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Who We Are
Paper Zoo Theatre Company was formed in September 2005 by graduates and staff of
the BTEC National Award in Acting course at Bradford College. The Company takes its
name from the final performance piece on the year-long course.
December 2005 saw the Company’s debut production, A Christmas Carol, performed
at The Priestley. This was followed several months later by Samuel Beckett’s
celebrated play, Waiting for Godot. 2006 ended on a high with a successful version of
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at The Priestley.
The production received excellent reviews and helped the Company to secure their
first patron – Brian Blessed. We are delighted to have Brian as our patron and would
like to thank him for his ongoing support.
2007 saw the Company tackle the work of Joe Orton, staging his final play, Funeral
Games in May. The success of this production led the Company to expand the project
and offer a double-bill of the troubled playwright’s work. Coupled with Orton’s first play,
The Ruffian on the Stair marked the directorial debut of Laura Milnes who has since
taken up a place at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama. In between
the two Orton productions, the Company yearned to perform more of 'the Bard' and
staged Much Ado About Nothing at the Bradford Cathedral - a venue lending itself
perfectly to the play. With the first half being performed outside in the grounds and the
second half inside. 2007 ended with our first touring production. Returning to Dickens’
A Christmas Carol allowed the Company to measure the distance we had travelled in
two short years.
Valentine was the Company's next project, which was entirely devised by members of
the Company. This cabaret-style production of poetry, song and readings was staged
on Valentines Day 2008. The Company then staged a successful tour of George
Orwell's Animal Farm, achieving sell-out status at several venues.
Valentines was then slightly altered and transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe 2008,
which gave the Company the confidence and experience needed. 2008 ended with a
challenge for the Company – a complete re-write and modernisation of Leopold Lewis'
The Bells. With a local twist and a completely devised dream sequence, this was a
different move again for the Company.
2009 has seen arguably the biggest project yet for Paper Zoo - George Orwell's 1984,
commissioned by the National Media Museum to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the
publication of the novel. Spending six months in rehearsals and planning, the
multimedia production was a great success for the Company and achieved sell-out
status. Paper Zoo enlisted the talents of John Hurt who played the on-screen Big
Brother.
With negotiations of reprisals of 1984 and plans of a return to the Edinburgh Fringe in
2010, Paper Zoo have a busy year ahead!
the BTEC National Award in Acting course at Bradford College. The Company takes its
name from the final performance piece on the year-long course.
December 2005 saw the Company’s debut production, A Christmas Carol, performed
at The Priestley. This was followed several months later by Samuel Beckett’s
celebrated play, Waiting for Godot. 2006 ended on a high with a successful version of
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at The Priestley.
The production received excellent reviews and helped the Company to secure their
first patron – Brian Blessed. We are delighted to have Brian as our patron and would
like to thank him for his ongoing support.
2007 saw the Company tackle the work of Joe Orton, staging his final play, Funeral
Games in May. The success of this production led the Company to expand the project
and offer a double-bill of the troubled playwright’s work. Coupled with Orton’s first play,
The Ruffian on the Stair marked the directorial debut of Laura Milnes who has since
taken up a place at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama. In between
the two Orton productions, the Company yearned to perform more of 'the Bard' and
staged Much Ado About Nothing at the Bradford Cathedral - a venue lending itself
perfectly to the play. With the first half being performed outside in the grounds and the
second half inside. 2007 ended with our first touring production. Returning to Dickens’
A Christmas Carol allowed the Company to measure the distance we had travelled in
two short years.
Valentine was the Company's next project, which was entirely devised by members of
the Company. This cabaret-style production of poetry, song and readings was staged
on Valentines Day 2008. The Company then staged a successful tour of George
Orwell's Animal Farm, achieving sell-out status at several venues.
Valentines was then slightly altered and transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe 2008,
which gave the Company the confidence and experience needed. 2008 ended with a
challenge for the Company – a complete re-write and modernisation of Leopold Lewis'
The Bells. With a local twist and a completely devised dream sequence, this was a
different move again for the Company.
2009 has seen arguably the biggest project yet for Paper Zoo - George Orwell's 1984,
commissioned by the National Media Museum to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the
publication of the novel. Spending six months in rehearsals and planning, the
multimedia production was a great success for the Company and achieved sell-out
status. Paper Zoo enlisted the talents of John Hurt who played the on-screen Big
Brother.
With negotiations of reprisals of 1984 and plans of a return to the Edinburgh Fringe in
2010, Paper Zoo have a busy year ahead!
Paper Zoo Theatre Company is made up of 9 members. They are:
Click on a photograph for a detailed biography of each member.
