ABOUT US
Tortive Theatre was founded in 2019 to bring new work to stages across the UK and internationally.
OUR STORY
2019 - 2020
In 2019 Tortive Theatre was founded as a co-production company by Artistic Director, Ben Humphrey. As shows were being slated for production the COVID-19 pandemic struck and the productions were cancelled. Tortive Theatre was faced with a decision to either wind up or forge a new path on our own.
2020
In 2020 we created an online season of ten live shows that played out across the globe and employed actors, writers, directors and producers in one of the hardest periods in the industry. We were nominated for two OnComm Awards for our work and the secured grants from the Department for Work and Pensions to create jobs for young people.
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In addition to our online season of live shows we created two international writing competitions and quickly outgrow our online capability. We then formed a literary intern partnership with the University of Wolverhampton.
2021
Our success in developing our audiences in 2020 meant that we were able to mount a significant crowdfunding campaign that saw us produce seven shows at in partnership with Finding the Will at the Edinburgh Fringe. We were one of the first companies to return to the Fringe post-pandemic and our season received rave reviews from audience and critics alike.
2022
Our smash-hit show Shakespeare’s Fool was picked up directly from the EdFringe and took to touring the UK. We were also selected for a transfer to the National Theatre, Romania, as part of the International Shakespeare Festival and again played to an international audience at the York International Shakespeare Festival. We also supported an Arts Council Funded Project in partnership with Finding the Will to stream their production of Naming the View to our audience.
2023
In 2023 Shakespeare’s Fool continued to tour the UK and will do so until the Spring of 2024. We also developed a new production A Boy Called Anne in association with The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham and premiered the work to sell-out audiences in early September.
Alongside our production work we also entered into a pre-production phase with an international creative team to bring two UK premiers to the stage in 2024.