OP Productions started 2017 with a production of Every You Every Me, written by Associate Artist Barney Norris and co-produced with Reading Rep, which toured schools around Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The play explored the experiences of those coping with mental health issues within the education system, and how that changed as they left it. As part of the Young Player’s Festival, our 17|25 Young Company staged a ensemble interpretation of Jane Eyre. Our Easter show was the wonderful How to Hide a Lion, based on the best-selling book by Helen Stephens and produced in partnership with Polka Theatre, which played to a completely sold out audience.

Over the summer, our 2016 co-production of Sand in the Sandwiches, starring Edward Fox, went on a second national tour including a short run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End. Back at home, we joined forces with Arts at the Old Fire Station to bring back Offbeat for its second year. The festival returned bigger and better, with 73 shows over 10 days across the two venues. We showcased the best in new theatre, dance, spoken word and comedy, and presented exciting performances from Oxfordshire’s best emerging musicians alongside BBC Introducing.

In the Autumn we presented The Man I Live With, alongside Deer Hunter Collective and Reading Rep. This intricate verbatim piece explored the relationships between soldiers returning from war and their partners, and came to the BT in September. To round off the year we presented A New Coat for Christmas in the BT Studio, a collaboration with Evolve artists Flintlock. Our main stage pantomime was Jack and the Beanstalk - our third pantomime written and directed by Steve Marmion.