About Us

Dodgy Clutch Theatre Company is based in the northeast of England and has been in operation for over 25 years. Formed originally as a partnership between Elaine Beard and Ozzie Riley in 1982, the company has over that time worked with a growing number of freelance artists who share their belief that theatre can be an enjoyable and enriching experience, accessible to everyone. We work collaboratively to produce new work in a popular form of visual theatre, which combines the different theatrical elements of music, dance, performance, mime and puppetry.

We have a core team of specialist artists including musicians, performers and visual artists and we draw from a wider pool of artists who work in the region (and sometimes outside). Training and development is a key aim and it is inherent in our team structure that skills are passed on and shared. This process affects both the artists who are part of the team for the project, and also any members of the community we are working with. In particular the company has a commitment to involving young emerging artists working alongside those who are more experienced, thereby adding to the wealth of skills and expertise held in the region.

Our three key areas of work are:

Large scale outdoor site-specific events

We are currently concentrating on developing our site-specific work in the rural and urban landscape, using popular forms of culture to open up new ideas and new perceptions of our surroundings. The work is project based, cross art form and is developed with artists who are leaders in their field and in partnership with existing national and regional bodies.

That more people in the northeast region have their experience of theatre in non-traditional venues - and that mostly outdoors - as opposed to inside conventional theatre spaces is a very significant statistic and is central to the work and philosophy of Dodgy Clutch. One of our aims is therefore to enhance the quality, standards and value of the work and therefore make it more rewarding to its expanding audiences.

Indoor and Outdoor Touring Productions

Dodgy Clutch has produced and will continue to produce smaller scale shows for touring both to indoor venues and to festivals.

We are committed to making the arts exciting, enjoyable and accessible to a wide audience. Our philosophy is to bring the arts into a very public arena and all three areas of our work do this in different ways. Touring Productions, particularly street theatre shows, often take shows direct to a non-arts audience or to places where access to a theatre may otherwise be difficult.

Education and Community Projects

Dodgy Clutch has always worked in schools and with community groups on projects to develop creativity in performance. Since 2004 this work has expanded through the opportunities provided by Creative Partnerships to develop longer term projects in schools as well as taking part in the Find Your Talent pilot scheme in North and South Tyneside. Other partners have included The Sightlines Initiative, The Hexham Abbey Festival and the Alnwick Garden.


Dodgy Clutch – History of Work

'The Bird of Good Hope', IVOC Showcase, Durham - March 2009

Find Your Talent pilot - Jan/Feb/Mar 2009

Amphitheatre Build, Phase 1, Tyhume Valley, South Africa - January 2009

Enchanted Parks, Saltwell Park, Gateshead - Nov/Dec 2008

Winter Wonderland, Kielder - Nov/Dec 2008

Expo Zaragoza, Spain - September 2008

Seahouses Festival, Northumberland - June 2008

EAT!, Newcastle/Gateshead - May 2008

Elephant UK Tour - Feb to May 2008

Morpeth Gathering, Northumberland - March 2008

Advent at Alnwick - December 1st, 8th & 15th 2007

Winter Wonderland & Africa at Christmas, Kielder - Nov/Dec 2007

QE2 Celebrations - September 2007

Siesta Frog Fiesta, SIRF - August 2007

Baltic 5th Birthday Celebration - July 2007

Alice in Wonderland, Mowbray Park 50 Years, May 2007

Sow, Grow, Cook & Eat - April 2007 to present day

Jamie Allen Touring Show, March/April 2007

National Holocaust Memorial Day - Jan 2007

Winter Wonderland, Kielder - Nov/Dec 2006

Advent Trail, Alnwick Garden - Dec 2006

Mad Hatters Tea Party, Alnwick Garden - Oct 2006

Tyume Valley Education Project - 2006

World Culture Summit Opening - June 2006

Elephant - 2006

Winter Wonderland, Kielder - 2005

Heritage Skills Fair NNPA, Wallington - 2005

Elephant - 2005

Sage Gateshead Opening Weekend - Dec 2004

Winter Wonderland, Kielder - 2004

Annual Lantern Parade, Wallington Hall - 2004

Hexham Abbey Festival - 2004

Elephant Show & Sunburst Multicultural Day, Saltwell Park, Gateshead - 2004

Elephant Educational Project, Creative Partnerships Tees Valley - 2004

Fire & Fountains, Street Theatre, Creative Partnerships Durham & Sunderland - 2004

Tall Stories, Alnwick Gardens - 2003

Annual Lantern Parade, Wallington Hall - 2003

Hexham Abbey Festival - 2003

Gardens of Delight, Manchester International Arts - 2003

New Year's Day 2003: Outdoor celebratory event in Saltwell Park, Gateshead

Fantastic Follies, Wallington Hall. Summer-Autumn 2002

The Bus of Fools - 2001

Wallington Hall 'Blackberry Time'– 2001

When the Owl Flies, Leeds Millennium Celebrations – 2000/01

An Elephant called Slowly –1995/2000/2001

Singapore’s ‘Our Town Story’, Singapore International Children’s Festival

Sunderland’s Day in the Dome ‘ Our Town Story’ – 2000

First Words – 2000

Turning the Tide – 2000

Tall Stories and Forest Giants, Kielder – 2000

Geordie Giants, Newcastle Millennium Celebrations – 1999/00

We are the Stars, Newcastle Millennium Celebrations – 1999/00

She Thinks She’s a Fish – 1999

Street of the Moon – 1998

The Pier Show – 1994/97/98

The Dunham Manticore Follies, Dunham Massey – 1995

Press Ganged - 1995

Get out o’ town – 1995

Bud – 1994

Ten Ways to Fly – 1992/93

Rhino – 1992/93

The Magical Mooglamoosh - 1992

Dragon Fire Masquerade – 1992

The Enchanted Pudding – 1990/91

Gateshead Flower Festival, Cock a Hoop - 1990

Dunce and Crafty by Peter Mortimer – 1989

Doris Dumpling by Peter Mortimer - 1988

 

We are a visual theatre company, and as artists we love the challenge of creating new work drawing on theatrical and visual metaphors.

On our site you will find lots of images and some short presentations that illustrate our creative work. This covers three main areas:-

Spectacular Events    Touring Productions     Education and Community Projects

 


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