Regional premiere of Once to feature in Queen's Theatre Hornchurch autumn season

The regional premiere of Once as well as revivals of Abigail's Party and Haunting Julia will all feature in Queen's Theatre Hornchurch's new season, which also sees a transfer of Alexander Zeldin's LOVE.

Based on the Academy-Award winning film of the same name, Enda Walsh's Once, which has music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, will be revived in a new co-production with New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. The new production has direction by Peter Rowe and design by Libby Watson, and runs from 2 to 20 October. Casting for the production is to be announced.

Mike Leigh's comedy Abigail's Party will be revived from 30 August to 22 September, in a new co-production with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Directed by Douglas Rintoul, with set and costume design by Lee Newby, lighting design by Zoe Spurr and sound design by Ivan Stott. Running alongside the play will be a piece of new writing, Abi, by Atiha Sen Gupta, which responds to the themes of Leigh's text.

The season will also see a new production of Alan Ayckbourn's Haunting Julia, directed by Lucy Pitman-Wallace, with design by Jess Curtis and sound design by Paul Dodgson. The show runs from 1 to 17 November.

The theatre is also welcoming two visiting productions. Dishoom! a new play by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti comes to the Queen's Theatre as part of a national tour from 25 to 29 September and is produced by Rifco Theatre Company, Watford Palace Theatre and Oldham Coliseum Theatre. LOVE, written by Alexander Zeldin, transfers to the Queen's Theatre from 25 to 27 October, and is co-produced by the National Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.