"a shining example of what theatre is" British Theatre Guide

Pants on Fire is an international theatre company based in London, UK. We create original, dramatically dynamic, visually brilliant and widely accessible theatre. 

We focus on the ensemble, visual storytelling, energetic play and magical theatricality and irreverence. We want to thrill and inspire. Brimming with invention, our shows include live original music, masks, puppets, mime, clown, ingenious props and costumes, dance and film. Our devising processes are ensemble driven, utilising the abilities of the actor.

Pants on Fire create uniquely theatrical worlds that rely on the imagination of the spectator and form a synergy between performer and audience.

"constantly surprising and endlessly inventive" WhatsOnStage

Artstic Director: Peter Bramley

Peter Bramley is the Artistic Director of Pants on Fire. He founded the company in 2004 and has directed all of the company’s productions to date. He trained with Jacques Lecoq in Paris. Peter held the senior lecturer post of Head of Movement at Rose Bruford College for twelve years and has taught and directed productions at LAMDA, Central School of Speech and Drama and LIPA. His international workshops include Yale University in the U.S., the Moscow Arts Theatre School in Russia, DAMU Prague, and Institut del Teatre Barcelona, Spain. Peter has written several plays including Vicious (1997), Ovid’s Metamorphoses (2009 - Winner of the 2010 Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award and the WhatsOnStage.comn Editor’s Prize), The Fumidor (2011), an orginal adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio (2013) and an original stage adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (Liverpool Playhouse, 2019).

Company Director: Heather Winstanley

Originally from Devon, Heather moved to the bright lights of London to train as an actor at Rose Bruford College. After graduating in 2011, she performed in a number of roles across stage and screen including Pants on Fire productions; The Fumidor and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Having hung up her acting hat for the time being she now works as a broadcast agent for a leading talent management company whilst running Pants on Fire in her spare time (if such a thing exists). She loves being able to continue her relationship with the company whilst utilising her organisation skills and love of lists.

Associate Artist: Beth Lockhart

Beth graduated from Rose Bruford in 2014 and has performed in a number of shows with Pants on Fire. While she’s not acting, Beth co-runs AvatarJo, a via-video role-play company and is a freelance workshop facilitator. Thanks to her incredibly crafty mother, Beth has a particular flare for prop-making and costume fixing, which comes in rather handy. Beth is also an Artistic Associate of
Chaskis Theatre Company.

Patron: Michelle Dockery

"Pants on Fire is an extraordinary theatre company that takes story telling to another level, bringing together theatre, music, film and puppetry to create truly breathtaking productions. Pants on Fire creates the type of theatre that leaves you lost for words. I am proud to be a patron."

For OVID'S METAMORPHOSES
Winner The Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award 2010
Winner WhatsOnStage Editor's Prize 2010
Voted The Art Desk’s ‘Theatre Pick of the Year’ 2010
Nominated for  the MTM Award for Best New Musical 2010
Shortlisted for the NDSF Awards 2010
Commended for ‘Ensemble’ & ‘Movement’ NDSF Awards
Derek Award for Best Drama (Edinburgh Fringe) 2018
IKE Award for Outstanding Theatre (Vault Festival) 2019

For PINOCCHIO
Winner of the Mimetic Commission Prize 2013

For SPLICE
Winner of the Publikumspries (Public Voted Best Show) 2006, Arena Festival, Germany
Winner of the Co-Production Commission Prize 2006-7, Arena Festival, Germany

Pants on Fire is extremely grateful for the generosity it has received over the years, without which, the company may not have survived. Making work in the arts is a constant struggle for a small company like ours, and donations from the general public have been invaluable to us. If you are interested in donating to Pants on Fire to help fund our current projects, your help would be greatly appreciated.

You can email us at: heather@pantsonfiretheatre.com Or you can make a donation directly to our PayPal account by clicking on the 'Donate' button below

THANK YOU!