Early-Career Theatre Ensemble
Submissions for 2024 are now closed.
Each year the Charlie Hartill Fund provides one early-career theatre ensemble company with the rare and extraordinary opportunity to present a fully produced world-premiere ensemble performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. From intial submissions, we invite 14 companies to showcase 10mins of their work with us at Pleasance, London.
SHORTLIST FOR THE 2024 TRYOUTS
Monday 19th February
CATHARTIC PARTY: THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME
CHROMATIC COLLECTIVE: Y?
FOOL'S SHED: VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN
JAM JAR THEATRE COMPANY: HOW A JELLYFISH SAVED THE WORLD
OH! (MY GOSH) CREATIVE CO.: IT'S A SISTERHOOD, BETCHES
PINCHY THEATRE: FLITCH
STRANGE FUTURES: THE TREE RINGS
Tuesday 20th February
BE MORE MUSHROOM: BE MORE MUSHROOM
BUZZCUT: BARK BARK
DAKOTA COLLECTIVE: GHOST TRAIN GHOST TRAIN GHOST TRAIN
FLOATING SHED: NEITHER REBELS NOR PATRIOTS
PEARL WHIRL PRODUCTIONS: THE EMU WAR: A NEW MUSICAL
SHAMBLES ENSEMBLE: THEY F**K YOU UP
SWEET BEEF: CRYING SHAME
If selected, we provide up to £10,000 in financing to an early-career ensemble theatre company which includes the below:
- A guaranteed slot in our Edinburgh programme (with no financial risk) at Pleasance and programming option in our London transfer run.
- Assistance with accommodation and Travel
- Edinburgh Fringe Registration and brochure fees
- PR and marketing support
- Mentorship from Pleasance and Partners, including Methuen Drama (Bloomsbury Publishing)
- Rehearsal, development, sharing and work space
- Support to develop and deliver accessible performances (including the provision of captioned performances)
- 40% of the entire production and creative team must be no more than 5 years from full time education on the final performance date
- The play must have a performing company of 4 or more cast members
- Directors and producers must not have created more than two professional productions, including Fringe
- Be able to attend the Theatre Try-outs at Pleasance Islington in February 2024 (dates TBC)*
- The production must meet the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society definition of a 'world-premiere' ie no more than 5 prior performances, and have not been professionally reviewed.
*Travel bursaries are available to companies and artists based outside of London.
Submissions for 2025 will open in December 2024. You can keep up to date by following our Artist Development X account or signing up to our artist newsletter.
FOR REFERENCE ONLY
Please see the relevant application packs below.
If you have any queries, feel free to contact us on [email protected].
“It was the best decision we made and was the catalyst for the rolling series of events that have followed.” Unpolished Theatre, 2017
"Receiving the Charlie Hartill Special Reserve Fund was amazing for our company in so many ways. It's not just the money, which is of course very useful and burden lifting, it's also the support you received from the Pleasance staff - their extensive knowledge, quick response to any issue and production support was invaluable. Since the Fringe has ended, we have been contacted by venues around the country as well as America, Canada, Hong Kong and Peru!" Strictly Arts, 2018
“The Charlie Hartill Fund is revolutionary for a theatre company, providing an opportunity for growth and expansion that would otherwise be incredibly hard to access.” November Theatre, 2023
2023 - PITCH by November Theatre / PUBLIC - The Musical by Stroud & Notes
2022 - Rapsody - Vision Production Company
2020/21 - Screen 9 - Piccolo Theatre
2019 - Bible John - Caitlin McEwan / A Womb of One's Own - Wonderbox
2018- Freeman - Strictly Arts
2017- Flesh and Bone - Unpolished Theatre
2016 - We Are Ian - In Bed With My Brother
2015 - Molly - Squint
2014 - Lorraine & Alan - Bucket Club
2013 - Outside on the Street - Invertigo
2012 - Don Quoixte! Don Quoixte! - Panta Rei Theatre Collective
2011 - Fit for Purpose - Catherine O'Shea (Writer) / Concorde Theatre Company
2009 - A Stroke of Genius - PIT (David Bryne, Artistic Director of New Diorama Theatre)
2007 - Greedy Scratchers - Richard Marsh
2006 - The Same ... But Different - Jacob Tindle (Playwright)
2005 - Minor Irritations by Sam Peter Jackson