Heartbreak Productions

What Heartbreak Productions does

Heartbreak Productions is a UK independent theatre company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Leamington Spa, operating as Heartbreak Ents. Ltd (company number 08340189). The company is run by a small team of approximately 14 people under co-founders Maddy Kerr (Executive Director) and Peter Mimmack (Artistic Director), and has built a 30+ year track record of producing interactive open-air theatre, murder mystery events, and Theatre in Education workshops across the UK and Ireland, with a documented catalogue of more than 70 original adaptations and plays. Core customers include general public theatregoers, UK schools (via Theatre in Education and the Heartbreak Hub Saturday drama programme for ages 5-14), corporate and private event clients (via the Playview Productions film subsidiary), and hirers of the company's North Hall studio and Mercedes Sprinter touring vans.

The company's technology stack is modest and operationally conventional: live performance production, a WordPress-based website (built by agency withdigital), standard social media presence across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and direct-to-customer ticket booking through a ticketless email confirmation system. There is no disclosed proprietary software, AI/ML capability, or digital platform infrastructure; the core "technology" is the company's curated content library and audience-interaction methodology developed over three decades.

Heartbreak's business model is diversified across multiple small revenue streams: per-event ticket sales from touring and murder mystery events, hourly and daily studio hire (£19/hr or £150/day), van hire (£70/day or £350/week), term-based drama class subscriptions (£71.50–£77/term), Theatre in Education workshop fees from schools, and Playview Productions film service fees. The company is also a recipient of Arts Council England grant funding for its Creative Youth Programme. As of 2025, Heartbreak is on hiatus from its open-air touring productions while continuing to operate its other event, education, hire, and film lines.

Name

Heartbreak Productions

Legal name

Heartbreak Ents. Ltd

Website

https://heartbreakproductions.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heartbreak Productions is an independent UK theatre company founded in 1991 that produces interactive open-air theatre, murder mystery events, and education workshops for general audiences, schools, corporate clients, and youth drama participants, operating from Leamington Spa with a small team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Outdoor theatre productions
• Interactive theatre performances
• Murder mystery events
• Theatre in education
• Youth drama programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Leamington Spa

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Theatre Ticket Sales: Revenue from touring open-air theatre productions, murder mystery events, and live performances across UK venues. Tickets sold through website with ticketless system.
2. North Hall Studio Space Rental: Hiring out North Hall studio space in Spencer Yard, Leamington Spa for events, classes, rehearsals, and performances. Priced hourly and daily with charity concessions.
3. Van Hire: Mercedes Sprinter touring vehicles available for hire at day and weekly rates for production touring needs.
4. Film and Media Production: Playview Productions division offers film services including theatre performance filming, weddings, corporate events, concerts, and promotional films.
5. Drama Classes and Workshops: Heartbreak Hub runs Saturday morning drama groups for children aged 5-18, with term-based fees.
6. Theatre in Education Workshops: Educational workshops for schools bringing classic texts to life for young people, delivered by professional actors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Heartbreak Productions is a touring theatre company that develops, produces, and performs live outdoor theatre productions, interactive murder mystery events, and theatre-in-education workshops across the UK and Ireland. It also runs a Saturday youth drama programme (Heartbreak Hub), a Creative Youth programme of national competitions, a film and media production service (Playview Productions), and hires out its North Hall studio space and touring vehicles.

Product overview

Heartbreak Productions is an award-winning theatre company based in Leamington Spa offering a portfolio of live performance and creative education services. Its core offerings include touring outdoor theatre productions (over 70 unique adaptations and original plays performed across the UK and Ireland), interactive murder mystery events, and theatre-in-education workshops. The company operates Playview Productions as its specialist film division, the Heartbreak Hub as its Saturday drama programme for children aged 5-14, and the Creative Youth Programme for youth competitions. Additionally, the company offers venue and equipment rental through North Hall studio space and a van hire service for touring productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Performances across entire UK from Penzance to Aberdeen
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Inspired Wedding FilmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlayview Productions (film division of Heartbreak) refers wedding clients to www.inspiredweddingfilms.co.uk for wedding films, indicating a referral/partnership relationship.
• David Fawbert PhotographyminorOthersDavid Fawbert Photography credited as photo credit in gallery section of website, indicating photography services partnership.
• Lee Palmer PhotographyminorOthersLee Palmer credited as photo credit in gallery section of website, indicating photography services partnership.
• Jeremy Abrahams PhotographyminorOthersJeremy Abrahams credited as photo credit in gallery section of website, indicating photography services partnership.
• Isabella JamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts practitioner partnered with Heartbreak to create Find Your Voice creative youth competition celebrating 30 years of touring.
• NapE (National Association for Poetry in Education)minorOthersNapE logo appears on Find Your Voice page, indicating partnership for poetry competition for young writers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rain or Shine Theatre Company: Touring open-air Shakespeare and classic theatre productions across parks and gardens in the UK. Directly comparable to Heartbreak in outdoor venue network, summer touring format, and literary repertoire.
• Quantum Theatre: Touring theatre company producing open-air Shakespeare and classic adaptations for gardens, festivals, and heritage venues across the UK. Directly comparable outdoor touring format and literary repertoire to Heartbreak.
• The HandleBards: Cycling theatre company touring Shakespeare and comedy productions to outdoor venues across the UK and internationally. Comparable outdoor touring model, audience-interactive style, and Shakespeare/literary adaptations.
• Creation Theatre: Oxford-based touring theatre company producing Shakespeare and classic adaptations in unusual and outdoor venues. Comparable in repertoire (Shakespeare/literary classics), small-team production model, and venue partnership approach.
• Illyria Theatre: UK touring theatre company specialising in open-air Shakespeare and literary adaptations for outdoor venues and festivals. Closely comparable to Heartbreak in outdoor touring model, literary repertoire, and family audience focus.
• The Pantaloons: Touring theatre company performing Shakespeare, literary adaptations, and interactive productions at festivals and outdoor venues UK-wide. Comparable in interactive style, touring scale, and family-oriented repertoire.
• Tutti Frutti Productions: Touring children's theatre company producing original adaptations and family-friendly productions across the UK. Comparable in youth/family audience focus, literary adaptations, and touring small-team model.
• Oddsocks Theatre Company: Touring outdoor theatre company producing Shakespeare and family-friendly productions at heritage sites and gardens across the UK. Highly comparable in outdoor touring focus, family audience, and classical adaptation strategy.

Emerging players

• Shakespeare Schools Festival: UK charity delivering Shakespeare performance and theatre-in-education programmes in schools. Comparable educational theatre-in-schools vertical and youth engagement focus to Heartbreak's Theatre in Education and Creative Youth programmes.
• Box Tale Soup: Small UK touring puppet and physical theatre company producing family-friendly adaptations of classic literature. Comparable in small-team touring model, literary adaptation focus, and family/youth audience segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OutdoorPlaysUK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HeartbreakProductions
• Facebookfacebook.com/heartbreakproductions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heartbreak-productions
• Instagraminstagram.com/heartbreakproductions
• TikToktiktok.com/@heartbreakproductions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Heartbreak Productions