Soap Soup Theatre CIC are proud makers of innovative theatre for children and their families, and are dedicated to creating startling work that invites our audiences to co-create the worlds our stories inhabit. Our work is design led, offering a bold, unique visual language, so expect to see and hear creative, colourful design, beautiful puppets, and inventive object work.

We draw from our collaborators’ own passions and experiences to create work that is personal, intimate and a true shared experience.


This is theatre of the senses, and of the heart.

Over the years we have combined the talents of performers, beatboxers, musicians, clowns, puppeteers, puppet makers, set and costume designers, composers, sound and lighting designers, dramaturgs, story-tellers, textile artists, magicians and creative technologists. Our continued ambition is to evolve, learning more from each other and new collaborators to excel in making quality, risk-taking, unique work, with the audiences experience at the heart of what we do.

Read more about the company here

 

 

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Work In Progress at Bristol Old Vic. Photo by Paul Blakemore

 

A show, picture book and a Theatrical Augmented Reality Experience

Arriving in a new city where it always rains, Kit is alone. Making friends is always hard, but here, it feels almost impossible. The rain beats down on the roof and drips down the window panes, trapping Kit in the quiet stillness of their dingy bedroom. But, one night, when idly scribbling to pass the time, the swirls and whirls on the page giggle into a life of their own, and a very unusual adventure unfolds!

Devised by one of North Somerset’s leading theatre makers for family audiences, Soap Soup Theatre combines high quality children’s theatre with the magic of projection mapping, bringing the vibrant illustrations from the book to life. Minny Stynker will bring you a completely unique theatre experience of the like you’ve never seen before.

The Minny Stynker project is a Picture Book, A theatre show and a Theatrical Augmented Reality Experience.
The 3 offerings are for everyone, but the AR experience is particularly for families caring for children with long term illness, and families who don’t feel comfortable in traditional theatre settings.

The Minny Stynker AR Experience is a picture book, when you pop on your headphones and look through your phone's camera using the App, the book comes to life! It is experienced like an audiobook, an animation and a video game combined. Illustrations move, characters talk, and magical things appear around you as you look through your device. The AR experience will be enjoyed in hospitals, care and hospice settings, as well as at home.

The show will be performed at mid scale venues nationally. The solo version will tour to community settings like libraries, schools and community centres.

Minny Stynker is currently in development and will be touring at a venue near you from May 2024.

 
 

In this project we will be:

  • Creating a Theatrical Augmented Reality (AR) experience App primarily for families caring for children with long term illnesses, families who don’t feel comfortable in traditional theatre settings as well as more typical theatre audience goers.

  • Premiering Minny Stynker at The Tobacco Factory Theatre main house in Bristol

  • 4 weeks rehearsal with WIP showings.

  • Touring to 20+ venues nationally

  • Touring a reduced solo show and AR Experience pop-up to 4+ library networks in the South West

  • Self Publishing a picture book to use alongside the AR Experience as well as merchandise for the tour

  • Delivering a large-scale engagement programme for families caring for children with long term & chronic illness, schools, theatre clubs & community projects, creating & running accessible workshops, in person, live & online.

  • Delivering a large scale engagement programme at 2 schools and a host of community groups

Technical Manager/Tour Operator

We are looking for an experienced and well organised technical manager/tour operator for our latest show, Minny Stynker. We are particularly interested in hearing from Global Majority, Female and LGBTQ+ applicants.

In this project we will be:

  • Premiering Minny Stynker at The Tobacco Factory Theatre main house in Bristol

  • 4 weeks rehearsal with WIP showings.

  • Touring to 20+ venues nationally

  • Touring a reduced solo show and AR Experience pop-up to 4+ library networks in the South West

  • Creating a Theatrical Augmented Reality (AR) experience App primarily for families caring for children with long term illnesses, families who don’t feel comfortable in traditional theatre settings as well as more typical theatre audience goers.

  • Self Publishing a picture book to use alongside the AR Experience as well as merchandise for the tour

  • Delivering a large-scale engagement programme for families caring for children with long term & chronic illness, schools, theatre clubs & community projects, creating & running accessible workshops, in person, live & online.

  • Delivering a large scale engagement programme at 2 schools and a host of community groups

The Technical managers role will involve:

  • Supporting/operating the Tech and Dress rehearsals

  • Building the QLab

  • Operating the show for the Premiere at the Tobacco Factory

  • Operating the show for the National tour

  • Leading the get-ins and Get-outs for the tour

  • Liaising with Venues re. technical requirements on tour

Required skills/experience:

  • Building and operating shows within QLab

  • Light, sound rigging

  • Touring small-mid scale theatre productions

  • Well organised, practical and a good communicator

Preferred Experience:

  • Projection mapping set up and operation

  • Full drivers licence

  • Van driving

Project Timeline:

  • Rehearsals 29th April-28th May

  • Premiere 29th May-1st June

  • Tour Dates:

    PREMIERE May 29th- June 1st

    15th June 

    July 13th

    August 15th/16th/17th/18th

    September 21st 

    October 12th/13th 

    October 19th

    October 26th/27th 

    October 29th/30th 

    November 1st/2nd,

    November 16th

    2025

    Feb 15/16/17th

    Feb 19th/20th/22nd 

Fee ITC Minimum rates: ÂŁ120 a day for 3 or less days and ÂŁ545 per week. Per diums and drivers allowance also paid.

email Tomasin at soapsouptheatrecompany@gmail.com with a CV and covering letter. Deadline 22nd of March

Interviews will take place week commencing the 25th of March

Marketing Officer

We are looking for a dynamic and media connected freelance Marketing Officer to join our team for our latest project, Minny Stynker. We are looking for a confident communicator & problem solver who is passionate about supporting the delivery of innovative, accessible work for young people & their families. We are particularly interested in hearing from Global Majority, Female and LGBTQ+ applicants.

Interviews will take place week commencing the 18th of March, to fill the position week commencing the 25th March

The Marketing Officers role will involve:

  • Supporting the Producers and Artistic Director with the creation of an Audience Development Plan

  • Leading the social media and marketing for our upcoming crowdfunding campaign 

  • Advising on video content for all campaigns

  • Creating and sharing content on our social media platforms

  • Supporting the partner venues in marketing the show while on tour

  • Inviting and liaising with press

  • Leading an assertive media campaign to gain support for our Crowdfund including radio and TV

  • Sending print to all tour venues

  • Development of our Digital work programme

Fee ÂŁ150 a day for 13 days at ÂŁ2000 total. We may extend the contract if we are successful in raising more money for this role. Production meetings and sharings are paid with an additional fee of ÂŁ25 per meeting if not on a working day.

email Tomasin at soapsouptheatrecompany@gmail.com with a CV and covering letter

Performer/Puppeteer

We are looking for an excellent performer to rehearse, devise and perform in our new family show, Minny Stynker. The successful candidate will be a multi role performer, a strong puppeteer and deviser who is passionate about making innovative, accessible work for young people & their families. The performer will need to have a base in the Bristol/North Somerset area.

In this project we will be:

  • Premiering Minny Stynker at The Tobacco Factory Theatre main house in Bristol

  • 4 weeks rehearsal in North Somerset/Bristol with WIP showings.

  • Touring to 20+ venues nationally

  • Touring a reduced solo show and AR Experience pop-up to 4+ library networks in the South West

  • Creating a Theatrical Augmented Reality (AR) experience App primarily for families caring for children with long term illnesses, families who don’t feel comfortable in traditional theatre settings as well as more typical theatre audience goers.

  • Self Publishing a picture book to use alongside the AR Experience as well as merchandise for the tour

  • Delivering a large-scale engagement programme for families caring for children with long term & chronic illness, schools, theatre clubs & community projects, creating & running accessible workshops, in person, live & online.

  • Delivering a large scale engagement programme at 2 schools and a host of community groups

The Performers role will involve:

  • Devising and rehearsing the show in the North Somerset/Bristol area

  • Performing the show for the Premiere at the Tobacco Factory

  • Performing the show for the National tour

  • Sharing the labour of Get-ins and Get-outs for the tour

  • Possible extra dates performing the reduced solo library tour to be confirmed later.

Rehearsals and Premiere:

  • April 29th-May 28th (excluding weekends)

  • PREMIERE May 29th- June 1st

Tour dates so far:

2024

15th June
July 13th
August 15th/16th/17th/18th
September 21st
October 12th/13th
October 19th
October 26th/27th
October 29th/30th
November 1st/2nd,
November 16th

2025

Feb 15/16/17th
Feb 19th/20th/22nd

Fee ITC Minimum rates: ÂŁ120 a day for 3 or less days and ÂŁ545 per week. Per diums and drivers allowance also paid.

Email Tomasin at soapsouptheatrecompany@gmail.com with a CV and covering letter/headshot and showreel if available. Deadline 22nd of March

Auditions will take place on the 28th/29th of March


 
 
 
 
 

The Soap Soup Art Club is in full swing! Starting in October 2023, Soap Soup Theatre’s Artistic Director Tomasin piloted an after school Art Club in Winscombe, North Somerset for children in year 4,5 and 6, for ages 7-11. If your child has SEN or is under the age of 7, they are still welcome to come along with a parent of trusted adult.

In Art Club we have created puppets, made costumes, sculpted in clay, explored collage and much, much more! Proving popular, the Art Club has now doubled its intake and runs weekly on Monday and Thursday afternoons from 3.30-5pm.

We are planning a 5 day summer school, where we will do bigger creative projects and invite guest artists to share their practice, starting this summer with a local mural project, supported by Winscombe Community Centre!

If you would like your child to attend our Art club Email soapsouptheatrecompany@gmail.com and ask for a sign up form.

Art club is ÂŁ10 a session and paid for termly. We offer a discount for low/no wage families as well as a sibling discount on request.