OUR IMPACT

Despite being a relatively young theatre company we have already achieved so much. Since we opened in 2015 we have produced twelve successful productions in Essex, Suffolk and London. Each production tackles social issues such as mental health, unemployment and LGBT issues and promotes positive social change. Our productions have included Blood Brothers, Ghosts, The Edge and The Tank. In 2016 we made our West-End debut; forming a new link with the Arts Theatre, London and performing John Godber’s Teechers to sell-out audiences. We recently returned to the space to mark the end of our mini tour of Milked by Simon Longman. We are fully committed to supporting new writing. In early 2017, we developed a sell-out tour od small intimate performances of the play Little Old Alf which explored issues of isolation, mental health and what it is like to be an elderly man struggling with his sexuality.

We are fully committed to developing or Artistic quality and supporting emerging artists. We have developed links with companies such as the Puppet Soup Theatre Company and individual artists including actors, designers, song-writers and film-makers. We are active within the community and have created several community theatre projects including The Black Dog Theatre Creation, The History Alive Project and The Acoustic Lounge.

Working with emerging artists

Artistic partnerships

We have already developed and successfully worked with several performance venues including The Arts Theatre, London, Oxford House Arts Theatre, The Frinton Theatre and The Quay Theatre, Sudbury. All of which have been wonderful experiences and have supported our continued development. We have also worked with over fifty Actors and over eighty Musicians and Songwriters.

Amanda Carter-Philpott – Actor,

Room on the Broom

"Working with Alfie James Productions has been a sheer delight. Alfie is such a generous Director who fully supports and respects his Actors and allows his performers to grow throughout the creative journey. As a wheelchair user, he ensures that everything is accessible and works with me artistically to overcome any issues with regards to the performance allowing me to get the most from the experience."

Bradley Peake – Actor, Tank & Milked

"Thank you, Alfie for your incredibly imaginative and downright brilliant direction! You always know how to bring the best out of your actors and go through the process of theatre making with a sharp and focused work ethic and yet always having many laughs along the way. Your dedication to your productions is unrivaled. As always, a huge pleasure to work with you and look forward to seeing your future projects!"

Puppet Soup Theatre Company

"Working alongside Alfie James Productions with the Black Dog Theatre Creation was a wonderful pleasure. They’re passion and openness to challenging artistic ideas and learning new skills was visible from start to finish. They are organised, well-managed with clear goals and completely dedicated. Alfie James Productions is certainly a company to watch out for in the future."

Eliza Mello – Actor, Tank & BDTC Project

“What such fun we had! Working with Alfie James Productions inspired me so much as an Actor. From working on the gritty, deeply moving Fray Bentos tank to the colourful and hilarious Black Dog Theatre Creation project; I learnt so much about myself as a performer. Alfie is a brilliant writer and director and it was such a pleasure working with him. He must come to Italy and do a show here sometime!”

Working with the community

Timothy, Black Dog Theatre Creation

"The Black Dog Theatre Creation has become a life-line for me and has had such a big positive impact upon my life. Before joining the project, I had become a recluse and isolated within my own home. I rarely came out. Since joining I have had the life breathed back into me. Alfie has given myself and all the members so much support. He has given me back my confidence as a pianist and as a performer on stage. I now regular act as Musical Director for Alfie James Productions shows and for other groups too."

Rebecca Jenkins

Heritage Lottery Fund

"Congratulations on completing your first world war project. It was clear the project was a big success and it was particularly good to read about the strong community engagement, as well as the partnerships you have built. I was also impressed with the level of project evaluation provided. Well done to everyone who was involved."

Dr Carroll, First World War Engagement Centre

"Thanks ever so much for coming along and sharing your thoughts and ideas about your wonderful project with us yesterday at the EC Showcase event. For me it was a real highlight of the day. Please pass this thanks on to Nick too, Alfie. His monologue was so professional and moving and made me really regret not having been able to attend the play. You could have heard a pin drop when he performed! Lots of people said very positive things about it at the end."

Matt Buckle, Song-Writer

"The Acoustic Lounge is a brilliant way for local Singers/Song-writers to develop their work. As a regular performer at The Acoustic Lounge it has given me a platform to not only develop my performance skills, but it has given me the opportunity to try out new writing and to network with other artists. Last year, The Acoustic Lounge ran a Song-writing Competition which I won; which not only boosted my confidence, but gave me the opportunity to record an EP with a professional recording studio."

What do our audiences say?

We are fully committed to developing our audiences including those participating and those coming to see our performances. We have seen an increase in our audience size and have increased the number of performances which we are offering. We have been proud of our “Access to All” project, developing ways of making our performances accessible to all. We have targeted those living in isolation, the elderly, unemployed and lone parents. We are constantly evaluating our practices and both our Public Engagement and Marketing strategy.

“Best production of Teechers that I’ve seen. Totally worthy of a longer west-end run” (Audience member)

“Alfie James’ West-End directorial debut is a MASSIVE success!” (Audience member, Teechers)

“…having seen this in the West-End countless times, you’ve all done it real justice!” (Audience member, Blood Brothers)

“The best play I’ve ever seen!” (Audience member, Little Old Alf)

“A play which explores loneliness and isolation among young and old” (Audience member, Little Old Alf)

“It tackles issues affecting older Gay people with such sensitivity.” (Audience member, Little Old Alf)

“Kitty Whitley gives the performance of her life!” (Audience member, A Doll's House)

“Alfie James Productions does it again! A brilliant production in the simplest way with no gimmicks and no flashy effects. Just pure acting at its best” (Audience member, A Doll's House)

“A remarkable story – sensitively written and brilliantly performed by all of the cast.” (Audience member of The Tank)

“A brilliant performance of a new play which tackles unemployment and mental health.” (Audience member, Milked)

“Fun, enjoyable and damming true. I loved the way that the cast jumped in and out of different roles with such ease” (Audience member, Teechers)

“Kitty Whitley was amazing in the title role” (Audience member, Ghosts)

“I loved the way that the music was striped back to just a piano. It brought out the raw emotions and made it even more intimate.” (Audience member, Blood Brothers)

“Alfie James writes and performs with such emotion and realism” (Audience member, Little Old Alf)

“Mesmerising – I couldn’t take my eyes off Alfie James. He performed with such detail and concentration; proving himself to be one hell of a character actor!” (Audience member, Little Old Alf)

“A play which reminds us what is truly important in life.” (Little Old Alf)

“Mark Beer’s portrayal of the dying Dr Rank is so moving. A remarkable, touching performance” (Audience member, A Doll's House)

“Thank you, Alfie James for keeping the memories alive. It means so much!” (Relative of the Crew member from The Fray Bentos Tank Project)

“Every cast member brings to life an inspirational story” (Audience member of The Tank)

“Bradley Peake’s monologue was absolutely fantastic. He hit all the right notes!” (Audience member, Milked)

“Simple….funny….sad but touching. A splendid piece of theatre.” (Audience member, Milked)

We've had letters and calls too...

Dear Alfie,

My wife and I were most fortunate enough to attend your performance of Milked this afternoon/evening at the Arts Theatre, London. We would like to say how much we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Both leads took on their roles remarkably well despite having a lot to learn and being on stage non-stop throughout. Their comic timing was spot on and reminded me at times of the relationship between Del Boy and Rodney in the early episodes of Only Fools. Equally, they portrayed the sensitive issues of unemployment and the long-term effect on a person’s mental health. Issues which are alive and affecting people today. Both my wife and I especially liked Snowy’s speech about his father forcing him to join the army. It rang true with the relationship which I had with my own father.

It was the first time we had seen a play produced by your company and directed by yourself and we were certainly very impressed. We loved the intimacy of the performance and the openness that you used with the props being in the audience and the characters sitting in the audience between scenes. It added to the pace and made us feel as if we were part of the action. It was clear that you are an experienced and talented director beyond your years and one that clearly has the respect of both his performers, the theatre venue and the audience. Being a retired Actor myself, I know that most decent Actors would give their right arm to be able to work under a director with your eye for detail and creative vision. What made it even more better was the lovely relaxed, yet professional atmosphere which was created and your appreciation towards every member of the audience. There aren’t many directors who would make a point of speaking to every member of the audience and would spend time with the audience during the interval.

We were so glad that we came along and look forward to coming along to the next show.

Kind regards

Mr A Meadows

“The next morning after the performance we received several calls from people whom had seen the performance just wanting to express how much the performance had moved them and how much they had enjoyed it.”

(Sharon, Quay Theatre Sudbury)

Dear Alfie,

My wife and I had the pleasure of attending your performance. We simply wish to let you know that we both enjoyed it greatly. The play was very moving, and it was also very clearly demanding on the two principle actors, who we thought they both performed superbly. We hope that you will return to Frinton Theatre very soon.

With thanks

Robert Boad

A copy of our Impact article can be downloaded here:

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