SIZE OF COMPANY
Performance team varies between 2 and 12

SCALE OF VENUE
Busy streets, markets, parks, foyers, exhibitions, shopping centres, product launches, festivals

PERMANENT STAFF
Artistic Director
Ralph Oswick

General Manager
Helen Chamberlain

ARTISTIC POLICY
Natural Theatre Company takes accessible visual and verbal comic theatre to places where theatre does not normally occur, such as streets, shopping malls, weddings, foyers, boats, planes, trains, campuses, conferences, exhibitions and festivals. The performances use recognisable comic characters placed into inappropriate or surreal situations. The work transcends language barriers and can change the audience’s perception of familiar public spaces. The company is renowned for its immaculate appearance and has virtually no technical requirements.

REVIEW EXTRACTS
‘Street theatre re-invents itself.’ The Times

‘Fast becoming a national treasure.’ Bath Chronicle

CURRENT PRODUCTIONS
Over one hundred comic scenarios, including The Pink Suitcases, The Coneheads and The Weeping Brides.

FUTURE PRODUCTIONS
Keystone Kops Comedy law enforcement with uniforms identical to those used in Hollywood, but in full colour!

The Noisy Pensioners Straight-faced old folk with very loud Jimi Hendrix music emanating from their tartan shopping trolleys.

The Cycling Panda Very realistic life-size radio controlled panda riding a tricycle, with zoo keeper or cycling proficiency inspector.

WRAP-AROUND
Natural Theatre can offer workshops in the art of visual street theatre and building comedy characters. These can be advanced for practitioners or simply fun for beginners and young people. The workshops can be tied in with a street theatre programme or can stand alone. Most of the workshops result in some kind of public performance. Workshops have also been used for team building and can be adapted to be language oriented. The company’s workshop activities are refreshing, fun and confidence building. Workshops can be a few hours long, or more in depth over the course of a few days. More elaborate community performances in the form of a magical mystery tour can be devised. These call upon the skills of local arts and performance groups and students, with an entertaining public event as the result.

RECENT INTERNATIONAL WORK
2007 France, Germany, Russia (street theatre in tours and festivals)
2006 Australia (street theatre at comedy festival), Kosovo (street theatre in local communities)

TOURING AVAILABILITY
Year round availability