We are very proud that many of Durham Student Theatre’s members go on to do wonderful and extraordinary things in the professional theatre and arts industry!

Below is just some of the theatre companies that came out of Durham, or have been created by our amazing alumni. They all do fascinating and interesting work, and we recommend you check them out!

If you’re an alumni company and would like to be featured on our website, get in contact with us at [email protected].

Alumni Companies

Another Soup

Another Soup started in Durham in May 2010 and has since moved to London, where it has produced work at the Omnibus Theatre, King’s Head Theatre and Hope Theatre. As well as London, it has had work performed in Edinburgh and Brighton. Another Soup offers challenging and exciting theatre that turns its back on the proscenium arch and instead looks to immerse audiences in worlds they have never experienced. It is run by Dave Spencer, who is also the Co-Producer and Associate Director of The So & So Arts Club, a 1400-strong members organisation with membership in 9 countries.

More at www.anothersoup.co.uk, and check out their Twitter.

Brunch Bunch Theatre Company
Brunch Bunch Theatre Company is a new theatre company created by Rosie Dart and Rhys Rodrigues! We create original work influenced by a huge variety of genres. Currently working on Tappuccino (Ed Fringe) and Little Dutch Pancake: A Queer Cabaret.

You can contact them by email, or like them on Facebook.

Duck in a Hat

Duck in a Hat was founded in October 2014 by a group of friends who earnt their theatrical curly-toed shoes entertaining the denizens of Durham University through the medium of the student theatre company, Ooook! Productions (which was also founded by Duck founder Tim Foster).

After initially getting distracted knitting hats for their duck, they finally got around to planning their first play, Terry Pratchett’s Eric, which was premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 and surprised everyone involved by being a runaway success. When the shock finally wore off, they realised that they’d really rather like to have another go…

Check out their website http://duckinahat.weebly.com/ or their Twitter.

Front Room Productions

Front Room exists to create theatre in unconventional spaces, staging high-quality, intimate theatre in Leeds but where you least expect to find it, with previous productions in bedrooms, on farms, and in markets.  We respond to specific sites, underscoring intimate storytelling with live music. We are immensely proud of our Northern roots, and endeavour to stage productions that showcase and celebrate the wealth of talented performers working across the region.  The company was founded in Durham in 2015.

More at www.frontroomproductions.co.uk, or check out their Twitter.

Gabriella Sills Productions

Gabriella Sills Productions is the official theatre production company of Gabbie Sills, with a strong focus on bringing new writing to the Off West End and beyond. We believe in the power theatre has to inspire, educate – perhaps entertain – and take us beyond comfortable existence. 

GSP’s shows have been nominated for Off West End & Stage Debut Awards, won Best Production at the Scottish Theatre Awards, received a plethora of five & four star reviews, and is supported by Stage One. It is also the sister company to other Durham Alumni company Tethered Wits, which they General Manage. 

Website, Instagram, Twitter

Gen Z Gender Collective

Founded in March 2023, Gen Z Gender Collective specialises in developing new works of queer theatre. Our work has been presented in Durham, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and in London. We work with emerging creatives to create plays that champion marginalised voices. 

Hitchhiker Collective

Founded in 2018 by Durham graduates Tyler Rainford and Tanya Agarwal, Hitchhiker Collective aims to create work that gives a voice to underrepresented voices in society. Regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, the collective is open to anyone and everyone. We aim to use an eclectic mix of theatrical styles to create work that is innovative and exciting for the audience and creatives alike.

More at https://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/creative-hub-area/hitchhiker-collective/ or check out their Twitter.

Jennifer Leigh Productions

Jennifer Leigh Productions is a theatrical production company focusing on musical theatre and new writing, working across the fringe landscape up to large-scale commercial projects. They are particular interested in telling old or new stories from different perspectives and offering escapism for audiences. Current projects in development include THE SINGLE LADY, which began its life with Pitch Productions and Tone Deaf Theatre Company in Durham!
Jennifer Leigh is supported by Stage One and was part of their 2022/23 Bridge-The-Gap cohort, supporting early-career commercial theatre producers. Email: [email protected]

MaloMalo

MaloMalo is a queer, experimental performance group led by director and live artist Crispin Lord, and dancer/researcher Marcus Bell. They work with practitioners  whose work is not only queer in the sense of gender and sexuality politics, but “unusual” in that it reclaims space from more traditional theatrical practices. MaloMalo is a space for collaboration and experimentation, bringing together artists of all disciplines to create challenging, exciting work that pushes the boundaries of what theatre can be.

More at https://crispinlord.com/MaloMalo. 

Massive Dad

Massive Dad are a sketch comedy group comprised of Stevie Martin, Tessa Coates, and Liz Kingsman. They have two critically acclaimed sell-out Edinburgh Fringe shows under their belt – their debut show ‘Massive Dad’ and the high pressure second show ‘Massive Dad 2.0: Step Up 2 Massive Dad’. They also joined forces with fellow sketch comedians Lazy Susan and Birthday Girls for a series of mash-up shows under the guise of supergroup Massive Lazy Girls.

More at http://www.massivedad.com or check out their Twitter.

Megan From HR. 

Megan from HR is a sketch duo made up of Ambika Mod and Andrew Shires who have been writing and performing comedy together for many years, having started off in the award-winning Durham Revue. Children of the QuornTM is their brand-new sketch comedy show, complete with seance. Having had a sell-out show at The FA’s Comedy Room in Camden which received a glowing reception, Megan from HR is excited to bring its unique brand of absurd and high-energy humour to Durham.

Check out their Twitter. 

Piccolo Theatre

Piccolo Theatre is a bold new company, creating cutting edge and thought-provoking theatre.

Most recently, they presented Screen 9 at the Edinburgh Fringe 2020.

Raving Mask

Raving Mask is a theatre company based in London, specialising in absurdist and contemporary theatre.

Find out more on their Facebook Page, or check out their Twitter.

Rollers Theatre Company

Rollers Theatre Company (RTC) was founded in 2014 by a group of DULOG alumni who had moved to London to pursue other careers. Now, RTC proudly has members of DST covering every graduating year from 2008 to 2017, and puts on musical theatre with the same standard as ever in a fun, relaxed environment.

Check out their website http://www.rollerstheatre.com/ or their Twitter.

Shpeter Productions

Jenny Shpeter is a content producer who creates captivating character-driven stories, bringing them from concept to screen.  Her work ranges from broadcasting, documentary and media, to features and shorts.  Her documentary and broadcasting work includes content for ITV, The Times and Tackle HIV, while commercial work includes content for Toyota, Honda and Mazda.
As a freelance producer, Jenny founded SHPETER Productions.  The company aims to produce impactful and dynamic narratives featuring marginalised characters living through extraordinary circumstances.  Past work includes A NIGHT AND SOME CHANGE and Everything I Ever Wanted To Tell My Daughter About Men.  
Her latest film AFTER THE WORD, directed by Nadia Cavelle and Anita-Joy Uwajeh, is currently in post-production.

Sister Sister Productions
Sister Sister Productions is a new theatre company producing female-lead, contemporary musicals and actor-musician driven work. Currently working on ‘We’ll Have Nun of It’ by Finola Southgate. This show was first performed in Durham in Summer 2019, and is still developing.

You can contact them by email, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

Tethered Wits

Tethered Wits is one of the UK’s premiere Open-Air companies, founded in 2019 by Gabriella Sills and Amy Porter. They tour outdoor theatre every summer, having performed at locations such as The Actor’s Church, Thorington Theatre, Brighton Open Air Theatre, Berrybank Amphitheatre and the Tuckwell Amphitheatre, with the aim of unlocking new audience demographics who may not usually visit the theatre. In 2023, they received an OffComm Off West End Award Commendation, and performed a sell-out week in London’s Covent Garden. They are supported by Stage One, and are the sister company of Gabriella Sills Productions.

WebsiteInstagram/Twitter/Facebook: @tetheredwits

The HandleBards

The HandleBards began because adventures are fun. Four-strong troupes of cycling actors who carry with them all of the necessary set, props and costume to perform extremely energetic, charmingly chaotic and environmentally sustainable Shakespeare plays across the globe. Nominated for a Stage Award and cycling over 2000 miles a year, The Handlebards also won the Edinburgh Fringe Sustainable Practice Award from Creative Carbon Scotland.

Check out their website www.handlebards.com, or their Twitter.

THESE GIRLS

THESE GIRLS is a theatre company producing new writing focusing on the messy, complex, unresolvable questions that womxn face.

Most recently, they presented Bible John at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019.

Three Inch Fools

The Three Inch Fools are a five-strong troupe of actors equipped with all manner of musical instruments, performing our highly imaginative and vibrantly musical take on Shakespeare’s plays.

Over the last four years we have performed at over 100 different venues, to almost 35,000 audience members. We have built a reputation for staging innovative and vibrant productions – a fast-paced, musically-driven style, using all sorts of different instruments, plenty of multi-roling and many a quick costume change along the way!

We perform Shakespeare in almost any kind of setting, both indoors and outdoors, and in all sorts of places – all the world’s a stage!

Check out their website http://www.threeinchfools.com/ or their Twitter.

Trip Hazards

Established in 2017 by Alissa Anne Jeun Yi and Nikhil Vyas, Trip Hazards theatre company aims to innovatively stage fun, fresh and thought-provoking work for modern and diverse audiences. Their energetic, cross-disciplinary shows combine the absurd with the autobiographical, whilst finding creative ways to incorporate spoken-word, live music, and rap into the telling of unheard stories.

Check out their website at https://www.triphazardstheatre.com/ or their Twitter.