Theatre Companies

Durham Improvised Musical

Durham Improvised Musical (DIM) is just what it says on the tin. The audience gives us a name of a song, a starting location and the title of the show and from that we create a brand new musical in front of your eyes. With a team of six performers and one pianist, DIM has produced musicals such as “The Secret Life of Fleas” or “The Devil Finds out He’s Gay” in locations from a cheese factory and Klute to a family planning clinic. We perform at lots of different events including college balls so book us now for an hour of pure hilarity where anything could happen! We also perform regularly in the Assembly Rooms with a special Christmas show and a Returners Show as part of Durham Drama Festival. Look out for auditions in June where we will be looking for new members to replace those that are leaving Uni.
President: Natalie Goodwin: n.e.goodwin@durham.ac.uk

SHELLSHOCK!

You know that time you said that thing at that place and everyone around you laughed because of your quick wit? Sounds like you'd be perfect for ShellShock! – the performance name of Durham University Improvised Comedy society. We have been a society since 2002 and performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival since 2008. Our performers have no scripts, just their wit and ability to think on their feet. Our shows rely on weird, wild and wonderful suggestions from the audience. We regularly perform at college days, balls and fresher’s weeks, for DSU societies and our own shows at venues around Durham. If you want to get involved, we run workshops on Saturday afternoons. Everyone is welcome and there are no auditions. You can like us on Facebook (ShellShockImpro), follow us on Twitter (@ShellShockImpro) or see some clips of us on YouTube (ShellShockComedy).

Contact Josh Thomas: dur.improv@dur.ac.uk

Kronos Productions

Kronos Productions was set up in Epiphany 2012, with its debut show, Oscar Wilde’s ‘Salome’, premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The company aims to put on challenging modern theatre, from contemporary settings of classic plays to recent West End hits. We like visually arresting scenes, powerful acting and physicality, and seek to achieve all of these qualities in our performances. Kronos returned to Durham this year with two shows in last term: a re-run of ‘Salome’ and Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of the John Buchan classic, ‘The 39 Steps’.All auditions are advertised publicly, so if you want to act in one of our shows, simply come along. Alternatively, email us to find out other ways you can get involved. More details about the company can be found on our website, www.kronosproductions.co.uk. Or contact:

Benedict Weaver-Hincks: b.c.weaver-hincks@dur.ac.uk

Felix Stevenson: felix.stevenson@dur.ac.uk

ANOTHER SOUP

Formed in Durham in early 2010, Another Soup Productions is a theatre company founded on the belief that theatre should be poignant, compelling and immersive, with the audience remaining fully aware of its existence as “theatre”. We seek to promote ensemble movement, presence and creativity throughout the rehearsal process, in order to make the finished product a fully collaborative work. Recently, we produced the extremely popular and successful 'The Jungle Book' in Durham's Empty Shop and two brand new adaptations: Virginia Woolf’s The Waves and Michael Morpurgo’s The Butterfly Lion, as well as a site-specific new musical based on the original Sweeney Todd story, a piece of promenade theatre taking place in Durham’s indoor market.

If you would like to get involved or in touch, please email us at enquiries@anothersoup.co.uk or visit our website - www.anothersoup.co.uk

Durham Drama Festival

Durham Drama Festival is one of the highlights of DST’s calendar, taking place in Epiphany term each year. Consisting of around four days of non-stop plays, musicals, workshops and socials—it’s exhilarating, exhausting and a lot of fun! All plays are written, directed and performed by students and alumni, and are adjudicated by our panel of industry professionals who give feedback and hand out awards at our very own Oliviers-style ceremony! But it’s not all about the performance – the festival also offers a wealth of workshops, musical and community activities and maybe even a midnight feast! Whether you’re interested in performing, writing, directing or teching, DDF is the perfect opportunity to get involved in DST. Like our Facebook page for updates about casting and volunteering opportunities, and look out for applications for plays, and the DDF exec in your DST email.

Please visit our website http://www.durhamdramafest.com/

VAN MILDERT MUSICAL COMMITTEE

Van Mildert Musical Committee is the production team of 12 responsible for putting on Van Mildert college’s Epiphany Musical each year. As a pop-up committee that only exists in Epiphany Term, the entire committee is re-elected each year at the end of Michaelmas Term. Auditions for the cast and band are held at the start of Epiphany Term. Past productions include Guys and Dolls (2012), Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2011) and RENT (2010).

If you have any questions about joining the committee or cast, please email Shari De Silva (Guys and Dolls Producer ‘12) at s.e.de-silva@durham.ac.uk

Durham University Light Opera Group

Durham University Light Opera Group (DULOG) produces professional quality musical theatre and light opera within Durham University and aim to allow as many people as possible to participate in order to provide experience and nurture talent by enabling students to get involved with all aspects of musical theatre from acting, singing and dancing through to stage production and musical direction. Having been in existence for over 50 years, DULOG has produced a wide range of musicals, from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic Oklahoma! to the modern Broadway hits such as Rent and Fame! also entertaining at University events, the most recent being the leaving dinner of former Chancellor, Bill Bryson OBE. . We stage four productions annually; three are staged in the Assembly Rooms theatre and another in the professional Gala Theatre in Durham. DULOG frequently showcases at the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh as well.
Former members have forged professional careers in theatre both on- and off-stage, whilst others have used skills honed in DULOG productions to land high-profile jobs outside the entertainment industry.

For more information, the DULOG website is http://www.dulog.org.uk/

Or contact Hannah Howie: Hannah.howie@dur.ac.uk

DURHAM UNIVERSITY BALLET COMPANY

The Durham University Ballet Company is run and taught by its members, focusing mainly on a higher level of ballet but with some contemporary classes and body conditioning. We aim to train 3 times a week; last year we had two evening classes and a Saturday morning class. We are hired a few times a term to perform at college and university social events such as balls, together with community performances and a main company production at the end of each year- last year we had a very successful performance of Alice in Wonderland. We are looking for experienced (grade 7 RAD/6 ISTD & above or equivalent), committed members.

If you want to become a member or if you have any queries you can email us at ballet.company@durham.ac.uk