One of the UK's most original theatre companies, founded in 1992, and based in Coventry, West Midlands, Theatre Absolute is supported by Arts Council England, as a regularly funded organisation. Its core members are Julia Negus, producer, and Chris O’Connell, artistic director and writer.
The company produces and tours new plays for the theatre that are bold, urban, uncompromising, and contemporary. Telling stories of ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations, the company places an emphasis on character, text, and narrative to create richly imagined worlds.
Integral to the company are its highly regarded participatory performance and literacy development activities for young people. The company has a particular focus towards young people who are at risk, and not in mainstream education.
Audiences, participants, and practitioners speak of the ‘Theatre Absolute experience', struck by the inspirational intensity of the company, and its tough determination to create high quality, authentic theatre that finds its roots in the fabric of an increasingly complex, ambiguous, and compelling world.
What the press have been saying about ZERO...
"Chris O’Connell’s new play has urgency and intelligence, and Matt Aston’s sweaty, hard-edged production grips." The Times
"Powered by its own fury and sense of injustice... if you are looking for political theatre, this is the real thing." The Guardian
"Imaginative, fearless theatre.." ArtsHub
"Zero, with its small yet talented cast, is a thoroughly engaging, excellent play that may strike an uneasy chord with some as they realise it prophesises a future not so far from the truth." Totally Theatre
"In this tightly wound production, scenes chop violently back and forth while the sounds of helicopter and ceiling blades slice at the atmosphere like knives." Time Out
"Has a visceral power....draws exceptional performances.." Birmingham Post
"Theatre Absolute continues to produce excellent work well into their second decade. This production demonstrates that strong characterisation and energetic performance combine to present excellent, though-provoking theatre for their audiences." Daily Info, Oxford
"A powerful and thought-provoking play, as brilliantly performed as it is directed." What's On Stage - Manchester
Some comments about our most recent production, Zero.
“The play was a really exciting experience. It showed me the different ways of portraying character as I had not imagined Tom and Syrah to be played the way they were at all. My GCSE performance will be really helped by watching the performance mainly due to the interesting structure and the power shifts between characters.” - Coventry
“Zero was a really influential and powerful piece of drama that stayed with me long after the performance. The concept of censorship was so strong that it has heavily affected my GCSE drama performance.” - Coventry
And some comments from Theatre Absolute's last production, Hang Lenny Pope
“When working at university on a module we have always been told about ‘finding the truth’…Watching this piece is a perfect example of finding ‘the truth’, and restated my reasons for wanting to act!” – Audience questionnaire, Newcastle
“The show was incredibly enjoyable. I loved the uncertainty of what was true and what was not.” - Audience questionnaire, Birmingham
“One of the most intense and moving pieces of theatre I have seen for many years.” - Audience questionnaire, Bristol
