QUEEN’S THEATRE HORNCHURCH PRESENTS
CLASSIC GHOST STORY THE TURN OF THE SCREW
CHILLINGLY REIMAGINED
Henry James’ classic ghost story, The Turn of The Screw, chillingly reimagined by playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Her Naked Skin, National Theatre) will play at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 03 – 26 October.
Bly, Essex. Angelic 9 year-old Flora and precocious 12 year-old Miles are the picture of innocence, rescuing injured birds and playing make-believe by the shady lake. But, as a new governess arrives at the manor to take care of them, disturbing secrets emerge from beneath the undulating waters. Questioning the truth behind the children’s stories, the governess finds it increasingly hard to tell reality from her nightmares – until she is forced to take action. Did you really see her? Or was it just a trick of the light?
Cast includes James Akka who recently received rave reviews for his solo show (Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs), at Edinburgh Festival Fringe); Michael Joel Bartelle (Much Ado about Nothing, RSC; Magic, The Lion and Unicorn Theatre; The Throne, Charing Cross Theatre); Siubhan Harrison (The School of Scandal, RSC; The Ocean at the End of The Lane, National Theatre; Guys and Dolls, West End); Lexine Lee (Hamlet , Southwark Playhouse; I Know What You Awoke Last Spring, R&D National Youth Theatre; The Dickens Girls, New Wolsey Theatre); and Kristin McIlquham (Kerry Jackson, National Theatre; Wake Up People, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).
The Turn of the Screw is a gothic horror written in 1898 by Henry James which has been used as inspiration for West End classic The Woman in Black, hit horror movies The Others and The Innocents and was recently adapted for Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor. It is adapted for the stage by Rebecca Lenkiewicz.
Produced by Anita Singh-Creed for the Queen’s Theatre the production is directed by Anna Marsland (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, National Theatre 2021) with Charlie Flynn as Assistant Director. It is designed by Stella Backman, Designer with video and lighting design by Tyler Forward, and sound and composition by Simon Slater. Ruth Cooper-Brown of RC-ANNIE Ltd is the Fight and Intimacy Director. Casting is by Chloe Blake. The production manager is Daniel Steward working alongside Jason Benterman (Company Stage Manager), Bernice Rayner (Deputy Stage Manager) and Emily Bardwell (Assistant Stage Manager).
Director, Anna Marsland says: “The Turn of the Screw is such a classic ghost story, which has inspired so much other work in the horror genre, that we sometimes feel like we already know what’s going to happen. Haunted house. Creepy children. A paranoid governess. Yet, when I re-read it, I was surprised by how different it was; it felt modern and unsettling in ways that I didn’t expect. This led me to explore the story of the Havelock family outside the constraints of the usual Victorian setting, using the backdrop of the beautiful Essex Georgian estate – Bly Manor – but setting the action in 1989: a turning point for child safeguarding.
I hope the audience will experience all the thrills and plot twists of a classic ghost story but feel that the questions it raises are still relevant to now.”
Drawing in both believers and sceptics alike. Don’t miss this enthralling mix of Halloween thriller and psychological mystery.
Tickets are on sale now at www.queens-theatre.co.uk and you can enhance your theatre experience by attending a FREE Director’s Talk on Mon 7 Oct to get an insight into the making of The Turn of the Screw.