C21 Theatre Company
A BIT OF BACKGROUND
C21 was founded in 2005 and quickly built a reputation as a small company of great force. We are a Northern Irish touring theatre company that champions new stories with an eye to international audiences and festivals. We provide audiences with high quality theatre that is easily accessed. We strongly believe that audiences should have the opportunity to experience professional theatre no matter what area of the country we live in. Within our work we aim to embrace traditional, digital, and interactive methods as well as site-specific projects. Delivering enriching and memorable experiences within communities globally is at the heart of what we do. Our mission is to collaborate with public and private organisations, the education system and tourism.
EXPECTING
C21 co-founded the Deaf Arts Festival NI in May 2023, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. It was an incredibly rewarding experience for the company to have the opportunity to work closely with deaf artists and play to a deaf audience, producing hit show Expecting as a part of the festival. Expecting is a bilingual play, written by hearing writer, Charis McRobert's, in consultation with d/Deaf artist, Paula Clarke. The play follows d/Deaf-hearing couple Shauna and Robbie, as they navigate the complexities of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood, giving voice to this underrepresented community.
In May 2023, c21 Theatre Company collaborated on the first d/Deaf Arts Festival NI, which presented, Expecting, at The MAC, Belfast, followed by a regional tour. The critically acclaimed work completed a four-day run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2023
Washington Opportunity May 2024
Off the back of Expecting's recent success, c21 has been invited by Keegan Theatre in Washington DC, to take the play to America in May 2024. Therefore, c21 is seeking to engage with sponsors interested to highlight their support for the arts and specifically accessibility within arts in Northern Ireland. We are offering sponsorship opportunities to help us fund different aspects of the tour. c21 would like to engage with potential sponsors before our trip to the States to discuss opportunities including BSL taster sessions for staff, presentation techniques and an opportunity to host an excerpt from the production.