The Bread and Roses Theatre

What The Bread and Roses Theatre does

The Bread and Roses Theatre is a 40-60 seat fringe pub theatre located upstairs at The Bread & Roses Pub on Clapham Manor Street in South London, operating since November 2014 under its managing entity The Bread & Roses Theatre Company Limited (Company Number 9700840), founded in 2012. The venue is purpose-positioned around new writing, underrepresented voices, and female/non-binary representation, with a long-standing diversity policy that has historically required at least 50% female or non-binary roles in submissions. It serves emerging playwrights, theatre-makers, visiting companies, and local audiences with an intimate fringe experience and operates with approximately 10 staff.

The company's product surface extends well beyond the physical venue into a tightly integrated creative ecosystem: The Platform (in-house scratch night running since October 2012), the biennial Playwriting Award, the bi-monthly Playwrights Circle, the BREAD & PROSES 8-week playwriting course, the Script Doctor dramaturgical service, an annual £20 Writers Membership, the Emerging Artist Programme, the Emerging Companies Award, the annual Clapham Fringe festival (founded 2015), the GrimFest horror-themed festival, and an independent publishing house (established 2018) for playscripts that premiere at the venue. Operating technology is minimal: a website (breadandrosestheatre.co.uk), email newsletters, social media, and Zoom for course delivery — with no proprietary software stack, AI/ML, or app presence disclosed.

The business model is a hybrid micro-enterprise combining transactional revenue, recurring subscriptions, licensing, venue hire, donations, and public-sector grants. Revenue streams include ticket sales (£8 preview / £10 concession / £12 standard), venue hire to visiting companies, Playwriting Award submission fees (with reserved performance rights), Writers Membership (£20/yr), playscript sales (£5.99-£14.99) plus performance-rights royalties, donations via Donorbox, and grant funding from Arts Council England's Culture Recovery Fund and the Lambeth Council Arts & Culture at Risk Fund. Distribution is single-country domestic for live programming, with the publications arm providing a global e-commerce channel. The venue is not wheelchair accessible (~15 steps to the first floor) and tickets are non-refundable.

Name

The Bread and Roses Theatre

Legal name

The Bread & Roses Theatre Company Limited

Website

https://breadandrosestheatre.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bread and Roses Theatre is a 40-60 seat fringe pub theatre in Clapham, London, focused on new writing and underrepresented voices, serving emerging playwrights, theatre companies, and local audiences through development programmes, scratch nights, awards, an annual fringe festival, and script publishing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fringe Theatre / Live Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Playwriting & Scriptwriting Workshops (Stage) (EDAMAMAD)

Keywords

• Fringe theatre venue
• New writing development
• Playwriting programs
• Live performance space
• Theatre community engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The theatre generates revenue through ticket sales for productions. Standard tickets priced at £12, concessions at £10, preview performances at £8. The theatre accepts donations to support venue improvements.
2. Writers Membership: Annual membership program priced at £20 providing access to Playwrights Circle, submission opportunities, 15% discount on shows, free drink at networking events, and exclusive news and discounts.
3. Venue Hire: The theatre is available for hire by visiting companies and productions.
4. Play Publications Sales: The theatre operates an independent publishing house selling playscripts that premiered at the venue, with prices ranging from £5.99 to £14.99 per script. Royalty payments apply for performance rights.
5. Playwriting Award Submissions: The theatre runs a biennial Playwriting Award competition with winners receiving professional production and publication. The theatre reserves right of first refusal for performance rights.
6. Donations and Funding: The theatre receives funding support including Arts Council England Culture Recovery Fund and Lambeth Council Arts & Culture at Risk fund. Accepts donations from audiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Bread and Roses Theatre operates a 40-60 seat fringe theatre venue above The Bread & Roses Pub in Clapham, South London, hosting in-house productions, visiting companies, and scratch nights focused on new writing and underrepresented voices. The theatre runs an integrated ecosystem of playwriting programs (Playwriting Award, Playwrights Circle, BREAD & PROSES course, Script Doctor service, Writers Membership) and community programmes (Emerging Artist Program, Emerging Companies Award, Clapham Fringe festival, GrimFest), while also publishing playscripts and offering venue hire.

Product overview

The Bread and Roses Theatre operates as a fringe pub theatre venue offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offering is the 40-60 seat theatre venue located above The Bread & Roses Pub in Clapham, South London. Supporting this are development programs including The Platform (in-house new writing scratch night), the Playwriting Award (biennial full-length play competition), Playwrights Circle (bi-monthly writer support group), BREAD & PROSES (playwriting course), Script Doctor (dramaturgical service), Writers Membership (annual membership), Emerging Artist Program, and Emerging Companies Award. The theatre also runs the annual Clapham Fringe festival, publishes selected plays through its independent publishing house, hosts GrimFest (dark theatre festival), and offers space for hire. These offerings work together to provide a comprehensive ecosystem for emerging playwrights, theatre-makers, and companies to develop, produce, and showcase new theatrical work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Platform: In-house scratch night showcasing short pieces of new writing and works in progress, running since October 2012.
• The Clapham Fringe
• Chapel Playhouse
• The Bread & Roses Theatre Publishing

Products and services

• The Bread & Roses Theatre Venue A 40- to 60-seat fringe performance venue above The Bread & Roses Pub in Clapham, South London, hosting in-house productions, visiting companies, and scratch nights focused on new writing, underrepresented voices, and distinctive theatrical work.
• The Platform (Scratch Night) In-house scratch night for new writing and works-in-progress, typically running twice per year, featuring short plays and providing opportunities for actors, directors, and writers to showcase and develop their work.
• Playwriting Award Biennial competition for full-length theatre plays featuring at least half female, non-binary, or gender neutral roles; winners receive a professional production, publication, and prize money.
• Playwrights Circle Bi-monthly supportive circle where playwrights can share their work and work-in-progress, run by The Bread & Roses Theatre.
• BREAD & PROSES (Playwriting Course)
• Script Doctor
• Writers Membership
• Emerging Artist Programme
• Emerging Companies Award Award offering new theatre companies development possibilities including rehearsal space, development and marketing support, and 90% box-office takings for up to one-week runs.
• Clapham Fringe Festival Annual fringe festival typically running late September to early October, offering stage time, promotion, and a supportive fringe experience for companies and individuals of all disciplines.
• Bread & Roses Theatre Publications Independent publishing house for selected play scripts that premiered at the venue, making scripts available in printed format and managing performing rights; play scripts priced between £5.99 and £14.99.
• GrimFest
• Theatre Space for Hire (Bring a Show) Venue hire programme allowing visiting companies and individuals to stage productions at the theatre.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 450 submissions received for 2016/2017 Playwriting Award
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and strategic.

• HiiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated with Hiive for the 2017 edition of the Emerging Companies Award.
• Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council (BWTUC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwns The Bread & Roses Pub where the theatre is located upstairs. BWTUC runs Workers Beer Company and has been operating bars at festivals for over 27 years. The pub sponsored the refurbishment work and investment in lights and stages for the theatre.
• Lazy Bee ScriptsstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for the Playwriting Award. Provides free script appraisal for winners and shortlisted playwrights, covering points of style, content and suitability. Reserves right of first refusal for publication rights.
• The PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-house new writing scratch night running since October 2012, showcasing short pieces and works in progress. The original project that triggered the creation of the theatre.
• Clapham Fringe FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual fringe festival founded by The Bread & Roses Theatre team in 2015. Takes place typically late September to early October, offering stage time, promotion and supportive fringe experience for companies and individuals of all disciplines.
• Chapel PlayhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond location operated by the team from December 2018 to February 2020 in London King's Cross. Has since ceased operation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bush Theatre: Established West London new-writing theatre, considerably larger in scale and funding. Comparable as a London new-writing venue and writer-development hub, but operates as a broader incumbent rather than a small fringe peer.
• Soho Theatre: Larger central London venue with a strong new-writing, emerging-writer, and bar/club programming mix. Comparable in new-writing and artist-development mission, but at significantly greater scale and with broader programming.

Direct peers

• Southwark Playhouse: London fringe venue operating across multiple sites with a new-writing and emerging-artist focus. Comparable in mission (new writing, emerging companies) though at a slightly larger scale.
• Theatre503: Battersea-based ~80-seat fringe theatre with a strong new-writing focus and writer-development programmes. Comparable as a small South London venue prioritising premieres and emerging playwrights.
• The Gate Theatre: Small Notting Hill fringe theatre (~70 seats) producing new writing and international work. Comparable as a small London fringe venue with a curated new-writing programme.
• The Old Red Lion Theatre: Small Islington pub theatre (~80 seats) hosting new writing, fringe productions, and visiting companies. Directly comparable in scale, venue format (pub above), and new-writing programming focus.
• The White Bear Theatre: Small Kennington pub theatre hosting new writing, fringe, and visiting-company productions. Comparable in capacity, pub-above format, and fringe/new-writing positioning in South London.
• The Hope Theatre: Tiny above-a-pub fringe theatre in Islington producing new writing and LGBTQ+ focused work. Highly comparable as a small London fringe venue with a community-led, new-writing programme.
• The Finborough Theatre: West London fringe theatre with ~50 seats, focused on new writing, premieres, and developing playwrights. Comparable in intimate scale, new-writing mission, and London fringe positioning.
• The King's Head Theatre: Long-running London pub theatre (above a pub in Islington) producing new writing, fringe, and cabaret. Highly comparable as a small-capacity, pub-above theatre with a new-writing, artist-development mission in the same city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bread-and-roses-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Bread and Roses Theatre