About Us

A Brief History

Founded in 2007, HighTide is a year-round producing company, which exists to source and develop emerging theatre makers from around the world. Each new playwright we produce is premiered at the annual HighTide Festival in Suffolk, before transferring elsewhere for a full production run. HighTide's work has transferred nationally and internationally, including to London with the Bush Theatre (2008) National Theatre (2009), Old Vic Theatre (2010) and to Brisbane with the Australian National Play Festival in 2010.

The Festival

On March 6th 2007, HighTide became the world's first producing festival of new plays, opening to the public in the Suffolk market town of Halesworth. The Festival is now entering its fifth year, taking place annually on the first May Bank Holiday weekend.  Each festival programme is made up of the core theatre productions, as well as an ancillary programme of platform discussions, film screenings, and workshops.

The Warehouse

The Warehouse is an umbrella term for HighTide's development and education programmes. These include the Genesis Laboratories, a year-round open-access programme of week-long residencies which provide space and funding for emerging artists, and FIRST LOOK a comprehensive cross-regional schools participation programme which exists to demystify the process of theatre-making for the next generation of potential practitioners. 

Our Commitment to the East

We continue to develop an audience for new, contemporary and provocative theatre in the East of England through high-quality producing and competitive ticket prices. We work to develop artists based in the region and invite the leading national new artists to create and premiere work in eastern England. We export our productions and artists across the UK and internationally as representatives of Suffolk culture. 

We are proud to consider ourselves part of a thriving network of artists, theatres and companies in the East of England, for whom we host HighTable, a regular assembly aimed at sharing, collaborating and inspiring. HighTide will also be part of the Escalator East to Edinburgh network in August 2010, a group of eastern-based companies and artists travelling to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Charitable Support

HighTide is a registered charity and we are grateful to the many organisations and individuals who support our work.  Particularly the Old Possum’s Practical Trust, Arts Council England, and Lansons Communications.