About Unbound
Unbound is the award-winning company at the heart of storytelling in Buckinghamshire, operating under the mission statement ‘Tell Great Stories’ from its home at Queens Park Arts Centre. With work spanning theatre, audio, and film, Unbound has produced more than 200 unique projects since launching in 2014.
Overseen by creative producer Dario Knight, the company gives hundreds of actors, writers, directors, designers, technicians, stage crew, artists, and makers a platform to discover and develop their skills as storytellers, and provides affordable – often free – entertainment and inspiration to thousands of audience members every year.
Unbound’s Work
Unbound’s storytelling spans a wide range of genres and forms, with an emphasis on new writing. The company’s theatre work includes original one-act plays, contemporary classics,
Shakespeare (including the award-winning Buckinghamshire Shakespeare Festival), rehearsed readings, improvisation, and sketch comedy from the Unbound Sketchbook, who’ve performed at the Exeter and Camden Fringe festivals.
Community outreach work sees Unbound work on more than a dozen new projects each year that are created especially for local events and venues. Commissions include work for local authorities in Aylesbury, Dunstable, Harrow, and Buckinghamshire, venyes such as Waddesdon Manor, Ascott Estate, Wycombe Museum, and organisations such as the Buckinghamshire Archives and Library services.
Beyond the Stage
The company also works in audio and film. The Unbound Theatre Podcast features many different series, sleuthing sitcom Inspector Murder Inspects…, the award-winning Chronicles of Professor Chronomier and the epic ‘Sounds and Sweet Airs’ project, which is adapting the Complete Words of Shakespeare for audio. Films include feature-length lockdown project As You Skype It (nominated for a Charity Film Award), plus multiple filmed performances created in partnership with Fernando Productions and provided free-to-view online.
The ‘Unbound Storyteller’ programme brings together both established and aspiring performers, training them up to head out into the local community to provide bespoke storytelling experiences as part of live events and special occasions.
Supporting Local Talent
The company is dedicated to supporting creatives based in Buckinghamshire, providing opportunities for industry professionals and volunteers to work collaboratively on projects, share their knowledge and experience, and reach new audiences.
In 2022, the Rothschild Foundation awarded a three-year grant to support Unbound‘s programme and develop new flagship projects between 2023-2026. This has enabled the company to become an industry leader of job creation within Bucks, enabling local practitioners to find paid work in their home county, whilst maintaining a huge portfolio of volunteer-led projects.
One of Unbound’s key achievements is taking high-quality storytelling to new venues and audiences. By mixing traditional theatre performances with interactive and immersive storytelling techniques – often in non-theatre spaces – Unbound seeks to uncover, celebrate, and inspire local stories through high-quality, accessible productions. The company is in growing demand to create work for events and venues, with an increasing geographical reach each year.
For all the latest news and information about Unbound – including a wealth of free audio and video content – visit www.unboundtheatre.co.uk.