Box Tale Soup

What Box Tale Soup does

Box Tale Soup is a London-headquartered UK theatre company, founded in 2012 by Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne, that creates and produces live theatrical productions built on a signature style integrating handcrafted puppetry, physical theatre, mask work, and original music composition. The company operates as a registered charity (no. 1149715) and a company limited by guarantee (no. 8171401) with a permanent team of 1-10 employees, supplemented by an extended roster of associate artists, composers, and directors. Its repertoire of approximately 20 productions spans children's fairy tales (The Wind in the Willows, Little Grimm Tales, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Frog and the Princess), literary adaptations (1984, Northanger Abbey, A Christmas Carol, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Gulliver, A Midsummer Night's Dream), and supernatural thrillers (The Turn of the Screw, Casting the Runes, A Ghost Among the Living). The signature physical methodology - packing handmade worlds into vintage trunks - enables portable, low-logistics touring to diverse venues.

The company's go-to-market is event-driven and multi-channel. Primary distribution is UK theatre touring booked through Makin Projects Ltd and co-produced with Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, supplemented by an annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival slot (the 2026 show 'A Ghost Among the Living' is confirmed for Pleasance Dome). International reach extends to Dubai (Expo 2020), USA (UCLA's Clark Memorial Library, The Broad Stage Santa Monica), China (Beijing, Shanghai), Austria, and Malta, typically executed through academic/institutional commissioning. A direct-to-consumer channel exists via 'Gulliver Exploded', a £12 digital membership providing 6-month access to show content and behind-the-scenes material through Stripe and PayPal. Outreach performances to hospitals (Great Ormond Street, Chelsea & Westminster, St Mary's), special-needs schools (Treloar's, National Star College), and local school programs at venues like Albany Theatre, Deptford, address accessibility-focused community engagement.

The business model combines four revenue streams: live theatre ticket sales through venue box offices and direct booking links; digital subscription revenue via the Gulliver Exploded membership platform; donations and regular giving through PayPal and the website; and institutional grant funding from Arts Council England, the Genesis Foundation, the National Lottery, and Founders for Film. Customer segments span families with children aged 3+, general theatre audiences seeking literary adaptations, schools and educational institutions, and theatres/venues procuring co-productions. Pricing on the production side follows standard industry per-tour rates (£601 weekly performer wages, £1,000 rehearsal rates, £235 accommodation allowance), while digital access is fixed at £12 per 6-month window. The company has no app, no AI/ML capabilities, and operates with a conservative, grant-supported, founder-led cost structure typical of UK small-scale touring theatre.

Name

Box Tale Soup

Legal name

Box Tale Soup

Website

https://boxtalesoup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Box Tale Soup is a UK-based theatre company founded in 2012 that creates and tours puppetry, physical theatre, mask work, and original music productions. It serves families, general theatre audiences, schools, and hospitals primarily through UK touring, annual Edinburgh Fringe performances, international commissions, and a digital membership product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Puppet Theatre Productions

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Puppet theatre productions
• Live touring theatre
• Literary adaptation performances
• Theatre arts charity
• Edinburgh fringe theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Live Theatre Ticket Sales: Revenue from touring productions and Edinburgh Fringe performances. Tickets sold through venue box offices and the company's own booking links.
2. Digital Membership/Subscription: Online content access model where 'Gulliver Exploded' available for £12 providing 6-month access to show and additional behind-the-scenes content. Payments processed via Stripe and PayPal.
3. Donations and Regular Giving: Registered charity accepting one-off and monthly donations through PayPal and their website to support ongoing operations and creative work.
4. Arts Council and Trust Funding: Grant funding from Arts Council England, Genesis Foundation, and other institutional funders to support specific productions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Box Tale Soup creates and tours live theatrical productions built around handcrafted puppetry, mask, physical theatre and original music, performing from sets packed into vintage trunks. The company sells tickets to its touring shows, runs outreach performances for schools, hospitals and disability institutions, accepts charitable donations and grants, and offers a digital interactive extension (Gulliver Exploded) priced at £12 for six months of access.

Product overview

Box Tale Soup is an award-winning UK theatre company that creates live theatrical productions featuring a signature style of puppetry, movement, theatre, and music performed from handmade sets packed into vintage trunks. Their portfolio includes approximately 20 productions spanning adaptations of literary classics (Dickens, Austen, Orwell, Wilde, Shakespeare, Swift, James) and fairy tales, with additional audio drama and digital interactive experiences. The core offering consists of live theatre performances touring UK and international venues, complemented by Gulliver Exploded (interactive online experience) and Audio Drama products. Productions are frequently co-commissioned with the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, and supported by Arts Council England and other funders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Ghost Among the Living A 2026 Edinburgh Fringe production featuring five terrifying tales from Edgar Allan Poe, presented as an interactive theatrical experience in which an unknown scholar takes the stage and the lines blur between stories and confession. Targeted at general adult theatre audiences.
• 1984 A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian novel featuring unique puppetry as a striking metaphor for power and control. Recorded vocal performances by Sophie Aldred, Joanna Lumley and Simon Russell Beale. Running time: 1hr 40 mins (including 20-min interval). Targeted at general theatre audiences.
• A Christmas Carol A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, co-produced with Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Targeted at family and general theatre audiences.
• Hansel and Gretel A festive puppetry-and-original-music take on the classic fairy tale featuring beautiful puppets, innovative theatre and magical original music. Co-production with Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Targeted at families and children.
• The Wind in the Willows A puppetry-and-original-score adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic featuring unique handmade fabric puppets and a charming original score. Commissioned by Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, including a 2017 premiere and a 2026–27 Christmas run. Targeted at family audiences.
• Northanger Abbey A puppetry adaptation of Jane Austen's novel combining laugh-out-loud humour with melodramatic Gothic horror, taking most dialogue verbatim from the novel. Targeted at general adult theatre audiences.
• Gulliver A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Jonathan Swift's novel about a traveller shipwrecked and lost at sea for nine years. Commissioned by Clark Memorial Library, UCLA, and supported by Arts Council England. Targeted at general adult theatre audiences.
• Gulliver Exploded An interactive online digital experience based on the Gulliver stage show, allowing viewers to watch the production and explore additional behind-the-scenes content including design sketches and rehearsal footage. Sold as a six-month online membership for £12 via Stripe (credit/debit, Google Pay, Apple Pay) or PayPal. Targeted at individual online viewers and theatre enthusiasts.
• Casting the Runes A puppetry-and-haunting-original-music adaptation of M.R. James' classic supernatural thriller featuring two performers, unique puppets and a haunting original soundtrack. Targeted at adult audiences seeking supernatural thrillers.
• The Picture of Dorian Gray A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Oscar Wilde's haunting story of evil, debauchery and scandal featuring unique puppets and a powerful original soundtrack. Originally commissioned by William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA. Targeted at adult theatre audiences.
• The Turn of the Screw A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Henry James' disturbing story of horror and corruption set in an isolated country house. Targeted at adult audiences.
• Great Grimm Tales A dark adaptation of Grimms' Fairy Tales about a desperate figure fighting to save a soul, featuring beautiful hand-crafted masks and innovative choreography. Targeted at adult and family audiences of darker fairy-tale material.
• Little Grimm Tales A magical puppetry-and-music adaptation of Grimms' Fairy Tales for children aged 3+ and their families, featuring familiar and unfamiliar stories. Co-production with Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Targeted at young families.
• Manalive! A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of G.K. Chesterton's novel about a mysterious visitor who transforms the lives of boarding-house tenants, featuring beautifully hand-crafted puppets and stunning original music. Targeted at adult and general theatre audiences.
• A Midsummer Night's Dream A family puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Shakespeare's enchanting story making Shakespeare's language accessible to younger audiences. Commissioned by Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Targeted at family audiences.
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland A puppetry-and-original-music adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic featuring colourful handmade puppets, a set that unfolds from a vintage trunk, and magical original music. Targeted at family audiences and children, including hospital outreach engagements.
• Gone A collaboration with Stone Flowers (refugee music collective) telling a fictional tale of hope and survival inspired by true stories, featuring handmade puppetry, physical theatre and poetry. Supported by Music Action International and Freedom From Torture. Targeted at adult audiences interested in social-impact theatre.
• The Frog and the Princess A magical puppetry-and-music production based on Grimms' Fairy Tales for children aged 3+ and their families. Targeted at young family audiences.
• Audio Drama A catalogue of three Box Tale Soup shows reimagined for audio format with professional polish by John 'Fingers' Wood, created during the 2020 pandemic when live performances were cancelled. Distributed digitally (including via the company's YouTube channel and the Podbean podcast platform). Targeted at online listeners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold-out 25 show run of 1984 at Edinburgh Fringe with multiple 5-star reviews
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Everyman Theatre, CheltenhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing co-production partner. Multiple joint productions including The Wind in the Willows (2017, 2026-27 Christmas), A Christmas Carol (2020), Hansel and Gretel (2023), and Little Grimm Tales. Venue provides rehearsal space and main house performances. Theatrical collaboration spanning multiple years.
• Clark Memorial Library, UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic commissioning partner. Commissioned 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and 'Gulliver'. Performances at Clark Memorial Library venue in Los Angeles. International collaboration bringing productions to US audiences.
• The SixteenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'The Fairy Queen' production, a Handel opera. Performances for schools throughout the UK. Partnership with prestigious period music ensemble.
• Music Action InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Gone' production with refugee music collective Stone Flowers, which is supported by Music Action International and Freedom From Torture. Social impact theatre collaboration.
• Makin Projects LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBooking agent for UK touring. Contact: [email protected], 01242 574 461. Manages tour booking enquiries and scheduling for UK theatre tours.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Told by an Idiot: UK touring theatre company producing original devised work combining physical theatre, mask, and clowning. Comparable in its physical-theatre + mask craft signature and UK regional touring model, though operating at broader theatrical scale.
• Kneehigh Theatre: Cornwall-based touring theatre company producing large-scale original work blending puppetry, music, mask, and physical theatre. Comparable in its puppetry + music signature style and UK touring model, but operates at significantly larger scale and venue tier.
• Complicité (Complicite): Internationally renowned UK touring theatre company known for physical theatre, devised work, and literary adaptations. Comparable in its literary-adaptation focus and international touring profile, but at a substantially larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• The Paper Cinema: London-based puppetry/animated projection company touring live performances built around handcrafted puppets and original music. Directly comparable for its hand-built visual storytelling style and live touring model with original scores.
• Blunderbus Theatre Company: UK children's theatre company producing original work with puppetry, music, and physical theatre for young audiences and family venues. Comparable as a touring children's-theatre peer with overlapping creative team (associate Mark Collier previously worked there).
• Little Angel Theatre: London-based puppetry theatre producing original work for children and family audiences with a year-round venue and touring programme. Directly comparable as a UK puppetry-first theatre company producing handcrafted productions for similar family and general audiences.
• Horse + Bamboo Theatre: Lancashire-based puppetry and visual theatre company touring original productions combining puppetry, mask, and music. Directly comparable for its handcrafted visual-theatre style, family + adult programming, and UK touring model.
• Lyngo Theatre: UK puppetry and physical theatre company creating original productions for children and family audiences, touring regionally and to international festivals. Comparable for its small-team puppetry-led model and family-audience focus.
• Indefinite Articles: UK puppetry and physical theatre company creating original touring productions combining puppetry, movement, and live music. Directly comparable for its small-team handcrafted puppetry model and UK + international touring footprint.

Regional players

• Little Angel Theatre - Education & Outreach: Listed as overlapping rather than competing; placement reflects comparable outreach programming to schools, hospitals, and disability institutions — a strong overlap with Box Tale Soup's outreach strand (Great Ormond Street, Treloar's, National Star).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/boxtalesoup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheLeapOfDeath
• Facebookfacebook.com/BoxTaleSoup
• Instagraminstagram.com/boxtalesoup
• TikToktiktok.com/@boxtalesoup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/box-tale-soup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Box Tale Soup