What Company Three does

Company Three Theatre Ltd is a charitable company limited by guarantee founded in 2008 in Islington, North London, that operates as a youth theatre company working with 75-90 teenagers aged 11-19 in a long-term Core Company programme. Its core product is the co-creation methodology in which teenagers lead the creative direction of devised plays alongside professional theatre-makers, supported by Affinity Groups (identity-based creative spaces), Practice Labs for artistic development, and a Schools programme delivering workshops and after-school clubs across Islington primary and secondary schools. The methodology has been refined across 40+ plays over 15 years and is operationalised through a Blueprint system of open-source devising guides and session templates.

The organisation distributes its work through multiple channels: ticketed flagship productions staged at professional London venues (Park Theatre, New Diorama Theatre, Yard Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, National Theatre); an annual C3 Festival during Easter holidays; a free online Blueprint Library for the global youth theatre sector; and published commercial play blueprints (Brainstorm, When This Is Over) distributed via Nick Hern Books. Revenue is diversified across Arts Council England grants, a three-year Paul Hamlyn Foundation grant (supporting Associate Artist roles), individual donations, ticket sales (£6.50-£12), training courses for practitioners (£75-£250 tiered pricing), and merchandise sales (£15-£27 unit pricing).

Company Three operates an Exchange Programme sharing practice with peer youth theatres across the UK (Beyond Face, Mortal Fools, Prime Theatre, 20 Stories High, Zoo Co) and internationally, with Blueprints adopted by 500+ groups in 30+ countries and the Coronavirus Time Capsule project involving 3,000+ teenagers in 17 countries. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees chaired by Professor Kene Igweonu, with joint-CEO leadership from Artistic Director Nuna Sandy (since January 2024, succeeding founder Ned Glasier) and Executive Director Ros Terry (permanently appointed October 2025). The company holds NPO status, is registered charity 1169024, and has won multiple industry awards including the Peter Brook Empty Space Award for Innovation (2017) and Stage Awards Community Project of the Year (2022).

Name

Company Three

Legal name

Company Three Theatre Ltd

Website

https://companythree.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Company Three is a UK charitable youth theatre that co-creates devised plays with 75-90 teenagers aged 11-19 in Islington, distributes open-source Blueprint methodology to 500+ groups across 30+ countries, and stages flagship productions at London professional venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Theatre Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

After-School Enrichment & Activities Facilitation (Arts/STEM/Clubs) (HSAAAHAD), Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

Keywords

• Youth theatre programmes
• Co-creation methodology
• Drama education training
• Devised theatre productions
• Youth arts charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: Charitable donations from individuals supporting the organization's work with young people in Islington. 'Every donation to Company Three is vital' according to website.
2. Training Courses: Paid training courses for practitioners working with young people, including 'Make, Shake, Scribble: Intro to Co-Creation with C3' at £75-£250, 'Working with Schools' at £20, and other workshops. Revenue supports sustained work with young people.
3. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including sweatshirts (£24-£27), t-shirts (£21), baby grows (£17.40), posters (£13+), and canvas bags (£15). Website notes 'you're directly supporting young people in Islington'.
4. Blueprint Sales: Sale of published play blueprints through Nick Hern Books. 'Brainstorm Blueprint' and 'When This Is Over Blueprint' available for purchase by other youth theatres.
5. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed performances at professional venues including Park Theatre and New Diorama Theatre. Tickets from £6.50 to £12 with locals and youth concessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Company Three is a youth theatre charity that runs a long-term Core Company programme with 75-90 teenagers aged 11-19 in Islington, North London, who co-create theatrical productions. Each year the organisation produces flagship shows staged at professional London theatres (Park Theatre, New Diorama Theatre, Yard Theatre, National Theatre, Unicorn Theatre), runs paid practitioner training courses, delivers in-school drama workshops across Islington, hosts annual C3 Festivals of first-draft plays, and distributes open-source Blueprint Library resources that have been adopted by over 500 youth theatre groups in 30+ countries.

Product overview

Company Three is a youth theatre charity in Islington, North London, founded in 2008, offering a portfolio of programmes and services centred around co-creating theatre with teenagers. Its core offering is the Core Company programme — a weekly commitment with 75-90 young people aged 11-18 who co-create and perform new plays. Flagship productions (Unfinished Business, This City, #BlackIs..., When This Is Over, Grow Up, Brainstorm) emerge from this core work and are sometimes staged at professional venues (Park Theatre, New Diorama Theatre, National Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, The Yard Theatre). Supporting programmes include Affinity Groups (identity-based spaces), Schools Projects (workshops and clubs in Islington primary and secondary schools), and the Exchange Programme (training, creative exchanges, and the Blueprint Library). The Blueprint Library is a free online hub of open-source devising guides and templates, while flagship plays are also published as commercial blueprints through Nick Hern Books. Company Three also delivers paid training courses including Make, Shake, Scribble (co-creation), Working with Schools, Wellbeing and Care, and Making Identity-Led Work. Merchandise bearing the 'Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Yourself' brand supports fundraising. The Social GRACES framework underpins all practice around equity and representation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Company A weekly youth theatre programme working with 75-90 young people aged 11-19 in Islington, structured in mixed-age groups who co-create new plays over the course of a year. Members join through nominations from schools, youth workers, and social workers, and remain with the organisation until age 18.
• Schools Projects Drama workshops, after-school clubs, and longer projects delivered in Islington Primary and Secondary schools, including 'Who, me?' (Year 6 transition), 'Deep Dives' (targeted sessions), and 'C3 Hubs' (drama clubs), supporting teachers and students in the drama curriculum.
• C3 Festivals Annual Easter-holiday festival of first-draft plays co-created by Core Company members, presented as public showcases where new short plays are evaluated to identify which will be developed into full flagship productions.
• Affinity Groups Identity-based creative spaces within Company Three's programme where young people can creatively explore parts of their identity with artists who share that identity, addressing topics such as race, LGBTQ+ experiences, and community belonging through poem, rap, monologue, scenes, dance, and visual art. Includes groups such as Black Is Safe.
• Blueprint Library A free online resource hub of downloadable facilitation guides, session plans, templates, policies, and play blueprints for youth theatre practitioners and organisations worldwide. Has been adopted by more than 500 youth theatre groups in 30+ countries.
• Make, Shake, Scribble: Intro to Co-Creation with C3 A two-day hands-on training course teaching co-creation methodologies for making devised plays with teenagers, covering making exercises, movement and choreography, and writing activities. Aimed at youth theatre practitioners with tiered pricing for accessibility.
• Working with Schools A short online course distilling lessons learned from delivering drama workshops in primary and secondary schools, covering building school relationships, structuring workshops, and replicating programmes. Priced at £20.
• Wellbeing, Care and Supporting Young People A short workshop sharing practical tools to help adults centre wellbeing and care in creative projects with young people, especially those managing complex needs.
• Making identity-led work with young people A workshop led by Nuna Sandy on Affinity Groups and how to make identity-led work with teenagers, covering approach, tips, and methodology for setting up similar identity-based creative spaces.
• Unfinished Business A co-created flagship theatrical production about a group of teenagers who find something that transforms their understanding of themselves and their choices, featuring live music and loop pedal, and interactive audience participation. Staged at New Diorama Theatre.
• This City A flagship theatrical production tracing the city of London through the autobiographical stories of nine teenagers, exploring belonging, community, and what it means to call London home. Part of the Cities Exchange programme.
• Grow Up A flagship theatrical production about the beautiful, messy, and joyful journey through teenagehood, co-created with and performed by a company of teenagers as part of the Grow Up Exchange.
• #BlackIs... A flagship theatrical production celebrating what it means to be a Black teenager today, co-created with ten Black teenagers sharing experiences of racism, joy, and Black relatedness through hashtags such as #blackboyjoy and #blackisedges.
• When This Is Over A flagship theatrical production capturing young people's stories about the past, present, and future, created during the pandemic alongside 50+ collaborating youth theatres. Also available as a published commercial blueprint via Nick Hern Books.
• Brainstorm A flagship theatrical production exploring teenage brain development, created in collaboration with cognitive neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. Performed at the National Theatre and broadcast on BBC iPlayer. Available as a published commercial blueprint via Nick Hern Books.
• Eighteen A flagship theatrical production created with young people whose final year of school was during the pandemic, exploring the experience of being eighteen at that time.
• Coronavirus Time Capsule An online project during the Covid-19 pandemic that used weekly exercises to help young people document life in lockdown, eventually involving more than 3,000 teenagers in 17 countries and 215 youth theatres worldwide. Title of one video became the basis for the When This Is Over play.
• Exchange Programme A commitment to sharing, working with, and learning from other youth theatre organisations through training courses, creative exchanges with partner organisations (Grow Up Exchange, Cities Exchange), publishing open-source blueprints, and sector convenings.
• Merchandise (Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Yourself) Branded clothing and accessories bearing Company Three's three core values: Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Yourself. Includes kids' sweatshirts (£24), adult sweatshirts (£27), t-shirts (£21), baby grows (£17.40), canvas bags (£15), and posters (from £13).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 youth theatre groups in 30+ countries have used Company Three's blueprints
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 20 Stories HighcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2024Youth theatre in Liverpool. Partner in Cities Exchange collaboration creating plays based on the same starting point (cities).
• Zoo CocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2024Youth theatre from Croydon, South London. Partner in Cities Exchange collaboration.
• Beyond FacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023Youth theatre company providing opportunities for artists of the Global Majority in South West theatre sector. Partner in Grow Up Exchange, creating four plays from the same starting point. Also partner in Cities Exchange.
• Mortal FoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023Award-winning theatre, drama and creative learning company co-creating with children and young people. Partner in Grow Up Exchange for collaboration on youth theatre productions.
• Prime TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023Youth theatre company creating theatre for young people by young people since 1986. Resident in 7 schools across Swindon. Partner in Grow Up Exchange.
• Nick Hern BookscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 26 February 2021Publishing partner for When This Is Over Blueprint and other play blueprints. Handles blueprint sales and distribution to youth theatres and schools.
• Unicorn TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional children's theatre venue. Original venue for When This Is Over production (postponed due to Covid). Company Three production in association with Unicorn Theatre.
• National TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship UK theatre. Venue for Brainstorm performance (2016). Also connected through Executive Director Ros Terry's work co-leading Public Acts.
• Yard TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional theatre venue in Hackney Wick. Venue for When This Is Over (2022) and The Future. Produced in association with Yard Theatre.
• Battersea Arts CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Boat production (2017).
• Park TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for multiple productions including Grow Up (2024) and This City (2025).
• New Diorama TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for #BlackIs... (2023), Eighteen (2021), and Unfinished Business (2026). Part of Reset Season.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Unicorn Theatre: London's leading children's theatre, producing work for young audiences and running participation programmes. Already a Company Three venue partner for When This Is Over.
• National Youth Theatre: The UK's flagship youth theatre, producing new work with teenagers aged 14–25 and running nationwide membership and training programmes. Closest direct peer to Company Three in mission and methodology.
• Half Moon Theatre: East London theatre with a long-running young people's programme producing devised work with children and teenagers. Comparable operating model and London community-embedded youth theatre focus.
• Polka Theatre: South London children's theatre with strong participation and co-creation programming for under-18s. Comparable scale and youth-theatre production focus.
• Little Angel Theatre: North London's leading children's puppetry and participation theatre with year-round youth programmes. Comparable London geography and youth-focused delivery.
• 20 Stories High: Liverpool-based youth theatre co-creating work with teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Direct peer and active partner via Company Three's Cities Exchange.
• Theatre Centre: London-based touring theatre company that devises and co-creates work specifically with and for young people, with a comparable participation-led model.
• Lyric Hammersmith (Young Lyric): West London theatre running one of the UK's largest young theatre programmes with weekly participation groups and co-created productions for children and teens.

Broad incumbents

• Battersea Arts Centre: London arts venue with a participation and young people's programme; existing Company Three venue partner for Boat (2017). Broader portfolio than Company Three but overlapping youth-and-community remit.
• Royal Court Theatre (Young People's Programme): Major London playhouse with a dedicated young people's programme for 11–18 year-olds delivering devised work. Larger and broader institution but overlapping youth-theatre brief.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/company-three

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Company Three