The Lowry has a history of developing close working relationships with artists and companies
Associate Artists and The Lowry
Our Associate Artists are mid-career and established artists and companies who are making nationally and internationally touring work, and tackling the challenges of our industry.
We invite our Associate Artists to share their skills and expertise with us to inform the way we work and our future planning and make exciting, ground-breaking work which we believe in.
Associate Artists programme
We are committed to a new approach to Associate Artists relationships in which we aim to cultivate a true, balanced partnership between artist and venue.
We believe in the social and artistic impact of our Associate Artists’ work and invest in the making, production and touring of their work.
By democratising the relationship and ensuring that both parties are making contributions, directing the support and being heard in the conversation, artists and venues are empowered and supported by each other, as they should be.
Who is it for?
Experienced mid-career artists and companies who are confident in their practice and their artistic voice, and who want to invest time and effort in a relationship with a venue in order to develop themselves and the industry at large.
THE ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
Meet FINN ANDERSON
Finn Anderson is a composer, writer and singer-songwriter with a focus on creating new musical theatre. Finn has co-created four award-nominated musicals, released two albums, and collaborated on an eclectic range of projects with leading theatre companies, artists and musicians throughout the UK and internationally.
Twitter @Finn_Anderson
Instagram: @finnanderson
Web: finnanderson.co.uk
Read More about Finn Anderson’s work below.
Musicals include Islander (OffBroadway, Playhouse 46/ Southwark Playhouse/Paines Plough Roundabout/Mull Theatre) A Mother’s Song, City of Dreams (American Music Theatre Project/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) Come Hell or High Water (Citizens Theatre/Sky Arts) Streets (Hackney Empire/The Vaults, Off West End Awards ‘Best New Musical’ nominee) Alba (Edinburgh Fringe, MTM Award nominee).
He has composed music for plays, circus and dance with leading companies UK-wide. As a singersongwriter, he has released two albums Until the Light and Into the Arms of Ghosts and performs throughout the UK including regularly with ‘Bogha-frois: Queer Voices in Folk’ a community of musicians and storytellers working to increase LGBTI+ visibility in the Scottish folk music scene.
The Associate Artist relationship supports the making of THE EDGE OF ME.
THE EDGE OF ME is a synth-pop odyssey following a young man who gets lost and found again in Britain’s BDSM underworld. Kit can’t contain himself. He’s tried, but he is overflowing with desires he doesn’t know how to tame or even how to name. That is until he uncovers a hidden community and a playground of possibility where he’s free to explore. But when his secret world goes public, Kit must build a new relationship to the world around him and the world inside his mind.
Accompanied by a supergroup of shape-shifting, synth-playing monsters who live beneath his bed, Kit wants to tell his story for you tonight. A genre-bending, playful new musical with a big heart, exploring power dynamics and the complexity of human sexual desire.
Meet pOLICE COPS
POLICE COPS are Zachary Hunt, Nathan Parkinson and Tom Roe; a three man multi award-winning, globally acclaimed comedy group based in London.
With a shared vision of creating highly physical, highly entertaining and even highlyer clever comedy, POLICE COPS have enjoyed TOTAL SELL OUT runs at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) and on London’s West End at Soho Theatre. POLICE COPS create highly playful performances which combine inventive physical storytelling with their own brand of off-the-wall comedy. Parody and satire are centred at the heart of their productions, where they integrate with dynamic stagecraft, supercharged physical theatre and cinematic style.
Twitter: @Policecops_
Instagram: @policecopsofficial
Facebook: policecopscomedy
Web: policecops.co.uk
Read More about Police Cop’s work below.
The Associate Artist relationship supports the making of POLICE COPS THE MUSICAL.
USA, 1985: Rookie Police Cop Jimmy Johnson joined the force to protect, serve, and avenge his sister’s death…
But now Jimmy’s in deep, partnered up with a disgraced, renegade Police Cop and leaned on by a racist Chief. With guns loaded and safety catches off, Jimmy’s on a freewheeling adventure from the mean streets of America to the back-alleys of Mexico – where destiny awaits in the form of grizzled Mexican ex-Police Cop Juanita Gonzalez.
Multi-award-winners Police Cops present a cinematic musical comedy blockbuster full of grit, guns and uncompromising facial hair – all set to a blasting 80s power-pop soundtrack. Featuring an expanded ensemble, original songs and a live band, their unique physical comedy mayhem is supercharged for their most ambitious show yet.
Commissioned by New Diorama Theatre. Co-commissioned by The Lowry and New Wolsey Theatre.
“With Police Cops The Musical we’re really pushing ourselves to the limit. We’re challenging ourselves in new and exciting ways to develop something unlike anything we’ve ever done before. It’s a big step up. We can’t wait to show it to you!” – Police Cops
Meet Meghan Doyle and Stan Hodgson
Meghan Doyle and Stan Hodgson are Associate Artists of The Lowry. They create original musical theatre, with actor-musicians, combining live music and the energy of a night out to tell exhilarating stories. From 2013-2023 they were Founding Members and Co-Artistic Directors of The Letter Room, a national touring theatre company.
They will shortly be announcing their new company.
Twitter: @megsydoyle
Email: meghan.doyle@hotmail.co.uk
Twitter: @stan_hodgson
Email: stan.hodgson47@gmail.com
Read More about Meghan Doyle’s and Stan Hodgson’s work below.
Meghan Doyle is a Director, Theatre Maker and performer. She has worked with organisations including the RSC, Royal Court, Les Enfants Terribles, National Youth Theatre, Northern Stage and Live Theatre.
Stan Hodgson is a Director, Theatre Maker, Musician and Producer. He has worked with organisations such as Northern Stage, National Youth Theatre, Curious Monkey and Live Theatre. His Audio Feature, ‘Obit.’ is available on BBC Sounds.
The Associate Artist relationship supports the making of two new projects currently in development:
Untitled Adaptation
Meghan and Stan are researching and developing an adaptation of an influential novel and film, rated as one of the BFI’s Top 100 British Films of all time. Filled with live music, stand up comedy and video design, this will be the first new adaptation in over 40 years, bringing the story to life for a modern audience.
Philomela
This is an original idea based on the character Philomela, a character found in Ancient Greek Folklore and a forerunner of voiceless women seen in literature throughout history. After being silenced by a man, Philomela takes her revenge with the help of the women around her. She refinds her voice by transforming into a nightingale; a bird known for its song. Part gig, part theatre, part fairytale and part revenge story, Philomela is a razor-sharp celebration of rage and shattering the myths you’ve always been told.
Meet Thick & Tight
Daniel Hay-Gordon and Eleanor Perry established Thick & Tight in 2012.
Their award-winning work mixes dance, mime, theatre, parody and drag, influenced by a wide range of historical, political, literary and artistic subjects.
The work has been shown extensively in the UK and beyond, often within a queer context where it is most at home. Thick & Tight are interested in promoting queer culture and anti-elitism, exploring dance theatre as a political art form with the power to challenge and dispel social stigma. Trained at Rambert School, Daniel and Eleanor work extensively as freelance performers and choreographers.
Instagram: @thicktightdance
Facebook: @thicktightdance
Twitter: @thicktightdance
Web: thickandtight.com
Read More about Thick & Tight’s work below.
The Associate Artist relationship includes supporting Daniel and Eleanor as they rethink how Thick & Tight should run, ensuring the company’s ethos and artistic output is matched by its organisational set-up, for greater accountability and impact.
This includes considering new ways of collaborating; expanding and diversifying decision-making; interrogating the company’s working practice.
Supporting Thick & Tight find new contexts for their work in the region.
As part of this support, The Lowry presented Thick & Tight’s new show Short & Sweet, a collection of 9 recent works, in the Quays Theatre in January 2022. In 2023 as part of The Lowry Showcase, Cage & Paige: We Could Go On and On was presented. This 22-minute duet is part of a body of work which Thick & Tight are currently touring under the title of Tits & Teeth. Tits & Teeth is modular, made up of several short works, and the line-up can change from venue to venue.
“We are delighted to be working with The Lowry as we undertake lots of changes as a small company. It’s wonderful to keep returning to the North West to research, create and present work and to begin to feel part of a community connected with the Lowry. Thank you!” – Daniel & Eleanor
