The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company

Name

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company

Legal name

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company

Website

https://thetwistingducks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessible Performing Arts and Disability Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

Keywords

• Accessible performing arts
• Disability theatre services
• Easy read documents
• Accessible filmmaking
• Inclusive arts charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Charitable Funding: Primary revenue stream from trusts, foundations, and government bodies including National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council England, Garfield Weston Foundation, Newcastle Culture Investment Fund, and local authorities. Grants support specific projects and core operations.
2. Service Fees (Academy Sessions): Paid performing arts sessions including Band Academy (£53 full day), DJ Academy (£26.50 per session), Youth Theatre (£20 per session), and Performing Arts Academies (£26.50 half-day, £53 full-day). Some programmes are free (funded).
3. Ticket Sales: Revenue from theatre performances at partner venues. Ticket prices range from £5-£12 with carers admitted free.
4. Accessible Health Resource Services: Fee-for-service Easy Read document production, filmmaking, and training services for health and care organisations, local authorities, and NGOs.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate social responsibility partnerships, and community fundraising events including Great North Run participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company delivers weekly inclusive performing arts programmes (theatre, band, DJ and youth academies) and ticketed theatre performances for people with learning disabilities and autistic people across Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. It complements the participant programmes with an Accessible Health Resource service that provides Easy Read document transformation, accessible filmmaking, digital surveys, training, and consultation to health, care and third-sector organisations needing to meet Accessible Information Standards.

Product overview

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company operates as a single integrated charity offering a portfolio of accessible performing arts programs and communication services. Their core performing arts programs include Performing Arts Academies (theatrical training at multiple venues including Alnwick Playhouse, Customs House, Theatre Royal Newcastle, and Morpeth), DJ Academy, Band Academy, and Youth Theatre, alongside the Fresh Club Night inclusive club event. Their Accessible Health Resource Service provides Easy Read document services, creative filmmaking, training, and consultation to help organizations meet Accessible Information Standards. Funded programs include Spectrum Theatre Group, Core Theatre Group, and Sunderland Platform. The organization does not operate a modular software platform but rather delivers services directly through weekly sessions, workshops, performances, and commissioned work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fresh Club Night: Inclusive monthly club night run by DJs with a learning disability and autistic DJs since 1998. Held on the first Thursday of each month at World Headquarters nightclub in Newcastle.
• Accessible Health Resource
• Loud and Visible

Products and services

• Performing Arts Academies Weekly theatre academies where people with learning disabilities and autistic people aged 16+ develop skills in writing, acting and directing, and create and perform original plays at partner theatres. Priced at £26.50 per half-day session and £53 per full-day session.
• DJ Academy DJ skills training programme for people aged 16+ with learning disabilities and autistic people, taught by professional DJs with opportunities to perform live at events and at the Fresh club night. Sessions held Thursdays at Wallsend and Wednesdays at Blyth Family Hub, priced at £26.50 per session.
• Band Academy Music skills development programme for people aged 16+ where participants work with professional musicians to write original songs and perform live at gig nights and events. Full-day sessions at Wallsend Memorial Hall on Tuesdays, priced at £53 per full day.
• Youth Theatre Drama and performance programme for young people aged 10-19 with learning disabilities and autistic people, offering dedicated space for creativity, skill development and creating original plays at The Pavilion, Morpeth on Mondays, priced at £20 per session.
• Fresh Club Night Inclusive monthly club night run by DJs with learning disabilities and autistic DJs, providing a welcoming and supportive night out for adults with learning disabilities, autistic people and their families and carers. Entry £6 per person with carers free.
• Theatre Performances Original theatre performances created and performed by learning-disabled and autistic artists at major regional venues. Tickets priced £5-£12 with student concessions £8 and free entry for carers.
• Creative Filmmaking Service Professional filmmaking service that transforms messages into engaging, accessible content for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, featuring live action, animation, music, infographics, BSL signing, voiceover and multi-language subtitling. Commissioned by NHS England, North East and North Cumbria NHS and other organisations.
• Easy Read Service Document adaptation service transforming complex materials into clear, accessible Easy Read formats using graphics and photo-symbols, supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people to engage and understand information. Helps organisations meet the UK Accessible Information Standard.
• Accessible Health Resource Service Suite of accessible communication services combining Easy Read documents, information films, interactive surveys, live performance, training and consultation, designed to help health, care and third-sector organisations meet Accessible Information Standards.
• Core Theatre Group Free weekly theatre group for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in North Tyneside creating ambitious socially engaged work, delivering training and creating films.
• Spectrum Theatre Group Free weekly theatre group for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in Newcastle meeting at Northern Stage, currently leading the BUS immersive theatre and storytelling project.
• Sunderland Platform Free funded theatre group for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in Sunderland, creating original performances at Arts Centre Washington.
• Loud and Visible Digital Magazine The North East's digital magazine show made by people with learning disabilities and autistic people, featuring live studio guests and topical news segments and distributed online via YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ people supported annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Northern StagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Spectrum Theatre Group and performances. Provides weekly session space and hosts performances including 'Tick Tock Whenever'. Contributes to theatre's outreach strategy.
• Newcastle Theatre RoyalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Theatre Royal Academy and performances including 'Hi, I'm Charlie' and 'What Am I Like?'. Partnership enhances outreach work and builds pathways to creativity.
• The Customs HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Customs House Academy and performances including 'Miners, Mariners and Me'. Regular host of Twisting Ducks productions in South Shields.
• Arts Centre WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Sunderland Platform Theatre Group. Hosts performances including 'Dregs Opera'. Funded by The Grocers' Charity, Hadrian Trust, Joicey Trust, and Washington Heritage Partnership.
• Alnwick PlayhouseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership venue for Performing Arts Academy launching September 2026. Located at Bondgate Without, Alnwick NE66 1PQ. Will host original play performances by participants.
• World HeadquarterscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue host for Fresh Club Night, monthly inclusive club night run by DJs with learning disabilities since 1998. Located at Curtis Mayfield House, Newcastle.
• Sunderland CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner supporting Sunderland Platform Theatre Group and programming at Arts Centre Washington.
• Northumberland Family HubscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership venue for DJ Academy at Blyth Family Hub, 103 Wright Street, Blyth NE24 1HG. New group launching September 2026.
• NexuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransport partner for BUS project. QR codes for Digital Story Bank will be placed at bus and Metro stations across the North East region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carousel: Brighton-based learning disability arts organisation producing original music, performance and media with learning-disabled artists. Comparable in running parallel programmes across performing arts, music/DJ-style activities, and accessible digital content.
• Open Theatre: Birmingham-based inclusive theatre company for learning-disabled and autistic artists, producing original touring work and running regular participation groups. Closely analogous in scale, mission, and the mix of grassroots groups with professional productions.
• Blue Apple Theatre: Hampshire-based inclusive theatre company producing original work with learning-disabled performers, including a youth theatre and touring productions. Comparable regional charity of similar scale combining weekly participation with professional touring output.
• Spare Tyre Theatre: UK inclusive performance company making theatre with and for learning-disabled and disabled artists, including older participants. Comparable as a small charity producing original touring work, running participation programmes, and engaging health and social care commissioners.
• Hijinx Theatre: Welsh inclusive theatre company producing work with learning-disabled and autistic actors, including an Academy programme and touring productions. Closely mirrors Twisting Ducks' combination of talent development, original theatre-making, and partnership with mainstream venues.
• Mind the Gap Theatre Company: One of the UK's leading learning-disability-led theatre companies, based in Bradford. Directly comparable as a producing theatre company that trains and stages work with learning-disabled and autistic performers, with a similar mix of weekly groups, professional productions, and access services.
• Bamboozle Theatre Company: Leicester-based immersive theatre company creating multi-sensory work for children and young people with learning disabilities and autism. Comparable in producing accessible, sensory-aware work and engaging the same participant base in school and venue settings.
• Access All Areas: London-based inclusive performance company running training, performance and supported employment programmes for learning-disabled and autistic artists. Strongly comparable to Twisting Ducks' academy model, paid participant roles, and pathway-to-work ethos.
• Graeae Theatre Company: London-based Deaf and disabled-led theatre company producing touring work and training programmes. Comparable in its mission-led producing model, professional productions at major venues, and a focus on disabled artists as both performers and creative leaders.

Others

• ClearVoice Interpreting: UK provider of BSL interpretation and accessible communication services. Relevant as an adjacent commercial supplier that competes for NHS and local authority accessible-information budgets alongside Twisting Ducks' Accessible Health Resource service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-twisting-ducks-theatre-company

Compliance1 record

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 The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company