This list consists of the names of those companies we have been able to trace through a range of sources including individuals, the Greater London Council archive, articles in regional fringe journals and the Alternative Theatre Directories. If you have additions to make, please inform us. They need to be ‘alternative’ in that there was at the core of their practice a process of questioning or experimentation about all or some elements of the nature of theatre: its audiences, makers, languages, working and decision-making processes, performance spaces – taking them outside the mainstream.
We have created web pages for the following companies:
Action Space, Artaud Company, Belt and Braces, Beryl and the Perils, Black Theatre Co-op, Blood Group, BLOOLIPS, Bloomers, Bradford Art College Theatre Group, Brighton Combination, Bristol Express, Brixton Faeries, Broadside Mobile Workers’ Theatre, Bubble, CAST, Character Ladies, Clean Break, Contemporary Theatre, Crystal Theatre of the Saint, Cunning Stunts, Eastend Abbreviated Soapbox Theatre, Foco Novo, Forkbeard Fantasy, Freehold, Gay Sweatshop, The General Will, Graeae, Hard Corps, Hesitate and Demonstrate, Hormone Imbalance, Incubus, Inter-Action, John Bull Puncture Repair Kit, Joint Stock, Les Oeufs Malades, Lumiere and Son, Mikron, Monstrous Regiment, Mouth and Trousers, Mrs Worthington’s Daughters, Optik, Paradise Foundry, Pentabus, The People Show, The Phantom Captain, Pip Simmons Theatre Group, Portable Theatre, Recreation Ground, Red Ladder, Rough Theatre, Sadista Sisters, Salakta Balloon Band, Sal’s Meat Market, Scarlet Harlets, Sidewalk, Siren, Spare Tyre, Spin/Stir, Stirabout, Theatre of Black Women, Theatre Centre, Theatrescope, Theatro Technis, Wakefield Tricycle, Wandsworth Warmers, Welfare State, Wherehouse La MaMa, Women’s Theatre Group.
Please contact us if you were a founder or key member of a company and are interested in working with us to create its web page. If you’d like to sponsor a web page by helping fund the work, please email us at contact@unfinishedhistories.com
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
2 Real Theatre
2 and Flow
7:84 (England)
7:84 (Scotland)
1982 Theatre Company
A
Abracadabra-Fools Theatre Company
Action Pie
Action Space
Actors Circus
Actors Present
Actors Study
Actors Soup Kitchen
Actors Touring Company (ATC)
Actors Unlimited
AD70
African Dawn
Age Exchange
Agit Prop Street Players
Akimbo Productions
Albany (Combination)
The Alberts
Alice’s Cabaret
All Change Arts
All Day Suckers
Alternative Cabaret
AMANDLA
Another Company
Ambiance Lunch Hour Theatre
Amici
The Anna Project
Anywhere Theatre Company
Aphra Behn Theatre Company
Appeal Products
Apples and Snakes
Arad Goch
Arc Theatre
Artaud Company
Ashes Theatre Resources
Asian Co-operative Theatre
Asiatic Theatre Company
ASP Theatre Group
Atelier Theatre co.
A Team
Attic Theatre Ltd
Avanti Display
Avon Touring
B
Babel Third Theatre
Back Door Theatre Company
Badinage TC
Bag and Baggage
Banner Theatre of Actuality
Banquo’s Ghost
Bara Caws
Barnes Theatre Group
Basement Youth Arts Workshop
Basic Theatre Company
Beasties
Beavers
Bedside Manners
Belgrade TIE
Belt and Braces / Belt and Braces Roadshow
Bemarro Sisters
The Bens
Beryl and the Perils
Better Half Theatre Company
The Big Brum Company
The Bigger Balloon Company
Big Telly
Big Wheel Theatre Company
Birkenhead Dada
Birmingham Performance Group
Bite Theatre Group
Black Box Partnership
Black Ebony
Black Mime Theatre (+ Women’s Troupe)
Blackscribe
Black Theatre of Brixton
Black Theatre Co-operative
Black Theatre Workshop
Black, White and Red: the Company of One
Black Widow Theatre Co., Brighton
Black Woman Time
Le Blonde
Blood Group
Bloolips
Bloomers
Blue Stocking Theatre Co
Bolton Octagon TIE
Borderline Theatre Company Ltd
The Bowsprit Company (Greenwich YPT)
Bow Gamelan
Box 3
Bradford Art College Theatre Group
Brand New Wildcats
Bright Red
Brixton Arts Theatre
Bread’n Butter
Bread and Circuses Theatre Company
Breakout
Brief Encounter
Brighton Combination
Brighton Theatre
Bristol Express
Brith Gof
British Asian Theatre
British Events
British Theatre of the Deaf
Brixton Fairies
Broadside Mobile Worker’s Theatre
Bros Ceptix
Bruvvers
Bryony Lavery’s Extraordinary Productions
Bubble Theatre
Bug Theatre
Buick of Sighs
Bulmershe Revival Theatre
Burnt Bridges
Bus Stop Theatre Company
Buster
Busybodies Theatre Company
C
Cabot Clowns
Cafe Theatre
Cakes and Ale Theatre Company
Cambridge Experimental Theatre
Cambridge Mummers
Cameron and Miller
Camouflage
Can Theatre
Cardiff Laboratory Theatre
Carib Theatre
Caricature Theatre
Carpet Theatre co
CAST
Cauldron Theatre Co
Centre Ocean Stream
Ceremony Productions
Chameleon Theatre Group
Change Gang
Changing Women Theatre Group
Charabanc
Character Ladies
Charivari
Charter Theatre Co
Cheek By Jowl
Cherub TYP
Chilean Popular Theatre
The Chuffinelles
Clapperclaw
Clean Break
Cleveland Independent Theatre Company
Cliffhanger Theatre Company
Clown Cavalcade
Clyde Unity Theatre
Cockpit
Colway Theatre Trust
Combine TC
Common Stock
Communicado
Community Theatre
Common Ground
Common Lore
Company of 3
Compass Theatre
Company
Company of One
Complete Theatre Co.
Confederacy of Fools
Consenting Adults in Public
Contact Theatre Company
Contemporary Theatre
Controlled Attack
Coracle Theatre
Cosmic Circus
Coum
Counteract Theatre
Covent Garden Community Theatre
Coventry Lesbian Theatre Company
Creu Cymru
Crumps Theatre of Marbles
Crystal Theatre of the Saint
Cue Theatre
Cunning Stunts
Curtain Theatre
CV1 Theatre Company
Cwmnir Fran Wen
D
DAC Theatre Company
Dalier Sylw
Dancers of the Third Age
Dark & Light Theatre (later Black Theatre of Brixton)
Dark Movers
Daughters
Deliverance Theatre Co
Demolition Decorators
Dereck Dereck Productions
Desperate Men
D.E.T. Enterprises
Dialogue Dance Company
Diamond Age
Divas
The Dog Company
Dogg’s Troupe
Donna and Kebab
Doppelganger Theatre
Doric Productions
Dorothy Talk
Double Edge
Double Exposure
Doubletake Theatre Co-operative
Dovetail Joint
Dr. Foster’s Travelling Theatre
Druid Theatre
Dukes Playhouse TIE
Durham Theatre Company
E
Earthfall
Eastend Abbreviated Soapbox Theatre
East End Theatre Group
Eastern Angles
East-West Theatre
Easy Company
The Electric Theatre Company
EMAA – East Midlands Touring Theatre
Emergency Exit Arts
Emerging Dragon
EMMA Theatre Company
Entertainment Machine
Equinox Travelling Theatre
Everyman Youth (Liverpool)
Experience Young People’s Theatre Company
Extraordinary Productions
F
The Fabulous Salami Brothers
The Factory
Fair Play
Fallout Allout
Far East Theatre co.
Fascinating Aida
Father Xmas Union
Fat Lip Readers’ Theatre
Female Trouble
Fiasco Job Job
Field Day
Fireflies of the Boulevard
Fishnet Balloon
Fleeties Under 5’s Theatre Group
The Flies
Flint TIE
Flippin Wimmin
Floorboards
Flying Pig Theatre Company
Foco Novo
Focus Theatre Company
Fool’s Theatre Company
Footsbarn
Forest Forge Theatre Company
Forkbeard Fantasy
Foursight Theatre
Framework Theatre Co-op
Free Form (Arts Trust Ltd)
Freehold
Freerange Theatre Company
Friends Roadshow
Fulcrum Theatre Company
Fun Art Bus
G
Gaby and Chloe Mime Show
Gamut Theatre
Gate Theatre Co
Gay Sweatshop Theatre Company
Gazebo TIE
Gbakanda African Tiata Company
Geese Theatre Company
The General Will
Giselle Enterprises
Glasgow Theatre at the Tron
Glass Works
The Glee Club
Gloria
Golden Angels of Fun
Gorbals Diehard Theatre Group
Graeae Theatre Company
Le Grand Magic Circus
Grand Union
Grand Theatre of Lemmings
Grasshopper Company
Greek Arts Theatre
Green Fields and Far Away
Green Ginger
Greenwich YPT (GYPT)
The Group
Group 3
Group Dagarti
Guizer Theatre Company
Gusto Theatre Company
G.W.
Gwent Theatre
H
Hairy Marys
Half Moon YPT
Hana-No Mask Theatre
Hard Corps (formerly Gauche)
Hardware Theatre Company
Haringey Street Theatre Group
Harmony Theatre Co
Harvest Theatre
Sonny Hayes & Co
Head and Heart
Headless Wonder Theatre
Hesitate and Demonstrate
Hidden Grin Theatre Company
Hijinx Theatre
Hogwash Theatre Co-op
Holocaust
Hormone Imbalance
Horse and Bamboo
Horseplay
Hot Foot Community Theatre
Hounslow Arts Cooperative
House Performance Company
Hot Peaches
Hull Truck Theatre
Humberside TIE
I
I Gelati
Images Theatre Company
Imani-Faith
Impact Theatre Co-op
Impossible Theatre
Incubus
Industrial & Domestic Theatre Contractors
Inner City Theatre Company
Inner Threat
Inside Overall Company
In Situ Productions
International Visual Theatre
Internationalist Theatre
Itinerant Theatre
Inter-Action
Inter-cut
Intercity Theatre Company
Interim Theatre Company
Interplay Community Theatre
Intimate Strangers
IOU
The Irish Company
J
Jail Warehouse
Jericho Theatre Productions
The Joeys
John Bull Puncture Repair Kit
Joint Stock
K
Kaboodle Theatre Group (Theatre Exchange)
Kartoon Klowns
Keeping Mum
Ken Campbell’s Road Show
Key Perspectives
Kick Theatre Company
Kinetik Theatre Company
Kneehigh Theatre
Krazy Kats Theatre Company
L
Ladies and Gentlemen
Lambeth Ensemble Theatre
Lancaster TIE
Landcape Gardening and Living Rooms
Last Knocking
LATE (Leeds Alternative Theatre Events)
Laughing Stock
Lavender Menace
C.P. Lee and Alberto y Los Trios Paranoias
Leeds Playhouse TIE
Learning through Action (Reading)
Lesbian Left Revue
Les Oeufs Malades
Lilith
Lip Service
Little Acorn Theatre Company
The Little Deaths
Little Women
Live Theatre
Live Wire Theatre Company
Liverpool Children’s Theatre
Local Brew
Lock Stock and Barrel
Loki Theatre Company
London Theatre Group
London La Mama Troupe
London Black Theatre
London Bubble (formerly Bubble Theatre)
London Mime Theatre
Loose Change
L’Ouverture
Low Moan Spectacular
Lumiere & Son
Lumumba Theatre Group
M
M6
Mad Mole Theatre Company
Madame Souhami
Made in Wales
Madhouse Theatre Company
Magdalena Project
Magic Carpet Theatre Company
The Magic Theatre Company
Magna Carta
Major Diversion
Major Road
Manchester Actors Company
Manic Misfits
Manticore
Masque Community Theatre
Masquerade Theatre
Matchbox Purveyors
Matchbox Theatre
Mayday Theatre
Medieval Players
Medium Fair
Mermaid’s Leg
Merryhell Theatre co.
Merseyside Unity Theatre
Merseyside YPT
Metro Theatre Company
MICA productions
Micro (later Manchester Actors Co)
Midland Red Theatre
Mikron Theatre Company
The Millies
Mind’s Eye Theatre
The MisFits
Mitali Arts
Mock Beggar
Mole Stage Company
Monstrous Regiment
The Moodies
Moonlight Flit
Mother Hen Theatre Company
Mouth and Trousers
Moving Being
Moving Parts
Moving Target
Moving Theatre
Mrs. Worthington’s Daughters
Mrs. Worthington’s Daughter’s Daughters
Mu Lan Theatre
Mummer and Dada
Munirah Theatre Company
Mutable Theatre Company
N
Natak Ghar
National Theatre of Brent
Natural Theatre Company
NE1 Theatre
Nervous Kitchens
Neti-Neti
New Breed Productions
New Heart
New Peckham Varities
New Perspectives Theatre Company
Nitty Gritty Theatre
No Alternative
No Excuses
Norfolk Actors
Normal State Theatre co
North End Troupe
North London Gay Theatre Group
Northcott Theatre TIE
Northern Black Light Theatre
Northern Studio Theatre
Northumberland Theatre Company
NorthWest Spanner
Northwest Children’s Touring Co
Nottingham Theatre Group
O
Oaklands Youth Theatre
Oily Cart Company
Omlette Broadcasting Co
Omoro Theatre Co
The Onion
Open Cast Theatre
Open Hand Theatre Company
Open Hearted Enterprises
Open Theatre Company
Optik
Options Ltd
Orchard Theatre Company
Outcast Theatre Company
Out of Order Productions
Oval House Theatre Group
Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company
Oxford Womanuscript TC
Oxford Women’s Theatre Group
P
Paines Plough
Pan
Pan Caribbean Theatre Company
Pan Project
Paper Bag Players
Paradise Foundry
Parapluie Theatre Co.,
Parker and Klein
Parrot Fashion Theatre
Pascal Theatre Company
Path Productions
Paula and Steve
Paupers Carnival Theatre
The Peace Artistes
People Show
The Penniless Word
Pentabus Theatre Company
People’s Theatre Arts Group (Newcastle)
Perspectives Theatre Company
Phantom Captain
Phoenix Players
The Pickle Family Circus
The Pierrotters
Pilot Theatre
Pilton’s Women’s Group
Pink Fairies
Pip Simmons Theatre Group
Pirate Jenny
Pit Prop Theatre
Playwrights Co-operative
Platform 6 Theatre Company
Platypus Theatre Company
Plumbline Theatre Company
Plymouth TIE
Pocket Theatre
Pop Up
Poplar Plays
Portable Theatre
Potawoca (Portable Theatre Workshop Company)
Pretty Disgusting Things
Prodigal Daughters
Proteus Theatre Company
Proud Cow
Provisional Theatre Company
Public Parts Theatre Company
Public Property
Publick Spirit
Puppet Tree
Punching Judies
Pure Monkeys
Q
Q20 Bradford’s Theatre Company
Quicksilver Children’s Theatre
QUIPU
R
Rabble Theatre
Radiator (see Pan, later The Green Room)
Radical Actresses Guild
Random Pact
The Raree Show
RAT
Rational Theatre Company
Raving Beauties
Recreation Ground Theatre Company
Realspace Music
Reddiskip
Red Bucket
Red Earth
Red Ladder
Red Rag
Red Shift
Red Specs
Red Stockings
Remould Theatre Company
ReSisters
Reunion Theatre
Ritual Theatre
Road Gang
Roar Material
Rock Garden Theatre Company
Romilly Theatre Productions
Roots Theatre
Rough Theatre
Royal Court YPT (Activists)
Rubber Jennies
Ruby Tuesday Productions
S
Sadista Sisters
Salakta Balloon Band
Salamander Theatre
Sal’s Meat Market
Salt Theatre Company
Sass Theatre
Sassafrass
The Satellites
Scarab Theatre
Scarlet Harlets (later Scarlet Theatre)
Scarlet Woman
Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool
Scottish Mime Theatre
Scottish Women’s Company
Second City
Second Wave Young Women’s Arts Project
The Secret 3
The Section
See-Saw Productions
Sensible Footwear
Shadowfax
Shameful Practice
Shared Experience
Sheep Worrying Theatre
Sheffield Crucible TIE
Shiva Theatre
Shoot Theatre Company
Short Circuit Theatre
Show of Hands
Shuttle Theatre Co
Sidewalk Theatre Company
Siren
Sisters Bon Bon
Sister Show
Skin and Blisters
Skin and Bones Theatre Collective
Skirting Board Theatre Company
Skuldugary
Skyline
Snarling Beasties
Soapbox Children’s Theatre
The Softies
Sola Energy
Solent People’s Theatre
Soor Plooms
Soubrettes
South Dyfed TIE (see Coracle Theatre)
Soyikwa productions
Spare Tyre
Spectacle Theatre Company
Sphinx (formerly The Women’s Theatre Group)
Spiderwoman [US]
Spin/Stir NB 1990s
Split Britches
Spoiled Ballot Papers
Stage Two
Station House Opera
Staunch Poets and Players
Stein Productions
Steve Shill Theatre Company
Still Life Mime Theatre
Stirabout Theatre Company
Stop the Gap
Strathcona Theatre Group
Street Level
Street Theatre Trust
Strike a Light Company
Strip Search
Stuff and Nonsense
Sturdy Beggars
Subculture
Sun Environmental Events
Surprise Enterprise
SWAT (Bradford)
Sweet Pea
T
Taboo
TAG Theatre Company
Talawa
Tamasha
The Tap Shoetheatre Co
Tara Arts
Tara in Education
THe Tattycoram Team
Team Two
Temba
Temporary Theatre Company
That’s Not It
Theatr Bara Caws
Theatr Clwyd YPT
Theatr Powys (formerly the Breconshire Theatre Company)
Theatr Iolo Morgannawg
Theatr Taliesin
Theatre About Glasgow (see TAG)
Theatre Camel
Theatre Centre (also Women’s Company)
Theatre of Coincidence
Theatre de Complicite
Theatre of the Disabled
Theatre Image-in-Aire
Theatre Information Exchange
Theatre in the Community
Theatre in Exile
Theatre Foundry
Theatre Junction
Theatre Kit
Theatre Machine
Theatre of Mixed Means
Theatre Mobile
Theatre Nova
Theatre of Black Women
Theatre of the Bleeding Obelisk
Theatre of Fire
Theatre PXF(Peacekeeping Force)
Theatr Powys
Theatre Rotto
Theatrescope Original Lunch Hour Plays
Theatre of Thelema
Theatre Totale
Theatre of West Glamorgan/ Theatr Gorllewin Morgannawg
Theatre Underground
Theatre Unlimited
Theatre Venture
Theatre Workshop Company
Theatre Totale
Theatro Technis
Theatro technis Women’s Co.
Third Dimensions
Three Bags Full
Three Go Dutch
Threepenny Theatre
Three Women Mime
Tic Toc Theatre Company
TIE Break
Ting Theatre of Mistakes
T.N.T.
TOC
Tocad
Tom Fool’s Theatre of Tomfoolery
Tony and Derek
T.O.O.T (The Other Oxfordshire Touring)
Topical Theatre
Total Takeover
Touring Theatre of Pneumatic Art
Tragic but Brave
Transfer Theatre
Travelling Light Theatre Company
Traverse Theatre Workshop
Trestle
Treteaux Libres
Trickster
T.A.T(Trinity Arts Troupe)
Triple Action Theatre
Trouble and Strife (formerly Cambridge Trouble and Strife)
Tub Theatre Company
Tube Theatre
Tynewear TIE
Ugly Sisters Unlimited
Ujamaa Players
Umbrella Theatre
Umoja Theatre Company
Untitled Women
Unity Theatre
Upstart Crow
Upstream
Utility Theatre Co
UZ
V
Vagrants
Valentine Sisters
Visible Difference
The Visual Fantasies
Volcano
Vox
Vox Populi
W
Wakefield Tricycle
The Wandsworth Warmers
Watford Palace TIE
Wayward Women
Webb-Foot Productions
The Wee Wees
Welfare State
Wenzani South African Women’s Theatre Group
Westfield Theatre co.
West Indian Women’s Group
West London Theatre Workshop
West 6 Theatre Company
Wet Paint
Whalley Range All Stars
Wherehouse La MaMa
Wild Cat Stage Productions
Wild Wigglers
Winged Horse Touring Productions
Witch Outcast
Witch Theatre Group
Witkacy Ensemble
Women Arts Alliance
The Women’s Comedy Workshop
The Women’s Company
Women’s Playhouse Trust
Women’s Project
Women’s Street Theatre Group
Women’s Theatre Group
Wooden Indian Theatre Company
Wolsey TIE
Word and Action
Works Touring Theatre Collective
World Tree
Writers Inc
Writers’ Theatre Company
Y
Y Cwmni
Y-Fronts
Yorick Theatre Company
Yorkshire Gnomes
Yorkshire Theatre Company
Yorkshire Actors Company
Yorkshire Women’s Theatre Co
York Shoestring Theatre
Z
Zed Resistor Drama Company
Zippo & Co
Zuriya Theatre