Out of Character Theatre Company

Artistic Director Paul Birch/Assistant Director Rachel Wall/Current Company Members Adam Bell, Colin Benson, Heather Carter, Rob Crowe, Al Duffell, Nathan Fearon, Laurie Furnell, Mark Gowland, Lara Hamilton, Wayne Hurton, Christie Louise Barnes, Paul Murtough, Bekhi Ostrowska, Chloe Timpson, Lorna Welsh/Supporting Artist Hannah Munroe/Trustees Matt Harper-Hardcastle, Catherine Heinemeyer, Juliet Forster, Christie Louise Barnes, Simon Newton, & Nick Rowe/Winner Excellence in Equality & Cultural Diversity York Culture Awards 2018

OOC formed in 2009 as a theatre company of artists and performers comprising of people who use or have used mental health services, and include students and volunteers.

We have devised, written, performed and collaborated on many projects both in York and nationally. Some of our work is about mental health, but not everything. We’ve created very personal pieces specifically for audiences interested in mental illness; we’ve devised site-specific durational performances; we’ve performed scripted works; and we’ve collaborated with York Theatre Royal, Intar, Love Arts, Arts & Minds, the Wy-Fi project, the NHS, York Festival of Ideas, and many medical schools and universities.

The company grew from an inspiring initiative at York St. John University to provide introductory theatre courses to mental health service users. The course was initially led by Nick Rowe with support from York St. John students and focussed on arts practice rather than health. It formed the basis for Converge, an initiative established by Nick Rowe and Gemma Alldred, which now includes courses in dance, music, choir singing, writing and art. In 2013 Converge received national recognition by being shortlisted in the Times Higher Education Awards.

The company was also given the Excellence in Equality and Cultural Diversity Prize at the  York Culture Awards in 2018. 

I was the company’s Artistic Director from 2014 - 2022 and still regularly collaborate and support the company’s work.

We are also a Registered Charity (1161399). If you would like to support our work with a gift, however big or small, please click on the this link.

For more information on OOC please visit our website.