about the company
We offer high-quality immersive dance theatre to children and families that may not otherwise have access to live theatre. Audiences include neuro-typical and neuro-diverse children. We support social change by promoting curiousity and positive awareness.
Diversity and Inclusivity lies at the heart of the work we create. We celebrate the richness of the society we live in and promote an inclusive appreciation of cultures. It is important that we bring the "unheard' voices to the stage and share their own narratives.
We bring our work into unusual and usual theatre spaces. We encourage everyone to experience live theatre, if they can't get to the more usual theatre settings, we bring live theatre to them.
We encourage social-responsibility in children for each other, other cultures and our planet.
Reducing our carbon footprint is important to us. So we have actively established green energy sources that currently powers our organisation.
the creative team
Debbie Bandara
Debbie found her passion for dance at the Royal Academy of Dance training. This naturally led to work with Movement Angol, Breaking Cycles (UK), Yaye Dib Sabar and Soar UK.
Over 20 years UK and international touring of solo performance work and freelance company including Riverside Arts Theatre, Waterside Arts Centre, Contact Theatre, Unity Theatre, Night and Day, Nantwich Arts festival, One World Festival, Sweden and Spain.
Curiousity led to The Oily Cart where she performed and toured at The Lowry and JW3 London’s Jewish Cultural and Arts Centre, working closely with audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities and on the Autistic spectrum. She is the former Associate Director for The Oily Cart and has choreographed previous shows, including Hush-A-Bye, Kubla Khan and Splish Splash.
She is also a passionate Forest School teacher, and run outdoor learning across the North West. Not to mention she has BSc(Hons) degree in Artificial Intelligence, so digitial delights is a must too.
She is also a "Leader of Tomorrow", an initiative from the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme.
David Freedman
David is a blacksmith and sculptor with over 20 years experience. He specialises in metal and wood public realm creations for sculpture trails, gardens, exhibitions and interiors (including furniture). He has significant experience of innovative set designs for theatre and non-theatre settings.
He is also a script writer for many of the shows such as Prince of Fire. His work can be found on his websites: stuntcrow.com and davidfreedmansculpture.com
Sam Morris
Sam's creation and composition of new music scores brings the magic into our shows. His collage of live and recorded music, are cleverly intertwined. He trained at Manchester University and has over 15 years professional experience as a talented bassist, French horn player, pianist, composer, arranger and teacher. In the commercial music industry he is a songwriter and session musician and has worked with, among others, Badly Drawn Boy, Snow Patrol, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Marillion, and Jessca Hoop. In 2016 he created the music for the acclaimed Forest Tribe R&D production "Alluriat".
Mike Kelly
Mike Kelly is a talented artist. His eye for detail and capturing the magic shines out in his work. A wealth of knowledge and a wonderful presence to be around. He has his work featured on Art wanted (please click here).
Mike has worked on set design and costume for Alluriat in 2016, Prince of Fire in 2017 and again on the new version of Alluriat for 2019, creating dazzling backdrops and ingenious props.
Matin Kelly
Martin is a Director of Photography with over 40 years experience in the Film and TV industry. Working for ITV the BBC and many smaller production houses both here and in Europe. His credits include work for many leading companies such as: Coca Cola, Elida Gibbs, Mars Ltd, Taylors of Harrogate, Warburtons, HBO, United Artists, Walt Disney, to name but a few. He has also taught media students to Degree level in lighting and camerawork. At present He is in discussions about a new children's animated TV series.
Owen Rafferty
Owen Rafferty is a sound designer and composer with a track record of creating innovative and evocative soundscapes for theatre. A graduate of the School of Sound Recording in Manchester, he combines technical knowledge with a wide variety of creative influences and a sympathy for the craft of storytelling.
Owen's theatre credits include sound design for Roseacre (Push Festival), Parallel (Hope Mill Theatre) The Man Who woke Up Dead (national tour) and Under Manc Wood (radio play). He designed sound and lights for Gypsy Queen, Finding Alice and One Hand Clapping, which was selected for the Brits off Broadway festival in New York. He has designed sound for Hidden, Away from Home, and Icarus, all of which have had successful runs at the Edinburgh festival and gone on to tour nationally. Other notable sound design credits include Dev's Army, Loaded and The Interpreter/Home.
Showreel: www.owenrafferty.com
Jennifer Kay
Jennifer is a London and Manchester based Actor, Physical Theatre performer and Movement Director. She is a core member of the Flock Theatre Ensemble, an all female physical theatre devising company. She movement directed and played The Devil in Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale for Skipton Camerata directed by Tom Wright this year. She has trained with the likes of Philippe Gaulier and John Wright. Jennifer is delighted to be joining the Forest Tribe Dance Theatre team with Alluriat as it complements her passion for telling beautiful stories in a physical way.
Purvi Parmar
Purvi has been involved in theatre,music and dance from a young age and went on to graduate with a first class Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre from Pace University in New York City. Since then she has worked in both the USA and UK on both stage and screen, as well as creating her own work with Le Petit Artiste Theatre company. Much of her own created work incorporates music, movement, puppetry and making theatre accessible to those who may not always have the opportunity to experience it, a passion which she was thrilled to find Forest Tribe Dance Theatre shares! She is very excited to be involved with Alluriat and to bring such a magical piece to life!
Beatrice Galloway
Beatrice is a London-based Freelance Stage & Production Manger with experience working in Theatre, Film & Events. She trained at The Edinburgh School of Lighting, Sound & Stage Management and over the years she has toured the UK & Internationally with shows. She has worked closely with companies including Oily Cart (on their shows for children with Autism and profound and multiple learning difficulties), Extant (Britain's leading theatre company for the visually impaired) and Access All Areas amongst others. She has had the pleasure of Production Managing BBC Big Band's Our Finest Hour as well as Museum of London's exhibition Beasts of London. She has recently come back from touring with Ockham's Razor's outdoor show Belly of the Whale and is delighted to be Stage Managing Forest Tribe's Heart of Light.
key partners
make a donation
We are committed to producing quality theatre for audiences that may not access theatre easily. We rely on the generous support of individuals, businesses and trusts to maintain our work. Your support will help us make a positive difference.
To support our touring productions, and enable us to provide a much needed service, you can donate securely online through Pay Pal and we’ll send you confirmation of receipt.
Join the tribe - we welcome volunteers
If you would like to learn behind the scenes, gain experience or perform in one of our shows. Drop us an email with your interest and we can arrange a moment to chat over a cuppa.