The Big House Theatre Company

What The Big House Theatre Company does

The Big House Theatre Company is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1151106) founded in 2012 by Maggie Norris that operates as an integrated theatre and youth development organisation, based in two renovated frame factories in Islington, London. The core product is a staged pathway of programmes for care-experienced and at-risk young people aged 16–25, beginning with the eight-day Get In workshop series, progressing through the twelve-week Open House Project (which culminates in a full-scale original theatre production), and continuing through 12 months of one-to-one pastoral support, weekly drop-in sessions, monthly supper clubs, and Hot House advanced workshops. The organisation produces professional theatre works (including Blaze FM, Between the Lines, Redemption, and Bullet Tongue) that tour nationally and internationally, and publishes a digital content platform called The Big Mouth for member-created podcasts, films, and animations.

The Big House operates a hybrid revenue model combining individual donor subscriptions (five tiers from £10 to £250 per month, plus a £3,500+ Bronze Circle), corporate training workshops delivered through The Big House Means Business, grants from trusts and foundations, ticketed production income, venue hire of its Islington frame factory spaces, and book and merchandise sales (including the Bloomsbury-published Anthology). Its go-to-market is multi-channel: community-led growth for young members via self-referral and social worker referrals; event-driven direct sales of corporate workshops to government agencies and enterprises; and direct-to-consumer ticketed theatre productions at its own venue and touring circuits including Edinburgh Fringe. Notable corporate and government clients include the Met Police, Ministry of Justice, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, Department for Work and Pensions, SAGE Publishing, Frontline, and North Somerset Council, with the organisation claiming to have trained over 12,000 social workers.

The organisation has a 23-person team led by CEO & Artistic Director Maggie Norris, with co-production and creative industry partnerships spanning the Royal Court Theatre, New Diorama Theatre, BBC, ITV, Old Vic, Barbican, The Pleasance, and Roundhouse. Its competitive positioning is built on a member community of 500+ care-experienced young people, a 12+ year institutional track record producing critically acclaimed work, and a published impact record (80% of Open House Project participants move into Education, Employment, or Training). No technology product, AI/ML capability, or proprietary software platform is central to the operating model; the core deliverable is human-led creative production and pastoral support.

Name

The Big House Theatre Company

Legal name

The Big House Theatre

Website

https://thebighouse.uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Big House Theatre Company is a UK-registered charity that uses theatre production and long-term pastoral support to transform outcomes for care-experienced and at-risk young people aged 16–25, operating from Islington while touring nationally and training corporate and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Youth Development Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)

Keywords

• Youth theatre programmes
• Care leaver support services
• Corporate training workshops
• Professional theatre productions
• Community 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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Membership: Regular monthly giving tiers (Lead Role Donor £250/mo, Principal Actor £100/mo, Cameo £50/mo, Ensemble £25/mo, Supporting Actor £10/mo) and one-off donations. Big Circle supporters at £3,500+ annually with exclusive benefits.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Workshops: The Big House Means Business employs members to lead corporate training workshops on empathy, team building, safeguarding, and working with at-risk young people. Revenue generated pays young people and funds operations.
3. Trusts and Foundations: Grant funding from trusts and foundations supporting specific programmes and productions.
4. Venue Hire: Hiring out converted frame factory spaces (Library, Slammer, Caravan, Tower) for events, filming, photoshoots, and workshops.
5. Ticketed Productions: Revenue from professional theatre productions at their venue and touring venues.
6. Book and Merchandise Sales: Sale of The Big House Anthology (Bloomsbury published collection of five plays) and potentially other merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Big House Theatre Company runs intensive theatre programmes and produces professional theatrical works for and with care-experienced and at-risk young people aged 16–25 in London. Its flagship Open House Project is a 12-week intensive youth-led programme combining drama, life skills, and one-to-one pastoral support, culminating in an original full-scale production. The Get In is an 8-day workshop series for younger participants, while professional productions are toured nationally and internationally. The organisation also operates The Big Mouth digital content platform and sells corporate training workshops (The Big House Means Business) to organisations seeking lived-experience-led training.

Product overview

The Big House Theatre Company is a London-based theatre charity operating as a single unified service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings include the Open House Project (flagship 12-week theatre programme for care-experienced young people aged 18-25), The Get In (8-day workshop series for ages 16-20), Professional Theatre Productions (commissioned and toured professional works), and The Big Mouth (digital content platform for member-created podcasts, films, and documentaries). Supporting services include The Big House Means Business (corporate training workshops), Venue Hire, Mentoring Programme, Drop-In Sessions, Monthly Supper Club, and Hot House workshops. The organisation focuses on transforming the lives of care leavers and at-risk young people through performance, creative workshops, life-skills development, and long-term pastoral support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Big Mouth: Digital content platform featuring original films, podcasts, animations, and content created by members.
• The Big House Means Business

Products and services

• Open House Project Flagship youth-led programme where fifteen care-experienced young people aged 18–25 participate in a twelve-week intensive project combining drama and life skills, culminating in an original full-scale theatre production, with twelve months of one-to-one pastoral support post-completion.
• The Get In Eight-day series of workshops for 16–20 year olds focusing on developing creativity through drama, music production, writing and movement. Free to attend with expenses covered and lunch provided.
• The Big Mouth Digital Platform Digital content platform hosting original content including podcasts, films, theatre productions, documentaries, animations, and series created by members. Accessible to organisations and individuals worldwide for free.
• The Big House Means Business Corporate training workshops employing young people who have completed the Open House Project to lead team building, empathy training, and workshops on working with at-risk young people for organisations including police, social services, and corporate clients.
• Venue Hire Hire of converted frame factory venue in Islington with multiple spaces of varying sizes (Library, Slammer, Caravan, Tower) used for meetings, events, filming, photoshoots and workshops.
• Professional Theatre Productions Commissioned, produced and toured professional theatre works nationally and internationally, including productions like Blaze FM, Between the Lines, Redemption, Bullet Tongue, and Knife Edge. Partners with industry-leading venues and creative teams.
• Mentoring Programme Mentoring services connecting members with industry professionals and providing long-term support, including the OG Partnership pairing young people with creative industry professionals.
• Hot House Advanced workshop for engaged and industry-ready members delivered by experts covering topics from writing to accent training, enhancing EET opportunities and opening new pathways into the industry.
• Drop-In Sessions Weekly drop-in sessions held every Thursday 6–9pm at the Islington-based venue offering drama games and performance exercises for members and potential members.
• Monthly Supper Club Monthly event where members share a home-cooked meal alongside mentors from the creative industries, often featuring special guests from the industry.
• Corporate Partnership Packages Tailored corporate partnership packages including exclusive events and performances, brand exposure, employee engagement and training, social impact initiatives, networking opportunities, and event space hire.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Open House Project participants move into Education, Employment or Training
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 minor and core.

• BBCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative industry partnership providing work experience and career opportunities for members in broadcasting and production roles.
• ITVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative industry partnership offering professional opportunities for members in television.
• RoundhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing creative development and performance opportunities for members.
• The PleasanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh Fringe venue partnership hosting Blaze FM 2025 performances.
• Old VicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership offering career development opportunities for members.
• BarbicanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative industry partnership for member opportunities.
• New Diorama TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Between the Lines (2024). Deep creative collaboration on professional productions.
• Royal Court TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Knife Edge (2016). Key industry collaboration.
• 42 ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Redemption (2022), providing management support and production resources.
• ResetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit organisation developing community-based alternatives to Deprivation of Liberty placements for children. Partnership for A DoL House production focusing on this hidden system.
• INQUESTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly charity providing specialist expertise on state-related deaths and their investigation. Partnership for The Inquest production, developed to examine systemic failings affecting care-experienced young people.
• Bloomsbury PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublished The Big House Anthology - a collection of five original plays celebrating diverse talents and experiences of the membership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Diorama Theatre: London theatre that co-produces with emerging and independent companies and has co-produced Big House productions (e.g. Between the Lines). Comparable as a co-production partner and platform for independent UK theatre-makers.
• Clean Break: Theatre company working with women with experience of the criminal justice system, producing professional theatre alongside education, training, and pastoral support. Closely comparable model combining lived-experience storytelling, long-term support, and professional production.
• Cardboard Citizens: Theatre company making work with and for people with experience of homelessness, including those in contact with the criminal justice system. Highly comparable mission and use of theatre as a tool for social change with marginalised groups.
• Theatre Royal Stratford East: East London producing theatre with a long-standing community and diversity-led mission, creating new work and development programmes for underrepresented voices. Comparable as a community-anchored producing theatre with parallel social impact goals.
• Roundhouse: London creative venue running year-round programmes for 11–25 year-olds from diverse backgrounds, including creative workshops, performance opportunities, and pathways into the creative industries. Direct peer in youth creative development and a named partner of The Big House.
• National Youth Theatre: UK's flagship youth theatre organisation developing new generations of writers, actors, and creative leaders aged 14–25. Directly comparable as a youth-focused theatre charity producing both training programmes and professional productions.

Broad incumbents

• Old Vic: Established London theatre with a wide-ranging education and community programme, listed as a Big House industry partner for member career opportunities. Comparable as an incumbent London theatre with social impact programming.
• Royal Court Theatre: Leading London new-writing theatre and co-production partner on Big House's 2016 production Knife Edge. Comparable as an established London producing institution commissioning and supporting independent theatre-makers.
• Young Vic Theatre: London producing theatre with a strong social impact and community engagement agenda, taking shows to and from local communities. Comparable as a London theatre combining professional production with community participation.

Regional players

• Pilot Theatre: York-based touring theatre company producing bold new work for young audiences with associated participation programmes. Comparable as an independent producing theatre with strong youth engagement focus, though geographically based in the North of England.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BigHouseTheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/BigHouseTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-big-house-theatre-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/_thebighouse_

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Big House Theatre Company