VENUES across Thurrock are to play host to a new play scripted by Thurrock authors and featuring the region, particularly communities by the Thames.

The new production called 'Tales from the Thames' was Rebecca Brewer and Vickie Donoghue, both from Thurrock, with Southend-based songwriter M G Boulter contributing an original music score.

It tells the story of five lives colliding on a single day along the banks of the river, and futures changing forever.

The production is the first of a new series of Creative Estuary Co-commissions – an initiative which aims to showcase 60 miles of the North Kent and South Essex region as one of the UK's most dynamic and creative areas in the whole of the UK.

As the play develops, the audience is confronted with the emerging philosophical question: Can fractured relationships and fears of the future be overcome by stopping for a moment, taking in the view and listening to the water as it brings stories and memories to the shore?

"This is an epic story of the majestic Thames and its community. It's about the power of coming together. And about winning a pop quiz," says Douglas Rintoul, artistic director at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch which has played a pivotal role in the project.

Mathew Russell, Executive Director for the Queen's Theatre adds: "We're taking it to ten community venues across South Essex and Tales from the Thames will be free to attend for everyone. The venues and locations have been chosen as places where local people rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to see live theatre performed. They're all intimate settings, so the atmosphere will be electric."

The venues and dates of performances of Tales from the Thames are:

• Saturday, 26 June at 7pm – West Tilbury Village Hall
• Monday, 28 June at 7pm – St Stephen's Community Trust, Purfleet
• Tuesday, 29 June at 7pm – The Place, Pitsea Leisure Centre
• Thursday, 1 July at 7.30pm – The Corringham Hall
• Friday, 2 July at 6pm – Aveley Community Hub
• Saturday, 3 July at 2pm – Wat Tyler Centre, Pitsea, Basildon
• Sunday, 4 July at 6.30pm – St Edmunds Community Hall, Southend-on-Sea
• Tuesday, 6 July at 7pm – Tyrrells Hall Working Men's Club, Grays
• Thursday, 8 July at 7pm – The Lobster Smack Pub, Canvey Island
• Saturday, 10 July at 7pm – South Ockendon Royal British Legion

Free tickets, for any of the performances mentioned above, will be available from Monday 7 June from Queen's Theatre Hornchurch's website or by calling their box office on 01708 443333.

Emma Wilcox, Creative Estuary Project Director says: "As we grow the Thames Estuary's potential as a cultural and creative hub, we are committed to supporting our local artists and engaging our communities to contribute to their creative identity. In everything we do for the Estuary, we want to capture imagination and provide opportunities.

"Tales from the Thames is fantastic project to kick off two years of Estuary Co-commissions – a new collaborative piece of place making theatre that's accessible and cross generational, touring to community venues, and reaching under served and under-represented audiences across our region."