to collaborate with other directors. It is the part of the job I dreamed about as a freelancer. I never forget or underestimate the privilege of being invited into someone else’s rehearsal room. It’s a special moment.
Recently working closely with Fay Lomas on her sparkling co-production Di and Viv and Rose by Amelia Bullmore was an excellent example of that partnership between director and Creative Director. I believe my role is to support visiting directors, such as Fay, in creating the best possible production for our audiences. That rigorous collaboration is genuinely thrilling.
When you look ahead, what kind of legacy would you love Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch to be known for?
Well, I’ve got no plans of leaving anytime soon, but I’m really enjoying our increased commitment to creating work that speaks to Hornchurch, Havering, Outer East London, and South Essex. I’d love people to recognise that QTH is a place that tells local narratives, helping us to better understand and celebrate the place we live. Work that entertains, challenges and surprises us whilst bringing people together through story. Work that amplifies our richly brilliant Essex history, yet resonates nationally and internationally. I would love people to say that about Queen’s. I’d also love to leave QTH with a reputation that we are known by the artistic community, locally, nationally, and internationally as a place to thrive and make their best work. That’s definitely a legacy I would be proud of.