Dark Horse Theatre Company

Artform: Theatre
Region: Yorkshire
Local authority: Kirklees

Dark Horse is a national touring theatre company which premieres new writing for theatre. It transforms text-based work into physical, visually exciting productions which reverse audience's expectations in powerful and challenging ways. Productions often explore ideas about the human condition.

Dark Horse is also a leading vocational trainer of actors with learning disabilities. Its development programme combines high quality training with professional performance opportunities, with learning disabled actors featuring in the cast for touring productions. The unique vocational training develops skills in preparation for work in the industry at the highest level.

In April 2012 Dark Horse officially became the new name and identity for Full Body & The Voice theatre company, a change made to reflect the company's full movement onto the national stage via recent evolutions in ambition, reach and artistic output.

Funding awards

2012-2013: £100,000
2013-2014: £102,400
2014-2015: £105,062

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Sing Something Simple/World Premiere Tour/Venue trailer

A short film featuring Joe Sproulle, some original soundtrack from the upcoming production and the piano playing of Mrs. Mills.

Join the new F2 course and train to be actor at Dark Horse

A short film inviting new students to interview and audition for the F2 course, an access route into work with the company and the profession. Featuring footage of the ensemble at work and relaxing.

Harvest movement vocabulary

An insight into the physical building blocks this extraordinary ensemble use when developing a production. Rehearsal room footage of the actors working on HARVEST.

HARVEST HIGHLIGHTS

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Show 16 more videos

SING SOMETHING SIMPLE...coming next...

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HARVEST, the next world premiere production in the round from Dark Horse

A high octane thriller featuring seven Dark Horse actors in a dynamic, physical and visual ensemble production.

Dark Horse actor Toby Meredith's showreel

Dark Horse is a national touring theatre company, an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and an industry leader in the training of actors with learning disabilities who feature in the company's own productions, on film and TV. Here actor Toby Meredith talks about his work for the company and he is seen in stunning stills images, production video and interview.

Dark Horse showreel for actor Joe Sproulle

Dark Horse is a dynamic national touring theatre company specialising in exciting new writing married with an extraordinary physical style. Here, actor Joe Sproulle talks about his work for the company, in theatre and TV, accompanied by beautiful production stills and video excerpts.

Dark Horse, actor Emma Langfords' showreel

Dark Horse is a leading national touring theatre company and an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation. Here, Emma, an actor with the company who works in theatre, film and TV gives us an insight into the work she does with the company. Dark Horse presents critically acclaimed theatre premieres nationally, usually with integrated casts and always featuring their extraordinary and highly trained learning disabled actors, of whom Emma is one.

Dark Horse, actor showreel for Lauren Pearcey

National touring theatre company Dark Horse has a core ensemble of actors with learning disabilities who work in the companies own regional and national tours, in film and TV. Here one of those actors Lauren Pearcey is shown in filmed interview and in filmed excerpts and stills from productions.

Dark horse actor Joanne Kempley's showreel

Showreel for Dark Horse actor Joanne Kempley, with production stills, filmed interview and production footage. Beautifully shot with music from Loz Kaye and glimpses of Kevin Jenkins outstanding theatre design.

Dark Horse, the opening scene from world premiere production, COLONY

COLONY opened to critical and audience acclaim in September 2011. A production in the round of premiere new play by Vanessa Brooks the show featured the company's 8 strong ensemble of actors with learning disabilities. This short film captures the flavour of the first scene in the show with music composed by Loz Kaye, the voice of Selena Khan and design by Kevin Jenkins.

Dark Horse actor Ben Langford's showreel

Experience core company actor Ben Langford is seen in video interview and stills outlining his work for this extraordinary company.

Dark Horse showreel for actor Mark Craven

National touring theatre company Dark Horse has a core company of actors with learning disabilities who feature in the company's own world premiere productions and also work in film and TV. Here actor Mark Craven is seen in various roles in both stills and moving image

COLONY, the latest extraordinary world premiere theatre production from Dark Horse

Dark Horse, leading national touring theatre company presented this world premiere piece of new writing in September 2011. A production in the round the show featured the company's ensemble of 8 actors with learning disabilities and was a complex tragedy looking at themes around colonisation, love, death, friendship and hubris. A dazzling score by composer Loz Kaye, play by Vanessa Brooks and exquisite design by Kevin Jenkins is highlighted in this fabulous short film which uses footage from the production, stills and soundtrack to great effect.

Dark Horse, the ACTOR scheme, a new method for the training of actors

Dark Horse is a national touring theatre company with a core company of actors with learning disabilities who work in film, TV and the company's own high profile ensemble and integrated world premiere theatre productions. This beautifully shot video, featuring the company's actors in the rehearsal room, outlines the unique and pioneering training methodology, the ACTOR scheme, which makes the company a leading drama school in the UK for actors with learning disabilities.

Dark Horse, an interview with actor Margaret Fraser who played Frau Poppendick in HYPOTHERMIA

HYPOTHERMIA, the national tour from leading theatre company Dark Horse, was a taut historical drama examining the holocaust of learning disabled people in Nazi Germany, humanity and its flaws. Here actor Margaret Fraser talks about the extraordinary and pivotal role of Frau Poppendick using filmed interview, stills and fascinating rehearsal room footage of her work with Dark Horse actor Ben Langford.

Dark Horse and the ACTORscheme system

Leading national touring theatre company, Dark Horse, also train learning disabled actors at the highest, vocational level. This short film outlines the ACTORscheme, a competency based system for the training of actors used at Dark Horse. Rehearsal room footage with both the company's actors and non learning disabled actors from outside of the company reveals the methodology, beautifully shot, and with music by Kevin MacLeod.

HYPOTHERMIA, an interview with theatre designer Kevin Jenkins

Dark Horse's HYPOTHERMIA toured nationally to critical acclaim. Here, the production designer Kevin Jenkins talks about his inspiration and process developing costume and set for this world premiere play set in Germany during the second world war. A fascinating insight into the theatre process from a designers point of view using stills from the show, excerpts from the original score by Loz Kaye and a filmed interview.

HYPOTHERMIA- an introduction

The national tour of HYPOTHERMIA from leading theatre company Dark Horse met audience and critical acclaim. This short film contains quotes and stills from the production set to music from the original score by Loz Kaye.

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Contact details

Visit Dark Horse Theatre's website

C/O Lawrence Batley Theatre
Queen Street
Huddersfield
HD1 2SP

53.644291, -1.77859

01484 484 441

53.644291 -1.77859 Theatre

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