Back in 2018, a small group of graduating East 15 Acting School students were partnered together for their final assessment project which was to devise and create a play entirely on their own. Opting for a comedy as a way of enjoying their final few weeks, the group agreed to create a multi rolling, slapstick piece, inspired by the classics of British and American comedies. Set in a manor home when a priceless painting goes missing, their first performance of “The Art of Deception” was a hit, receiving outstanding feedback and resulting in many of the audiences returning throughout its four day run.

As a result the company was awarded the Essex University Graduate Grant in order to take the show further and become a professional theatre company, which is where Shoddy Theatre was born.

PRESENT DAY

Since first becoming established Shoddy have sold out their runs at The Camden Fringe, New Normal Festival and a 2022 Spring Tour. Their first run at The Edinburgh Fringe in August 2022, caused a huge buzz around town and sold out for the majority of its run.

In 2022, Shoddy were also awarded arts council funding for their work in bringing theatre to low socio-economic areas in England. This is the one of the many ways Shoddy aim to make theatre accessible to all, regardless of their backgrounds.

In 2023, Shoddy received further funding to produce a UK tour of A Shoddy Detective which sold out for the majority of its run, providing the opportunity for Shoddy to cement itself as an emerging theatre company.