PUT THE BOOK DOWN

THEATRE COMPANY

Put the Book Down are an award winning Theatre Company based in the East Midlands. We've been established for about a year and a half, making diverse local work that plays with text, immersive and physical theatre. Our first show devised by Doug Deans and Olivia Rose Deane, 'Sandman' was a physical theatre retelling of the folk tale, in partnership with the charity Nightline. Our second show 'The Conversation Box' created by Olivia was an interactive piece set inside a cardboard maze. We debuted the show in 2015, received funding from 'o2 Think Big' and were programmed at the Camden People's Theatre in London, as part of the annual Sprint Festival of new work.

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'Mine' is the company's debut scripted play, written by Doug Deans in collaboration with Actress Maisie Barlow and Director Thomas Carter. Sections of the play have been programmed for performance at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, and at The Arts Theatre in London’s West End as part of the Women in the West End Festival. The whole show was then performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016 where it received fantastic critical acclaim from the likes of The Scotsman and was listed in the article 'Top rated shows at the Edinburgh Festivals 2016.'  This summer after dramaturgy from Kathryn King 'Mine' received the International Youth Arts Festival: Best of Brighton Theatre Award 2017' and the 'Festival Friends Audience Choice Award' and was nominated for best individual performance. Following a small scale tour and a month long run at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival the show was officially commended for both acting and writing by the National Student Drama Festival.

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Put the Book Down are currently developing their second play 'Split Ends' which was performed as a scratch show at the International Youth Arts Festival in 2018. Starring Maisie Barlow and Harvey Bassett with direction from Kathryn King. 

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★★★★

'Put the Book Down are quickly proving to be a credit to their profession' 

★★★★ 

'Quietly compassionate writing...a tremendous performance'

★★★★

'Harrowing and shatteringly real'

★★★★

'A poignant tale'