spectrum drama - leaders in educational and museum drama since 1987
Spectrum Drama have been leaders in historic and contemporary drama for museums, schools, theatres and corporate events since 1987

See us at work

Spectrum can be seen today in leading venues around the UK. Recent clients include the BBC, Business Link Bedfordshire, the Discovery Channel, the British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, English Heritage, the National Trust, Linley Sambourne House, London's Transport Museum, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry,the Museum in Docklands, the Museum of London, the Natural History Museum, Ragged School Museum, Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Science Museum.

Call us on 020 7735 9220 and we'll be happy to help with your immediate requirements or future projects.

You can also email us  - just click  the link below:

mailto:enquiries@spectrumdrama.com

 

The team

Spectrum has been running for 23 years and currently includes a team of over 75 highly experienced actors plus researchers, writers,  costumiers, set and prop designers and makers and AV experts. 

Within the company we have actors, singers, dancers, musicians, mask, mime and circus performers.  Many of our actors are also qualified teachers.

Spectrum's two artistic directors are Richard Hodder and Suzanne Rayner who work alongside our Consultant -  Colin Uttley. The trio have been associated with Spectrum for over a decade and have a wealth of experience in both theatre and museums.

Mary Seacole Spectrum's Mary Seacole


Spectrum on tour

Throughout the year, Spectrum actors travel the length and breadth of the UK performing in museums, galleries, historic houses and theatres.

We have taken many of our performances overseas -  most recently to the United States, Sweden, Hungary and Japan.

Recently, one of our most popular scripts was performed in Australia as 'Push Harder Mr Jones' is seen at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

©The Science Museum

Autumn 2008 and Tom Crean appears at the Barrow Dock Museum as part of their Summer events programme

 


Some images of our actors at work

May 2008 and Spectrum actors promote the Culture 24 Routemaster bus for the London Museums Hub

© London Museums Hub

One of our circus performers in action


'Pieces of the Sun' - the story of Marie Curie

Mr Beaver encounters the White Witch in 'Tales from Narnia'
at the Imperial War Museum


Kate Hart, one of our versatile team, on the fixed trapeze!

Ada Lovelace beside Babbage's Difference Engine at the Science Museum



Every weekend between March and December, Spectrum actors can be found re-creating Victorian life at Linley Sambourne House in London's Kensington



Vi the 1940s Clippie at London's Transport Depot




Joe Brown - Greenwich Pensioner at the Old Royal Naval College




Mary Seacole tells her story at the Florence Nightingale Museum



Neptune at the National Maritime Museum!

Nanny of the Maroons  MofL Docklands






Ellen Craft as played by Julie Gamble



A Christmas Carol



Kitty Marion, our Suffragette character



Tales from Chaucer












   News

2010 projects include:


Throughout August the Leighton House Summer Drama School will provide an opportunity for young people between the ages of 14 and 19 to devise a performance piece and learn new skills under the guidance of Spectrum actors - part of the Cultural Olympiad!
 

To commemorate the centenary of Florence's death on August 13th, the Florence Nightingale Museum on the  South Bank is launching an audio tour that will take listeners through the heart of Mayfair and the locations in London which mark the significant events that took place throughout Florence’s remarkable life.  See our Multimedia page for more information.

 

Also in August Spectrum actors will take on the roles of Landgirls and Farmers at 'The Wartime Farm' in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum.  We will be joined on the farm by guest animal actors from Surrey Docks City Farm!
 
 
We are delighted to be working with the Museum of the Order of St. John in the City - our projects there will launch when the newly re-furbished museum opens in Autumn 2010:
 
 
'DNA Database - What's the Story?' is a new multi-media drama performance and podcast for the Science Museum Wellcome Wing.  It was commissioned to tie in with the re-opening of the 'Who Am I?' galleries and will be available for school groups from September 2010

Tariq Bhatti and Julie Gamble play investigative reporters Ronnie Merlot and Barbara Ballast who front the show!

In June and July we worked with the Royal Society as part of their Summer of Science programme at the Southbank Centre: http://www.royalsociety.org/summer-of-science

Leighton House re-opened in Spring 2010 after refurbishment and Spectrum actors can be seen fronting the Ipod guided tour of the house

Hans Sloane performed at The Old Operating Theatre at London Bridge in February

Museum of London lower galleries open and Spectrum actors inhabit the new performance spaces with characters old and new - a Victorian Spice Seller, a Street Photographer and Mary Seacole to name but three!

The Florence Nightingale Museum re-opened in May 2010 - Florence is now back at home again to celebrate the centenary of her death! 

A new Tudor character and education session launched at the Old Royal Naval College in early 2010

Madame de Pompadour's new French performance piece can be booked by school groups at the Wallace Collection

Here is a small selection of our projects in 2009:

December 2009 - Charles Dickens at Tower Bridge!


Hayward Morse and Richard Hodder played Charles Dickens throughout December 2009

http://www.towerbridge.org.uk


In November 2009, CHANGE OF HEART - our show about the past, present and future of the heart - developed and written by Clive Greenwood in conjunction with the Royal College of Pathologists, toured Science Centres throughout the UK during National Pathology Week. 


Julie Gamble and Clive Greenwood in 'Change of Heart'


Fighting Your Corner

A New Play by Ben Livingstone

Directed by Suzanne Rayner

Premieres at the Charles Grace Theatre, Shrivenham, Wiltshire at the end of September

Tariq Bhatti and Faud Conroy in rehearsal


If The Bombers Should Come

Spectrum actors were in role at this summer event for the whole family at the Imperial War Museum between 22nd and 30th August

http://london.iwm.org.uk/server/show/conEvent.3011



Spectrum actor Clive Greenwood was seen as Dr Gripenerve the Quack as part of the Quacks and Cures event at the Wellcome Collection on Friday 10th July.  This event, curated by Alex Julyan, was so popular it will be repeated in 2010 - watch this space for more details!


As part of the Science Museum's Centenary celebrations, Spectrum has developed a new gallery character and performance piece - the story of Rosalind Franklin - exploring her role in the discovery of the structure of DNA.  The role premiered at the end of June.


STOP PRESS!  Lost in the Field of Blackbirds, our play about the Balkans War of the 1990s, can now be seen on You Tube.

Click on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/kingsinlondon



From 26th March, a Spectrum actor in role as Charles Darwin can be seen at his former home, Down House in Kent.

In association with the English Heritage site, schools and other groups will be able to talk to the man himself and find out about his trip on the Beagle, his family, worms, beetles and his 'Big Idea'!

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19529


  

Linley Sambourne House Video Project now online!

Click on the link below to see Spectrum actors bringing this  wonderful house to life:

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/linleysambournehouse/general/default.asp


Spectrum actors can be regularly seen performing and acting as comperes for events at the Dana Centre, South Kensington - click the link for more information

http://danacentre.org.uk


Darwin at the Zoo!

For half term only, 14th - 22nd February 2009, visitors had the chance to follow a Spectrum actor in role as Charles Darwin, as he toured the Zoo and talked through some of the key aspects of his work.

http://zsl.org


There Be Treasure!

An exciting venture with The National Maritime Museum which gives children a chance to see and hold rare artefacts from events in the past. Discover what the real pirates were like from their own diaries or witness the struggles of the people who forged the North West Passage and went with Shackleton to the Antarctic. As well as looking at the documentary evidence, the children then meet a real pirate or Tom Crean who served with 'The Boss' on the Trans Antarctic Expedition.

http://nmm.ac.uk

Other recent projects have included:

Remembrance 90


The BBC marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the World War One with a series of specially commissioned television and radio programmes,free local events and online and mobile content.

Spectrum actors appeared in role as characters from WW1 at the Imperial War Museum on  November 8th for a day filled with activities for all the family.  Two new WW1 roles joined our repertoire - a Munitions Worker and a soldier from the West Indies Regiment.

WW1 Munitions Worker by the 'Ole Bill bus

Yugoslavia - Lost in the Field of Blackbirds


This powerful performance piece has been produced in conjunction with King's College Archives and toured between September and December 2008.  It can now be seen on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/kingsinlondon

Supported by The Big Lottery Fund and MLA London

       


Annie Darwin

Favourite daughter of Charles, Annie tragically died at only 10 years old but you can hear her story in this drama piece incorporating a life-size puppet.

©NHM

From October 2008 at the Natural History Museum

http://www.nhm.ac.uk


Sir Richard Wallace

Meet Sir Richard Wallace and join him on a tour of the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square.

From October 2008

http://www.wallacecollection.org


Ruth Belville

Find our about the history of time from
our new character at the Royal
Observatory Greenwich

http://www.nmm.ac.uk


'Flo on the Road'

Our fabulous Florence Nightingale can still be found 5 days a week during term-time at the Florence Nightingale Museum but she has become so popular that she can now come to your school or college too!  Please contact Katie at the Florence Nightingale Museum for more details of how to book a visit from the great lady herself:

http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

Actress Julie Gamble as Flo!


Other news

'Victorian Delights'


Join our actors for an entertaining evening of songs, stories and a demonstration of an original Magic Lantern and an Edison phonograph.

Call or e-mail the Spectrum office if you would like to book us for your special event.



Our film of 'Runaways - Africa Stories' a Spectrum/Spacedog Production for Lambeth Archives has won an Archives Landmark Award - congratulations to writer Gabrielle Bourn, actor Willan Shombe and all the creative team!

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Spectrum are delighted to be the resident theatre company at London's Transport Museum which re-opened after major re-furbishment in November 2007

London's Transport Museum

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Our wartime Wizard of Oz played to crowds of families in December 2007

Imperial War Museum

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Spectrum actors performed at the Manchester International Festival as part of THE GREAT INDOORS. They collaborated with the University of Salford to present 'Beautiful Music, Horrible Sounds'

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