The Open Theatre Company Limited
Charity 291344
Overview
Summary
The Open Theatre Company appears to occupy a distinctive position at the intersection of disability inclusion, youth development and professional arts practice. Its current public identity is more specific than its broad charitable objects: it centres a non-verbal physical-theatre practice intended to release the creativity of young people with learning disabilities. The organisation seems to combine participatory work with public performance, using theatre both as an inclusive experience and as a means of changing how difference is understood.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: high
Open Theatre has established, continuing delivery relationships at Birmingham REP and Birmingham Hipprome, both in the City Centre. Its ensemble has held weekly sessions at Birmingham REP since 2022; its One of a Kind group still meets at Birmingham Hippodrome; and the organisation presented school and public performances at Birmingham REP in January 2026.
- Open Theatre, Open Theatre Ensemble
States that weekly Open Theatre Ensemble sessions have been held at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre since 2022. - Open Theatre, One Of A Kind
States that the One of a Kind creative group moved to Birmingham Hippodrome in 2011 and 'still meets today'. - Open Theatre, Search for the Second Star: Reimagined
Advertised school and public performances at Birmingham REP in January 2026.
Bournville and Cotteridge
Confidence: high
The organisation's current August 2026 Return to Wonderland programme schedules immersive sessions at Rowheath Pavilion in Bournville. This is direct, date-specific evidence of delivery in the ward.
- Open Theatre, Return to Wonderland (2026)
Lists immersive theatre sessions at Rowheath Pavilion in Bournville from 4 to 6 August 2026.
Northfield
Confidence: high
The organisation's current August 2026 programme schedules immersive sessions at Northfield Methodist Church. A preceding 2025 version of the programme also delivered at two Northfield venues, indicating repeat rather than purely incidental activity.
- Open Theatre, Return to Wonderland (2026)
Lists immersive theatre sessions at Northfield Methodist Church in Northfield from 17 to 20 August 2026. - Open Theatre, Wonderland Immersive (2025)
Lists 2025 immersive sessions at Northfield Beach, Victoria Common, and Northfield Methodist Church.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence supports sustained Birmingham delivery at major city-centre arts venues and current summer delivery in Bournville and Northfield, but it does not provide a complete current list of every Birmingham school, day centre or community venue where Open Theatre works.
- Open Theatre's active Teaching Differently programme includes Birmingham special-school partners, including Uffculme School and Fox Hollies, but the available organisation page does not provide sufficiently precise, current service-location detail to assign these activities confidently to supplied ward identifiers.
- Tiger Tiger is described as being based at Focus in Birmingham, delivered in equal partnership with Focus and Services For Education, but the available evidence does not identify the relevant Birmingham ward.
- The organisation has no evidenced Birmingham headquarters or permanently operated building: its published postal address is in Coventry. Birmingham venues appear to be partner-hosted delivery sites rather than Open Theatre-owned sites.
- Within Birmingham, the evidenced footprint is multi-location rather than neighbourhood-based, but the available material does not justify classifying Birmingham delivery alone as citywide. The overall regional classification reflects continuing activity across Birmingham, Coventry and the wider West Midlands.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme or annual/impact report listing all Birmingham school, community and day-centre partners and their delivery locations.
- Confirmation from Open Theatre or host partners of the current venue and frequency of Tiger Tiger at Focus in Birmingham.
- A current Birmingham delivery map or schedule showing whether Teaching Differently and other school partnerships operate in additional Birmingham wards.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Disability
- Education/training
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Inclusion is embedded in the artistic method
The available evidence suggests that disability inclusion is not an additional access feature around conventional arts activity, but a defining principle of the organisation's theatre-making practice.
Why it matters
This distinguishes Open Theatre from organisations that merely offer accessible attendance or separate disability programmes. Its potential contribution may lie in demonstrating a creative model in which communication and participation are designed differently from the outset.
Show evidence
“We use our non-verbal physical theatre practice to release the individual creativity of every young person with learning disabilities that we work with.”
Source:Organisation“The charity helps children/young people and people with disabilities.”
Source:Charity Commission
The organisation appears to connect participation with public cultural visibility
Its work appears to move beyond workshops or support provision by creating productions and tours, potentially giving young disabled artists a visible role in public cultural life.
Why it matters
This may make Open Theatre a bridge between disability-focused youth provision and mainstream cultural infrastructure, with implications for potential partnerships with venues, schools, families and arts organisations.
Show evidence
“Events and Productions”
Source:Organisation“Our immersive summer tour is coming back to Birmingham and Coventry.”
Source:Organisation“A devised performance of Open Theatre artists in collaboration with Di Christian and Nottingham Trent University.”
Source:Organisation
Changing perceptions may be part of the organisation's intended impact
The phrase 'Doing Difference Differently' suggests that Open Theatre may seek cultural and social change alongside individual creative development.
Why it matters
If this is central to its strategy, the organisation's value may include influencing audiences, collaborators and local institutions—not only outcomes for direct participants.
Show evidence
“We seek to make positive changes through Doing Difference Differently – in the lives of those young people and in the world around them.”
Source:Organisation“We are an integrated team of artists, practitioners, advocates, producers and administrators.”
Source:Organisation
- It is unclear how many young people participate, where they are reached, and whether activity is primarily school-based, community-based or venue-based.
- The evidence does not show the organisation's referral, commissioning, funding or long-term partnership network.
- There is no outcome evidence describing effects on participants, families, audiences or collaborating institutions.
Remaining uncertainties
- Annual reports or evaluation evidence showing participant numbers, geography, outcomes and repeat engagement.
- Information on delivery partners, schools, care organisations, venues, funders and the role of families in the model.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
The charity's aims are to promote, maintain, improve and advance education particularly through the production of plays and the encouragement of the arts.
Charity objects
TO PROMOTE MAINTAIN IMPROVE AND ADVANCE EDUCATION PARTICULARLY BY PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL PLAYS AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE ARTS INCLUDING THE ARTS OF DRAMA, BALLET, MUSIC, SINGING, LITERATURE SCULPTURE AND PAINTING.