HIRE US
Alongside producing full theatre tours, in 2017 Bowler Crab began touring shortened versions of their plays to schools, festivals, private parties, corporate events, weddings and as dining experiences (all available now for hire); We call these pieces: 'Pocket Productions' for their snug, easy mobility to any occasion.
Pocket Productions: 2014 - present
QUICK FACTS:
Prices start from £500 (estimate price available on application)
We travel to any location in UK but charge mileage outside of East Sussex
We have extras available for hire including stage, lighting, seating, FOH staff. cover and sound to suit your event
Public performances also get some free advertising but greater levels of advertising is also available for purchase
Shows are catered to you and your space and running times can also be adapted
Our acting staff varies, please note advertising photography may have been from previous casts
In terms of availability, we request booking at least 4 weeks before an event but exceptions can be made
SCHOOLS
Schools were where it all began for our 'pocket productions' as it was by popular demand that we began touring them as early as 2014.
School Performance:
A short 60-100 minute version of the play with or without an interval as desired. Perfect to show students a live performance without the running time being a worry!
Available for:
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
"Interpreting Presentations":
These performance seminars present extracts from the play to encourage audiences to discuss how the text can be interpreted in different ways. Performed with interjections on analysis, context and history. These presentations help students tackle their essay questions in their GCSE or A-Level exams by discussing themes used by their exam board (we tailor presentation to suit your exam board) and demonstrating a variety of extracts performed in different ways that illustrate the point of the theme and/or essay question argument.
Available for:
MACBETH
ROMEO & JULIET
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Also available is Shakespeare & Love, a super introduction to Shakespeare in the form of a Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting' productions,
this piece consists of extracts which are then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar,
Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet
REPEAT SCHOOLS:
We'd like to thank the following schools for their continued custom:
BUCKSWOOD SCHOOL
CLAREMONT SCHOOL
ROEDEAN SCHOOL
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Performance:
A short 60-100 minute version of the play with or without an interval as desired. Perfect for festivals or even as a shorter stand alone show in a theatre without the running time being a worry!
Available for:
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
FESTIVALS & THEATRES
"Interpreting Presentations":
These performance seminars present extracts from the play to encourage audiences to discuss how the text can be interpreted in different ways. Performed with interjections on analysis, context and history.
Available for:
MACBETH
ROMEO & JULIET
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Also available is Shakespeare & Love, a super introduction to Shakespeare in the form of a Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting productions',
this piece consisted of extracts which are then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar,
Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet
Performance:
A short 60-100 minute version of the play with or without an interval as desired. Perfect for festivals or even as a shorter stand alone show in a theatre without the running time being a worry!
Available for:
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
CORPORATE EVENTS
Why not treat your guests at a corporate event to a spot of Shakespeare or show off your facilities with a jolly good show?
"Interpreting Presentations":
These performance seminars present extracts from the play to encourage audiences to discuss how the text can be interpreted in different ways. Performed with interjections on analysis, context and history.
Available for:
MACBETH
ROMEO & JULIET
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Also available is Shakespeare & Love, a super introduction to Shakespeare in the form of a Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting productions',
this piece consisted of extracts which are then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar,
Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet
.jpg)
Performance:
A short 60-100 minute version of the play with or without an interval as desired. Perfect for festivals or even as a shorter stand alone show in a theatre without the running time being a worry!
Available for:
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
We often perform in people's gardens to celebrate a Birthday, Anniversary
or sometimes a simple social gathering.
PRIVATE PARTIES
(Photos by Peter Mould at The Croft private garden party)
"Interpreting Presentations":
These performance seminars present extracts from the play to encourage audiences to discuss how the text can be interpreted in different ways. Performed with interjections on analysis, context and history.
Available for:
MACBETH
ROMEO & JULIET
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Also available is Shakespeare & Love, a super introduction to Shakespeare in the form of a Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting productions',
this piece consisted of extracts which are then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar,
Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet
Available for:
Frequently performing them to sell outs at
The Mermaid Inn, our dining experiences are
are shortened performances tailored for diners in restaurants or at private events. The actors perform scenes with each course, interacting with the tables in the space to create an immersive production. Experience duration varies and can cater to any schedule.
DINING EXPERIENCES
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Performance:
A short 60-100 minute version of the play with or without an interval as desired. Perfect for festivals or even as a shorter stand alone show in a theatre without the running time being a worry!
Available for:
MACBETH
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ROMEO AND JULIET
TWELFTH NIGHT
GHOST STORIES
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Our performances even tour to weddings, have us either as an entertainment or even an entire wedding theme!
WEDDINGS
(Photos by Peter Mould at The Croft private garden party)
SHAKESPEARE & LOVE
Also available is Shakespeare & Love, a super introduction to Shakespeare in the form of a Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting productions',
this piece consisted of extracts which are then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar,
Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet
Why not hire Half House Farm itself for a wedding or an event?
HIRE HALF HOUSE FARM
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON
HALF HOUSE FARM :
A Ghost Story (2014- present)
Wait, when did this happen? This mysterious pocket production was first performed in the winter of 2014 when Artisitic Director Stephen John was asked to create and perform a Victorian ghost story performance. With several performances throughout the years since, this pocket production was only ever performed privately at Buckswood School near Hastings.
This piece is available for hire to schools, music festivals, as dining experiences and other events. The piece is currently undergoing development.
More details coming soon ...
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Macbeth 2017 - present
2017 was quite a year, after the success of King Lear, we approached The Mermaid Inn in Rye and organised a one off event performing extracts from Macbeth with a team of two and analysing the text with the audience. The first project to be termed 'a pocket production', The Mermaid Inn quickly sold out for the event and a new relationship was formed as we became the resident theatre company.
'Interpreting Macbeth' then became available for schools to hire to help GCSE or A-Level students with their exams, the project adapting to each exam board's requirements, presenting the piece in a variety of lights to help students see different interpretations and form arguments for their exams.
'Interpreting Macbeth' began touring to schools in 2017 and a new version of the pocket production was then released in 2018 with a new cast of four performing a linear shortened version of Macbeth, just 100 minutes long and the perfect 'pocket sized' performance for private and public events to hire. 'Macbeth' and 'Interpreting Macbeth' soon became popular at festivals, as sell out dining experiences and as stand alone private events. Both Macbeth projects switched from Victorian era costume to traditional 1000's style in 2018.
Photos by our patron: Peter Mould of stagesnaps.com
With B&W photography at The Mermaid by BC production member Carey Pool.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT PERFORMANCES OF MACBETH
Notable performances include several sell outs at The Battle Arts Festival at Battle Abbey, Manor Barn Bexhill and as a dining experience at The Mermaid Inn.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE MERMAID INN IN RYE AND OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS THERE.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Much Ado About Nothing
2017 - present
What many may not know is that in July 2017, three of the Much Ado cast members also attended a private event and performed a short 30 minute selection of scenes from the play - the first pocket production version of Much Ado About Nothing. With thanks to local Councillor Michael Ensor for hiring us to perform at Ashburnham Place.
Much Ado About Nothing is currently inactive but is set to return for hire in 2023 with a new cast and some public performances!
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
A Midsummer Night's Dream
2017 - present
Next in 2017, we took up the job as the resident theatre company at The Mermaid Inn and debuted our next pocket: A Midsummer Night's Dream as a dining experience as part of The Rye Arts Festival, with scenes taking place between each course.
Dream has since gone onto being our most popular pocket production for hire with notable sell out performances at The Big Green Cardigan Festival, Rye School of English and at several private events and schools.
Dream uses Victorian Steam-Punk style costumes and puppetry to illustrate a fictitious industrial Athens disrupted by whimsical fairies.
Photos by our patron: Peter Mould of stagesnaps.com
With photography also taken at Half House Farm's woods by BC production member Carey Pool,
at The Big Green Cardigan Festival by Roy Cano and at Buckswood School by Jeremy Lucas.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ON PERFORMANCES OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE MERMAID INN IN RYE AND OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS THERE.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Romeo & Juliet
2018 - present
Returning once again to The Mermaid in 2018, we created the third pocket: Romeo & Juliet. We sold out with 'Interpreting R&J' before moving onto schools with the workshop.
In 2019, we then released a linear 100 minute long version of the play, touring to schools as well as festival performances which sold out at The Big Green Cardigan Festival, Battle Arts Festival at Battle Abbey and as a dining experience returning to The Mermaid Inn as part of the Rye Arts Festival. Other notable performances include at All Saints Centre in Lewes and at
Bexhill Manor Barn (sold out).
R&J is set in a fantasy Verona mixing Medieval and Jacobean cultures.
Photos at a private garden party
(The Croft in Lewes)
by our patron: Peter Mould of stagesnaps.com
With photography by Roy Cano at The Big Green Cardigan Festival.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT PERFORMANCES OF ROMEO & JULIET
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE MERMAID INN IN RYE AND OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS THERE.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
Twelfth Night
2018 - present
2018 was a breakthrough year not only for our largest tour ever but also for our pockets and the demand for bookings tripled in just a few months. The next instalment was Twelfth Night, joyfully set in Victorian England where cakes and ale were always in demand.
The four man 100 minute production was in hot demand for the festive Christmas period and packed audiences attended public performances at All Saints Centre in Lewes, St John's Centre Bexhill, The Hen & Chickens Theatre in London and as a dining experience at The Mermaid Inn in Rye.
Photography by BC production member
Henri Hayler.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ABOUT OUR TWELFTH NIGHT PERFORMANCES
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE MERMAID INN IN RYE AND OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS THERE.
Shakespeare & Love
2019 - present
2019 kicked off with a new type of Pocket Production - a Shakespeare Showcase. Like our 'Interpreting Productions', this piece consisted of extracts which were then discussed but this time from a selection of BC's past works including:
Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream; alongside never before performed scenes from The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra and Hamlet.
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE MERMAID INN IN RYE AND OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS THERE.