WE ARE ENSEMBLE ‘84

We make Theatre for, with and by the diverse communities of County Durham to share with audiences on a global stage. 

We have bold ambitions to form new perceptions, build knowledge and transform the creative landscape in County Durham together with the people and partners that live and work there.

Come with us on our journey - find out more as to how you can participate and join in with our work and see first hand the impact we can make together.

We are on a journey to change the way everyone sees, experiences and connects with theatre.

Learn more
OUR LATEST PRODUCTIONS

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We are seeking up to 5 individuals to join our company as performers!

Are you interested in theatre? Based in County Durham? Looking to develop your skills and join an award winning company? We would love you to apply.

This is a paid opportunity for you to develop your talents, collaborate on groundbreaking projects, and contribute to productions that resonate with both local and global audiences. By joining Ensemble ‘84, you will be part of a dynamic ensemble committed to creating bold new theatre for the 21st Century.

Open Call: Performers

Location - Auditions and training will take place at our new home, Our Lady, Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church in Horden.

Auditions: 4-6 February, 10am-8pm

Start Date: 16 February 2026

How to Apply - Fill in our online application form

Application Deadline: Monday 2nd February, 12pm

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This could be you! One week left to apply to join our company as a performer. We're looking for up to 5 individuals from County Durham to join our ensemble, with paid training and performance opportunities from February 2026 until July 2026. By joi
Open Call 📣 We are seeking up to 5 individuals to join our company as performers! Are you interested in theatre? Based in County Durham? Looking to develop your skills and become a professional performer? We would love you to apply. This is a paid
Merry Christmas from all of us at Ensemble '84! It's been an incredible year for us. Thank you for sharing it with us being part of our journey ❤️ We hope you have a lovely holiday season and look forward to seeing what 2026 brings!
The heritage, the history of Horden! Our latest production ‘Pits, People and Players’ was an ode to the place we call home, Horden - a pit-village steeped in history and a wealth of memories, testimonies, articles and songs to mark 125 ye
It wouldn’t be a highlights series without ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’! We welcomed so many of you to Horden Methodist Church in May for our debut production - a ground-breaking, international collaboration between Ensemble &l
From paid training to rehearsals! It was incredible to witness our cast and members of @isangoensemble under the same roof for our debut production, Mother Courage and Her Children. Our home was transformed into a living, breathing, rehearsal space
Before 2025 comes to an end, we thought we’d reflect on some of our highlights this year. This time last year, our paid training programme was in full swing! 14 talented individuals from across County Durham (now our wonderful cast!) were lear
WE WON! We are thrilled to have won all three of our shortlists at this year’s @ne_culture_awards! 🏆 Newcomer of the Year: Ensemble ‘84 🏆 Performance of the Year: Ensemble ‘84 and @isangoensemble - Mother Courage and Her Childr
We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for three categories at this year's North East Culture Awards! THE ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND AWARD - Ensemble '84 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Ensemble '84 PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR - Ensemble '84 a
The reviews are in for ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at @livetheatrenewcastle! Thank you for the kind words British Theatre Guide, @thereviewshub, @netheatreguide, @narcmagazine "A play that will resonate with today’s a
That’s a wrap! Thank you for joining us at @livetheatrenewcastle for Mother Courage and Her Children. Congratulations to our incredible cast, creative team and our @isangoensemble family involved in this production, for a triumphant run of per
A brilliant first night at @livetheatrenewcastle! Here are some beautiful photos by Keith Pattison. ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ continues TONIGHT until Saturday 1st November. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary production!

  • “One of Britain’s youngest and most interesting theatre companies.”

    — Mark Fisher, The Guardian

  • “A wondrous feat of theatrical alchemy”

    — Allan Radcliffe, The Times