Ensemble company of actors Not Too Tame has become an official associate company of Derby Theatre.
Not Too Tame has performed twice as part of Derby Theatre’s DEparture Lounge, a summer festival of “fresh and exciting” theatre, with their performance of Early Doors being performed in a city pub.
Not Too Tame’s artistic director Jimmy Fairhurst has appeared as an actor in three Derby Theatre productions, John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger in 2016, Paul Allen’s adaptation of Brassed Off in 2015 and Kes, adapted by Lawrence Till from Barry Hines’s novel, in 2013. Fairhurst also led a number of workshops with regional artists, members of the community and school groups.
As an associate company of Derby Theatre, Not Too Tame will benefit from direct access to the advice, skills and expertise of artistic director and chief executive Sarah Brigham as well as professional development sessions.
Fairhurst said, “at Not Too Tame we create work that aims to engage those who feel theatre isn’t for them. By performing in non-traditional settings like pubs, shops, working men's clubs and other community spaces we bring a very different style to our productions.
“Our work celebrates and champions the identity of communities and performs accessible stories with heart, passion and humour.”
Sarah Brigham added, “Not Too Tame are an exuberant, humour-filled and incredibly popular ensemble theatre company who perform in a range of everyday and accessible spaces and locations, and who genuinely connect with a wide range of different communities.
“Through their engagement and highly relatable performances, their mission is to convey a strong message that theatre is truly for all.”
Meanwhile, Derby Theatre and The HopBarn in Southwell, Nottinghamshire have teamed up to offer artist Vanessa Macaulay a performance development initiative called Package Holiday. She will develop her piece How to Make an Enticement Machine and preview it at the 2017 DEparture Lounge festival.
DEparture Lounge, produced by In Good Company, a professional development programme for artists making work in the East Midlands, celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2017 and will run from Thursday 20 until Sunday 23 July.