Splendid Productions are a touring theatre and education company, and we particularly enjoy the unique experience of playing to a real live audience and interacting with them in our workshops.

However, over the years, we had an increasing number of clients requesting a record of the productions for students to refer to, and of course a lot of potential audiences we were unable to fit into our tours, and so we began to film ‘as-live’ performances as part of each tour.

About the films

Each of our films is a composite edit of two performances, both recorded on the same day in the same space and filmed with multiple cameras. The performances themselves are structured in exactly the same way as any other on the tour. The audiences are not specially selected, and are made up of school groups and members of the public who have bought tickets for one of our public theatre performances.

Our intention is to present an accurate and detailed record of each production that gives a good sense of the live experience. The films are edited to provide coverage of key moments while retaining the overall stage picture. We hope they provide an engaging theatrical experience for first-time viewers, and an illuminating review tool for anyone who saw the live production.

About the Productions

These films represent Splendid’s stripped-back but highly considered theatrical style – developed both from the practicalities of touring theatre and a passion for imaginative possibilities of live performance.

Our approach to theatre (like many of our favourite practitioners) is that it is created more by the actors and the audience than by the lights and the scenery. Small, adaptable multi-roling casts, minimal sets and props, and great emphasis on connecting with the audience are hallmarks of our productions.

About the Adaptations

Splendid are creative adapters. To us, the original story is the starting point for a devising process that aims to create an entertaining and thought-provoking piece that is relevant to the audience that year, that day. We specialise in reinterpreting classic texts to place the fundamental human questions at the heart of the production.

We use a ‘Brechtian’ structure that breaks the action into episodes, using signs, songs and direct address to engage the audience’s minds as well as their attention. It also allows us to break up the traditional narrative in interesting ways.

These productions should not be approached as ‘faithful’ performances of extant texts, they are creative responses to the source material filtered through a strong theatrical sensibility, ideally highlighting the strengths of both elements.

For further information please visit our production pages, or explore further with scripts and education packs created to support each adaptation.