Cutting-edge Yorkshire theatre companies join forces
- Alan Hulme
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Two pioneering Yorkshire theatre companies are joining forces for new collaborations.
Leeds-based Red Ladder and Hull’s Silent Uproar will co-produce two new plays, starting with Close Enough to Touch, which will tour in the autumn - a one-person show about sex, heartbreak… and toilets, written by new playwright Henry Roberts. A second new work will be announced later this year.
Red Ladder, set up in 1968 against a backdrop of civil unrest and anti-war protests, has a rich history of creative collaborations, having previously worked on co-productions with Leeds Playhouse, Liverpool’s Royal Court, and Theatre Direct of Toronto.
Silent Uproar has built a reputation for identifying and championing talent. Established in 2013, the award-winning organisation has co-produced with Sheffield Theatres, held a residency at the National Theatre and collaborated with the Royal Opera House. Artists supported by the company have gone on to win Olivier awards, work with the BBC and Channel 4 and receive widespread critical acclaim on Broadway and in the West End.
Red Ladder’s artistic director, Cheryl Martin, said: “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Silent Uproar – two bold, pioneering theatre companies coming together to tell important stories.
“We believe good theatre should reflect the world from which it springs and harnessing our resources enables us to present new stories and connect with new audiences.”
Alex Mitchell, Silent Uproar’s artistic director, said: “Theatre, at its core, is strange, and we want to keep it that way, an art form filled with ideas too risky for film and too vivid for the page. But rising costs, fewer opportunities and shrinking budgets sometimes make it feel like fighting a losing battle. Our partnership with Red Ladder will allow us to keep touring theatre that is unapologetically weird, without drifting towards safer, more toothless work."
More info here