Dumbshow Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
Dumbshow Theatre Company
Dumbshow are a London-based theatre
company composed of actors, musicians, writers, dancers and designers.
Dumbshow is known for its visual creativity and colourful aesthetics. The company brings together the art of highly accomplished traditional theatre with a more anarchically expressive, colourful innovative style of performance.
Mark Radcliffe
, of BBC Radio 2, labelled them “fabulous" and "so visually inventive."
In 2010 Lyn Gardner described them in a review as "a fledgling company who may yet soar" and included them in The Guardian
Guide's 'Pick of the Week.'
Dumbshow began life at the University of Warwick
in 2006 where their shows were performed in the Warwick Arts Centre
Studio Theatre; they have since grown to become an established and respected company of professional performers and writers. Dumbshow has performed at a wide variety of venues and theatre festivals across the UK, including Manchester's Royal Exchange
, the Edinburgh Fringe
, the Stafford Gatehouse and London's Cochrane Theatre
. In July 2011 they will be performing as part of the International Youth Arts Festival at the Rose Theatre
in Kingston-Upon-Thames before taking three shows up to C Venues
at the Edinburgh Fringe
. Two new shows will be added to Dumbshow's repertory
at the festival, the new play Roar and a retelling of Sophocles
’ ancient myth, Oedipus: A Love Story.
Their productions often have a magical, high-octane, mythical feel, with a strong focus on story-telling and new writing. Dumbshow's creative process is firmly rooted in the devised theatre
tradition. Past productions have included To The End Of The World (one of the Scotsman
's Hot Shows) and Clockheart Boy, both of which received their world premieres at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Dumbshow is also notable for its active interest in drama and theatre education, and contains a number of trained teachers and education practitioners.
Dumbshow are a London-based theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
company composed of actors, musicians, writers, dancers and designers.
Dumbshow is known for its visual creativity and colourful aesthetics. The company brings together the art of highly accomplished traditional theatre with a more anarchically expressive, colourful innovative style of performance.
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
, of BBC Radio 2, labelled them “fabulous" and "so visually inventive."
In 2010 Lyn Gardner described them in a review as "a fledgling company who may yet soar" and included them in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Guide's 'Pick of the Week.'
Dumbshow began life at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
in 2006 where their shows were performed in the Warwick Arts Centre
Warwick Arts Centre
Warwick Arts Centre is a multi-venue arts complex at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England. It attracts around 300,000 visitors a year to over 3,000 individual events embracing contemporary and classical music, drama, dance, comedy, films and visual art.Warwick Arts Centre comprises six...
Studio Theatre; they have since grown to become an established and respected company of professional performers and writers. Dumbshow has performed at a wide variety of venues and theatre festivals across the UK, including Manchester's Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed Victorian building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street...
, the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
, the Stafford Gatehouse and London's Cochrane Theatre
Cochrane Theatre
The Cochrane Theatre is a receiving and producing theatre that aims to present all aspects of the performing arts within a proscenium arch. The theatre is situated in Holborn, London.-History:...
. In July 2011 they will be performing as part of the International Youth Arts Festival at the Rose Theatre
Rose Theatre, Kingston
The Rose Theatre, Kingston is a theatre on Kingston High Street in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The theatre seats 899 around a wide, lozenge shaped stage....
in Kingston-Upon-Thames before taking three shows up to C Venues
C venues
C venues is the home of the largest theatre and new writing programme at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which is held annually in August each year...
at the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
. Two new shows will be added to Dumbshow's repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
at the festival, the new play Roar and a retelling of Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides...
’ ancient myth, Oedipus: A Love Story.
Their productions often have a magical, high-octane, mythical feel, with a strong focus on story-telling and new writing. Dumbshow's creative process is firmly rooted in the devised theatre
Devised theatre
Devised theatre is a form of theatre where the script originates not from a writer or writers, but from collaborative, usually improvisatory, work by a group of people...
tradition. Past productions have included To The End Of The World (one of the Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
's Hot Shows) and Clockheart Boy, both of which received their world premieres at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Dumbshow is also notable for its active interest in drama and theatre education, and contains a number of trained teachers and education practitioners.