Est. 2005
Currently based in Birmingham, UK

We make theatre
and other stuff.

ABOUT US

“Thou Shalt Not Bore”
is our only commandment.

The Stuff
We Do

WORK WITH US

Theatre

Audio, Film & Digital

Exhibitions & Installations

Participation

Consultation & Facilitation

SEE ALL PROJECTS

“Brace yourselves: Little Earthquake is shaking up everything you thought a theatre trip was supposed to be like, and the results are seismically stunning.”

WhatsOnStage

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Inquiry
2027
FEATURED PROJECT
EXPLOREEXPLORE
Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour
2027
FEATURED PROJECT
EXPLOREEXPLORE
The Way I See It
2025
FEATURED PROJECT
EXPLOREEXPLORE

Newsroom

READ ALL

We Want To Hear From YOU! (If you’re aged 55 and over)
25 October 2026
I Can’t Exist / I Will Surely Miss / Your Tender Kiss
1 September 2026
A Real Slow Burner
1 July 2026

Philip Holyman

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

VISIT PHILIPHOLYMAN.COM

Gareth J. Nicholls

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Director & Facilitator

VISIT GARETHJNICHOLLS.COM

PRIVACY & DATA USAGE POLICY

We Want To Hear From YOU! (If you’re aged 55 and over)

25 October 2026

As part of Don’t Leave Me This Way, we’ve now launched our easy-to-complete online survey to help us hear from people aged 55 or over who play some part in the small-scale touring process.

We want to hear from those who make, appear in, or produce touring productions; those who present or promote touring productions; those who support touring productions; or those who attend touring productions as audiences.

If you’re aged 55 or over and would like to take part in our online survey — click here.

The survey will remain open until 5pm on Friday 30th April 2027. If anyone you know might be interested in taking part in the survey, please encourage them to do so before that date by sharing this link: www.surveyhero.com/c/DLMTW.

Every participant who completes and submits the survey will have the option to enter a prize draw with a chance to win £100 of Theatre Tokens, which can be accepted by 300+ theatres across the UK.

We’ll look forward to hearing from you soon!

Published On: 25 October 2026172 words0.9 min read

Don’t miss...

I Can’t Exist / I Will Surely Miss / Your Tender Kiss
1 September 2026
A Real Slow Burner
1 July 2026
The Way I See It Films Now Online
1 December 2025
Keeping It Under Wraps…
1 November 2025
The Way I See It Mobile Exhibition Tour Opens
13 October 2025
How Many People Can You Fit In A Hotel Bathroom?
10 September 2025

Little Earthquake exists to give people experiences that aren’t boring.

We always set out to entertain people — and entertainment comes in lots of different forms.

Often, we move people, amuse them, surprise them or even gently challenge them.

Sometimes, we give them new insights into the experiences of others — experiences they may know a lot, a little, or nothing at all about.

We like to transform their perceptions — of art, of themselves, and of the world around them.

Whatever we make and whoever we make it for, “Thou Shalt Not Bore” is our only commandment.

Our work is built on three core values:

INTERDISCIPLINARY

We assemble project teams which integrate different specialisms and expertise from within and beyond the cultural sector. This kind of close collaboration ensures we all make things happen together which none of us could achieve on our own.

INTERGENERATIONAL

We are a leading creator of work which brings together people of different ages. Their references and responses will be distinctly individual, but our communal experiences offer them something special that they can share, enjoy and reflect on together.

INTERSECTIONAL

We take great care to recognise and embrace the multiple dimensions of each person’s identity and lived experience, and to better understand how these factors shape the unique ways they view (and may be viewed by) the world around them.

The company produces the collaborative work of Philip Holyman and Gareth J. Nicholls — who are busy solo artists in their own right:

Philip Holyman

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

VISIT PHILIPHOLYMAN.COM

Gareth J. Nicholls

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Director & Facilitator

VISIT GARETHJNICHOLLS.COM

Work
With
Us

Work With Us

Theatre

Flagship commissions for venues and unconventional spaces
Small- and mid-scale urban and rural touring
Original plays — devised pieces — adaptations from other media

Audio, Film & Digital

Podcasts: fiction, non-fiction, and some that blur the boundaries
Web series — short films — enhanced cinema screenings
Using digital art and technology to tell human-centred stories

Exhibitions & Installations

Capturing, sharing and celebrating stories of real people and places
Interrogating moments and movements from history and today’s world
Bringing a touch of theatricality to the museum or gallery experience

Participation

Co-designed projects made in close collaboration with communities
University and drama school productions and teaching
Workshops, residencies and mentoring schemes

Consultation & Facilitation

Sector support initiatives, events and networks
Creative business support and training for artists and organisations
Festival, conference and showcase curation and delivery

Featured Projects

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Inquiry
2027
FEATURED PROJECT
A research inquiry capturing the experiences of older practitioners involved in small-scale touring, and a case study making recommendations for sector change which can better support those who want or need to keep working later in life.

EXPLORE
Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour
2027
FEATURED PROJECT
Ageing, love, sex, and relationships explored through a semi-improvised theatrical wake, complete with a buffet, and a karaoke machine pre-loaded with Thelma Houston’s greatest hit.

EXPLORE
The Way I See It
2025
FEATURED PROJECT
Seven short films inspired by Birmingham residents' take on the first year of the new Labour government.

EXPLORE
The Dog With Two Dads
2022
FEATURED PROJECT
A show with songs about two papas and a pooch, celebrating families of every shape and size, and being loved for exactly who you are.

EXPLORE
The Stolen Year
2021
FEATURED PROJECT
A theatrical audio installation in which twelve older people told their moving and funny stories of living through the Covid pandemic.

EXPLORE
Rocket Fuel
2019
FEATURED PROJECT
An immersive dining experience inspired by Neil Armstrong’s in-flight menu during his journey to the Moon.

EXPLORE
I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost
2018 — 2019
FEATURED PROJECT
A comic investigation into a childhood haunting where nothing is quite what it seems.

EXPLORE

Past Projects

2019

MoonFest

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

A cross-artform festival to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, curated to offer thought-provoking and entertaining ways to connect with, celebrate and interrogate this landmark event.

For nine special days, an eclectic mix of interdisciplinary performances, installations, screenings, exhibitions, gigs and workshops made Birmingham a place for looking back at a dramatic period in human endeavour and looking ahead at the future of our place in the universe. It offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to capture and commission local responses to this iconic global event.

In partnership with Midlands Arts Centre and University of Birmingham. Funded by Arts Council England and John Feeney Charitable Trust.

2015

The Boy Who Became A Beetle

With live music, a sprinkling of songs, riotous action and thrilling transformations, The Boy Who Became A Beetle was a funny, messy and moving new show for everyone who knows what it’s like to feel different.

For ages 5+ and their adults. Loosely based on Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Created in collaboration with 100 primary school children as part of Little Earthquake and Black Country Touring’s Young Producers project.

In partnership with Black Country Touring, with support from Arts Connect West Midlands and Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton. Funded by Arts Council England.

2022

Programming Consultancy — MAC

Leading on performances programme and strategy across theatre, dance, music, comedy and family work as the venue re-established itself and reconnected with audiences on site after the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

For Midlands Arts Centre.

2022

Nevertheless, We Persisted

“Equal rights for others doesn’t mean less rights for you. It isn’t pie.”

An exhibition inspired by and featuring cards, letters and messages of support sent to Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham from across the globe during protests around LGBTQ+ inclusive teaching.

Showcasing the gentle, eloquent force of the handwritten note as a powerful form of activism, the exhibition also explored 50 years of change and challenge in both legislation and social attitudes towards LGBTQ+ representation within education.

Commissioned by Midlands Arts Centre.

2022

How To Disappear Completely And Never Be Found

A fast-paced, cinematic and unsettling version of Fin Kennedy’s award-winning play. It takes more than a new identity to escape the reality of who you are inside.

Little Earthquake’s eighth production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2021

The Bluebeard Trilogy

Three contemporary responses to the Bluebeard myth, rehearsed and performed entirely via Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic. A group meet online to process the news that one of their mates is a serial killer in Caryl Churchill’s Bluebeard’s Friends. A panicked curator tries to wrangle the monstrous egos of conceptual artists in Philip Holyman’s Bluebeard’s Art Club. A frazzled director grapples with #MeToo and lack Country feminism in Philip Holyman’s Bluebeard’s On The Radio.

Little Earthquake’s seventh production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2021

Oedipus

Created, rehearsed and performed entirely via Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic, live TV news kept the cameras rolling in real time as the tragedy of Oedipus became eerily intertwined with the chaos of our own global crisis.

Little Earthquake’s sixth production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2020

Behind The Screams — Jurassic Park Edition

Behind The Screams lifted the lid on the making of Jurassic Park with an exclusive audio commentary from the movie’s scene-stealing scaly star: none other than T-Rex herself!

Available to stream whilst watching the movie at home during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, listeners were able to join our TALON-ted actor for the scandal-filled and tofu-fuelled story of how she stomped, chomped and romped her way to international fame through one of the most iconic roles in cinematic history.

In collaboration with Zoë Roberts.

2020

Culture Club

Co-leading the strategy for Culture Club at Midlands Arts Centre, a Baring Foundation-funded meeting ground for participants aged 70+ to explore different art forms and create their own work.

For Midlands Arts Centre as part of Celebrating Age.

2020 & 2021

Animal Farm

Two bites of the Orwell apple, one scuppered by Covid in Tech Week and one marking a defiant post-lockdown return to live performance. Same set, different ensemble, eighteen months apart.

A permanently timely tale of who and what is considered expendable as the Manor Farm pigs make their unstoppable shift to the far right.

Little Earthquake’s fifth production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2019

Moon Museum

Get six famous artists to make six new artworks. Shrink them onto a tiny ceramic tile. Sneak it onto a rocket and leave it on the Moon. The tiny Moon Museum smuggled onto Apollo 12 was the world’s first piece of Space Art. And it was time for history to repeat itself.

Community groups across the city collaborated with visual artist Deniz Sözen to create six brand new pieces of art inspired by the Moon landing — and we brought them together to create our very own Moon Museum for 2019.

As part of MoonFest. In collaboration with Deniz Sözen.

2019

Moon Memories

A social history project for Lunar Lovers and Loathers!

An interactive and immersive installation inspired by 1960s living rooms, the public’s recollections of the historic Apollo 11 mission, conspiracy theories and thoughts on the future of space exploration.

As part of MoonFest. In collaboration with Rochi Rampal.

2018

Grimm Tales Retold

Jacob and Wilhelm’s famous fairy stories get a Little Earthquake-over, with four new adaptations showing familiar characters in a dark new light.

Spiked with black humour and sprinkled with gore, these tales are decidedly Grimm and deliciously unexpected.

Little Earthquake’s fourth production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2018

DART: Developing Artists for Rural Touring

Co-developing and leading the inaugural Developing Artists for Rural Touring initiative for Live & Local, supporting and mentoring ten artists and companies to connect with the UK’s rural touring network.

For Live & Local.

2017

A Tale Of Two Chippies

An attempt to carve out a whole new sub-genre, the souvlaki Western. A saga of bitter rivalry between Greek and Turkish chip shop owners, exacerbated by a Bulgarian migrant playing both sides off against each other.

Audience members at the one and only sharing were treated to complimentary cones of Black Country orange chips.

Commissioned by Creative Black Country.

2017 – 2022

East Meets West

An artist-led development programme for the Midlands theatre sector.

Mobilising artists, companies, producers, programmers and venues from across the entire region, East Meets West reduced barriers and encouraged collaboration between and within the East and West Midlands, cementing the foundations of a more proactive, democratic and supportive community.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2016

Orlando

With the help of a band of biographers, Orlando re-tells, re-lives and re-edits their five-century search for the perfect partner and the perfect poem. A lively, witty and fast-paced version of Virginia Woolf’s gender-bending novel, adapted for the stage by Sarah Ruhl.

Little Earthquake’s third production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2016

Yamlet

The media thought it was an April Fool, but this project was absolutely no joke — a meditation on class and culture which translated sections of Hamlet into Black Country dialect before we filmed them on the mean streets of Cradley Heath, resulting in a web series which has received over 250,000 views.

2016

The Good Sisters

Friendships and family ties soon come under strain when a million Green Shield stamps and a limitless world of free prizes are at stake. A rowdy and raucous production of Michel Tremblay’s masterpiece Les Belles-Soeurs in a Northern dialect version by Noël Greig.

Little Earthquake’s second production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2015

Even The Ghost Is Lying

A promenade piece around the giant book rotunda of the Library of Birmingham. Guided by unreliable narrators, audiences were split into groups and led on a winding journey up and down travelators and along normally inaccessible balconies, perfect for telling a story of menace, marriage and murder.

Based on Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s stories which inspired Akira Kurosawa’s film Rashōmon.

Commissioned by Birmingham Literature Festival.

2015

The Bitter Tears Of Petra Von Kant

Marking the 70th anniversary of Fassbinder’s birth, home truths flowed faster than the gin and tonics in this classic melodrama from the boozed-up bisexual bad boy of German cinema, all set to a sizzling soundtrack of German kitsch pop classics.

Little Earthquake’s first production as Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2015 – 2022

Associate Theatre Company in Residence — University of Birmingham

For eight years, Little Earthquake was Associate Theatre Company in Residence at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts, working across many aspects of the BA (Hons) Drama & Theatre Arts course.

Work included: directing eight final-year productions; co-leading the Contemporary Practice module; re-developing and leading the Directing for Theatre module; creating and facilitating multiple workshops, including sessions on acting technique, devising, audition technique and improvisation.

For University of Birmingham’s Department of Drama & Theatre Arts.

2014 – 2015

Young Producers

Over one academic year, 100 pupils in five Black Country primary schools became Young Producers, working with Little Earthquake and Black Country Touring to create a brand-new piece of theatre for family audiences: The Boy Who Became A Beetle.

The Young Producers were involved in every element of the theatre-making process: from developing the show idea, through to recruiting the cast and creative team, contributing ideas for the design and music, and, finally, to hosting and promoting a performance in each of their own schools as part of its initial tour.

In partnership with Black Country Touring.

2012 – 2019

Visiting Tutors – Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Working with under-graduate and post-graduate students across several degree courses.

Work included: developing and leading Ensemble Practice, Improvisation, Storytelling, and Research Methodologies modules for the MA and MFA Acting courses; co-developing and co-leading the Collaborations Module for the BA Applied Performance course; co-developing and co-leading the Event Creation Module for the BA Stage Management course.

For Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

2013

Professor Harry Hackett and his Box of Treats

A theatrical treasure hunt — complete with clues hidden in bags of popcorn and candyfloss, and a secret coded message on a flock of Hook-A-Ducks — climaxing in an exclusive vaudeville show from Professor Harry Hackett and Miss Tuppence Change.

Commissioned by Birmingham REP and Flatpack.

2013 – 2014

The Tell-Tale Heart

Edgar Allan Poe’s story of murder in the dark transformed into a thrilling live Foley experience. Featuring a wordless and entirely bloodless eight-minute dismemberment sequence conjured up with mime, manipulated sound and a whole greengrocery’s worth of fruit and vegetables.

2012

It’s Only A Paper Moon

A fantastic voyage which spanned three continents, four hundred years and half a million miles. Mixing multimedia and multiple languages, It’s Only A Paper Moon entwined four stories about lunar landings and lycanthropy, the birth of cinema and the miracle of conception. The show offered new insights into the pock-marked sphere of stone hovering up in the night sky and a new appreciation of how extraordinary the world is down here.

2012

The Nocturnal House

For one day only, an ordinary shop window on an ordinary street was transformed into a mysterious twilight world. Hundreds of pedestrians pressed their noses to the glass and peeked at the shy and secretive creatures who emerged from the shadows for a disco each hour.

2012

The Three-Week Window Festival

Three weeks. One window. Limitless possibilities. An interactive festival for Birmingham’s busiest high street.

Every day for three weeks, a shop window was transformed by artists who presented an array of work designed to intrigue, attract and engage thousands of passers-by. The Festival featured theatre, dance, music, photography and visual art — and alongside the Birmingham contingent, our collaborators hailed from as far afield as Manchester, Lancaster, Sheffield… and even Brazil.

In collaboration with Tin Box. Commissioned by Point Blank and Make.Shift Studios.

2012

The Year Is Twenty-One

A 21st birthday party for a man coming of age to fulfil his diabolical destiny. Rosemary’s Baby repackaged as a cupcake-fuelled intervention, offering a chance for Andy and his audience to take charge of their own fate.

Commissioned by Pilot Nights.

2012 – 2014

Celluloid Adventures

A series of immersive film screenings for Flatpack: The Queen Ant Made Me Do It! (Empire of the Ants, directed by Bert I. Gordon); Operation Red Soup (The Witches, directed by Nicolas Roeg); Popcornocchio (Pinocchio, directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske); Bunny Games (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, directed by Robert Zemeckis).

Commissioned by Flatpack Projects.

2010

Guilty Feet Have Got No Rhythm

Celebrating the centenary of the first public radio broadcast, six actors brought Salome’s scandalous story to life in a pitch black auditorium, using Foley sound effects and the limitless power of the audience’s imagination.

Commissioned by Lichfield Festival. Funded by Arts Council England.

2009

The Houdini Exposure

Fuelled by guilt and grief, Harry launches a moral crusade which tears his friendships apart and sees death threats rain down on him from his enemies in this world — and in the world beyond.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2009

The Haunting

Leaving the safe confines of the theatre, we invited audiences into the dark, enveloping shadows of England’s reputedly haunted halls, houses and hotels. Heritage properties across the country hosted an unforgettable theatrical event, an evening quite unlike anything audiences had experienced before.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2009

Hit The Baby, Natasha!

A radical reimagining of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, told from Natasha’s perspective and populated with an ensemble of puppet and human actors.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2008 – 2010

Spines Will Tingle

An intimate evening of gentle chills and pleasing terrors from some acknowledged masters of the macabre.

2007

The Masque of the Red Death

A tense, claustrophobic thriller based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name. Whatever you do… don’t wear red.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2006

The Premature Burial

Obsessed by Edgar Allan Poe’s stories of untimely interment, our lonely hero lives in mounting terror of being buried alive. When his waking hours become a living nightmare, he resorts to increasingly desperate measures in his battle against a fate worse than death.

Funded by Arts Council England.

2005

Madman

Little Earthquake’s very first production — an inventive, highly-charged version of Nikolai Gogol’s gripping short story Diary of A Madman. Reason and order fall spectacularly apart when Poprishchin falls truly, deeply… and madly in love.

Funded by Arts Council England.

PRIVACY & DATA USAGE POLICY

Effective Date: 10th November 2025

1. INTRODUCTION

Little Earthquake is committed to protecting your personal information (often referred to as personal data). It’s your information, it’s personal, and we respect that. It is very important for us that we can maintain the trust and confidence of those who interact with us.

This policy gives you detailed information about the types of personal data we collect, when and why we collect it, as well as how we handle it and keep it secure.

If you have questions regarding your personal data and/or its use, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the details below. Depending on your enquiry, we may ask for you to prove your identity.

More information about Little Earthquake, including our contact details

Little Earthquake is known as the “data controller” of any personal data you share with us. A controller determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.

Little Earthquake is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 10168346).

Our correspondence address is:
Little Earthquake
Oakdale Centre
Umberslade Road
Selly Oak
Birmingham
B29 7RZ

You can also email us at epicentre [at] little-earthquake [dot] com, or send us a message using the contact form on our website located at here.

2. DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has applied in the UK and across the EU since May 2018. The regulation defines “personal data” as any information by which an individual can be identified. It goes on to state how that data should be handled. This policy also extends to personal data that is provided anonymously and/or is pseudonymised.

When we collect your personal data, GDPR requires that we:

Tell you who we are, why we are collecting the data, for how long we will hold the data, and who receives the data — this policy informs you of all these things;
Get clear consent from you before collecting the data and maintain a record of that consent;
Let you have access to the data we hold about you at your request, and allow you to take that data with you;
Have the ability to amend the data we hold about you at your request;
Have the ability to change the way we use your data at your request;
Have the ability to delete your data at your request (sometimes called ‘the right to be forgotten’);
Let you know if data breaches occur.

In addition, GDPR requires that your personal data shall be:

Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes — further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific/historical research, or statistical purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes;
Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed;
Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date — every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that inaccurate personal data is rectified or erased without delay;
Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than necessary;
Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing, and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate organisational and technical measures.

The data controller (in this case Little Earthquake) shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate, compliance with these principles.

For more information about GDPR, visit: www.eugdpr.org

3. WHEN AND HOW WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL DATA

Personal data we collect directly from you

Generally, we only collect your personal data when you choose to interact with us directly. At such times we may collect the data in a number of ways, including:

When you visit our website at www.little-earthquake.com;
When you interact with us on social media and other online platforms;
When you sign up to our mailing list to receive our regular newsletter, information and promotions about our work, and details about how you can support us;
When you send comments and messages to us via the contact forms on our website;
When you submit comments on our website blog posts;
When you purchase tickets for a Little Earthquake event and we are running the box office ourselves — this may be by using a third-party ticketing service such as Eventbrite;
When you contact us by email;
When you contact us by post;
When you speak to us over the telephone or communicate with us via text message;
When you apply for a position with Little Earthquake or send us unsolicited CVs;
When you apply to take part in one of our participatory activities;
When you enter competitions that we run;
When you fill out feedback forms about our work;
When you make financial donations in support of our work — this may be by using third-party donation and payment services such as Donorbox, Stripe, PayPal and Apple Pay;
When you make in-kind donations in support of our work;
When you attend one of our events or take part in a participatory activity and we are documenting it with photographs or by filming it.

Personal data we collect from third parties

As well as obtaining personal data directly from you, we may obtain information about you independently. Times when we do this include:

When you purchase tickets for a Little Earthquake event through a third-party venue/promoter via their online, telephone, app or in-person box office systems and they get your consent for you to be contacted by Little Earthquake;
When another organisation thinks that you will like our work and they get your consent for you to be contacted by Little Earthquake;
When we screen our database against recognised data hygiene files such as the National Change of Address file in order to rectify inaccurate data;
When we collect information found in places such as Companies House and information that has been published in other publicly available sources, including articles and newspapers;
When your personal settings or the privacy policies for the social media accounts and messaging services you use give us permission to access information from those accounts or services.

Within one month of your personal data being provided to us by a third party or collected from a publicly accessible source, we will contact you directly and tell you who shared it with us or from where we collected it. We will ask if you’re still happy for us to hold your personal data and if you aren’t, we will delete it securely with immediate effect.

4. THE TYPES OF PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT

The types of personal data we collect are listed below. Although it is not compulsory for you to provide all of the information listed, we may not be able to provide you with the full range of services that we have to offer, should you choose not to do so.

Personal data that can be used to identify you specifically

This may include:

Prefix/preferred title;
First name and last name;
Email address;
Contact telephone number;
Contact address;
Delivery address;
Billing address;
Payment card details — please note that Little Earthquake does not store any Credit Card or other payment information directly; this will be done by a specific payment or donation service such as Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay and DonorBox;
Date of birth;
Age;
Your image, including photographs and film.

If you are a student, we may also collect:

Name of college/university;
Area of college/university;
Course name;
Course faculty;
Course level;
Course end date.

Online usage data (including cookies)

When you visit our website, interact with us on social media and other online platforms, or click on links that we have posted, there are certain industry standards we follow that collect specific types of anonymous and/or pseudonymised data about you. This data cannot be used to identify you personally.

When you interact with us online, we may obtain your automatically populated Internet Protocol Address (more commonly known as an IP Address). This is a unique number which allows a computer or device to browse the internet. Your IP Address gets linked to all online activity you carry out, and a log file records the websites you visit (including the individual pages on a website), the date, time and duration of your visit, the referring website (if provided), your Internet browser type and version, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

IP Addresses, in and of themselves, do not collect, save or store any personally identifiable information about you and are only used for pseudonymised tracking. However, if you’re signed up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) — which is the way most of us get our Internet service — then your ISP can easily link your IP Address with your contact information. We can’t access this information through your ISP, however.

On our website, we use cookies. A cookie is a piece of information in the form of a very small text file that is placed on your hard drive. This tracks, saves and stores information about your interactions and usage of the website. This allows us, through our website’s server, to personalise your experience (such as remembering that you’ve visited before and loading any preferences you’ve set) and to make the site run more efficiently. Cookies do not collect, save or store any personally identifiable information.

Our website also uses tracking software provided by Google Analytics that utilises these cookies in order to monitor website visitors so we can better understand how they use it. Again, the tracking software does not collect, save or store any personally identifiable information. You can read Google’s privacy policy here.

Our website might tell other websites to issue cookies on our behalf (or vice versa) if we use referral programs, sponsored links or adverts. Such cookies are only used for conversion and referral tracking and typically expire after 30 days, though some may take longer. Again, these cookies do not collect, save or store any personally identifiable information.

Beyond the use of cookies specifically used for referral programs, sponsored links or adverts, we cannot be responsible for any personal data that third parties may gain about you when visiting their websites. We advise you to read the privacy policy for each website you visit.

Where applicable our website uses a cookie control system. This enables you to allow or disallow the use of cookies on your computer/device during your first visit to the website. Blocking cookies may impact the personalised experience and speed you get when accessing the website. You are advised that if you wish to deny the use of cookies, you should also take the necessary steps within your web browser’s security settings to block all cookies.

Our website and the social media platforms we use may include social sharing buttons which help users to share publicly accessible web content directly from one website/platform to other websites/platforms. This means that any information you post publicly could subsequently be shared by other users in other places on the Internet. Users who click on social sharing buttons should be aware that the social media platform linked to the share button may track your share request through your social media account.

Our website and social media accounts may shorten lengthy web addresses (and this is often done automatically by social networks). Services that shorten web addresses (such as bit.ly) may track the use of these shortened links and collect anonymous and pseudonymised data. This data includes the IP Address and physical location of devices accessing the shortened link, the time and date of each access, the referring websites or services, and information about the link being shared on other third-party services such as Twitter and Facebook.

In order to show you targeted advertising on social media and other third-party websites you use, we may share your pseudonymised data with third-party advertisers such as Facebook and Google. Only pseudonymised personal data and no personally identifiable information is shared during this process.

Monitoring forms and anonymous data

If you are applying for a position with Little Earthquake, applying to take part in one of our participatory activities, or attending one of our events, we may also ask you to complete an anonymous monitoring form. Completing an anonymous monitoring form isn’t compulsory and there will also be ‘prefer not to disclose’ options on the form. Your monitoring form will be detached immediately from any other information that could identify you specifically (such as your name and contact information) as soon as we receive it.

The information you provide on an anonymous monitoring form will not be used in any decision-making process in the case of recruitment and participation selection. We will ensure that no applicant receives less favourable treatment either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of age, race, disability, gender, marital status, class, religion or faith, sexual orientation or social-economic background. The information you provide will enable us to develop appropriate policies and strategies in respect of diversity and equal opportunities.

Through the anonymous monitoring form, we may collect information on:

Your age;
Your marital or civil partnership status;
How you would describe your gender;
How you would describe your sexual orientation;
How you would describe your nationality;
How you would describe yourself in relation to class and/or social-economic factors;
How you would describe your disability (as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act);
How you would describe your ethnic origin;
How you would describe your religion or belief.

References

If we are considering employing you in any capacity, we may solicit a reference about you from the referees you nominate on your application form.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

A DBS check helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevents unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including young people. For more information, visit the government’s DBS information page here.

If Little Earthquake offers you work, there are certain roles for which we would be legally obliged to run a DBS check about you. If you hold a current DBS certificate, we will ask to see it and will record the certificate number, along with your name, current address and date of birth. We will never take a photocopy or photograph of your certificate.

Young people’s privacy

Parent, carer or guardian consent must be provided when we collect personal data from anyone under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 13.

An exception to this is when we are working on a specific project involving young people and we need to collect and store data in order to carry out the project. In such circumstances each young person’s parent, carer or guardian will be informed of the data we need and the purposes for collecting it, before we ask for clear consent on behalf of the young person. Due care is given to the security of the young person’s data and it is immediately and securely deleted on the completion of the project.

Parent, carer or guardian consent will also be required for us to use photographs of a young person in the documentation of our work. We will never publish a photograph of a young person which is captioned with their name.

If you are a parent, carer or guardian of someone under the age of 16 and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us. If we became aware that we had inadvertently collected personal data from a young person without verification of parental/carer/guardian consent, we would take immediate steps to delete that data securely.

5. WHY WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL DATA AND HOW WE USE IT

It is necessary for us to collect personal data in order for us to fulfil important aspects of our day-to-day business and to provide the particular services you’ve requested in a personalised and conscientious manner.

More specifically, where we have your clear consent, we collect your personal data so that we can:

Send you information and promotions about our work, including our regular newsletters;
Send you details about the ways you can support us, including through financial and in-kind donations;
Send you patron care and support notifications, including order confirmations, reminders of upcoming events you’ve booked for, or letting you know about event changes that may affect your experience;
Reply to your direct correspondence, including comments on blog posts, social media platforms and feedback forms;
Administer and facilitate any special requirements you may have when interacting with us;
Fulfil your ticket requests, including delivery;
Fulfil your donation requests;
Process payments from you — please note that Little Earthquake does not store any Credit Card or other payment information once a transaction has been completed;
Process payments to you, including invoices, refunds and donations;
Monitor and analyse how you interact with us in person and online so we can understand our audiences’ needs better, and increase the quality, reach and impact of our work;
Administer recruitment processes for both employment and participatory activities;
Use the information you provide to develop appropriate policies and strategies in respect of diversity and equal opportunities;
Run competitions, inform you about the competition results and administer prize-giving;
Contact you to let you know if third parties shared your personal data with us and to check that you’re still happy for us to hold it — you will always have given clear consent to the third party sharing your details with us, but we want to make sure you’re still happy for that to happen;
Share your details with other specific third parties if you have given us clear consent to do so — these third parties will contact you to let you know how they collected your personal data and to check that you’re still happy for them to hold it — you will always be able to opt out of their communications by contacting them directly;
Document our work through photographs and film, and use this documentation to evaluate, promote and market our work.

Where we have justifiable reason (including a legal obligation and legitimate interest), we may use your personal data to:

Contact you if you are the parent, carer or guardian of a young person taking part in one of our projects in order to tell you about what the work entails and to get clear consent from you for your child to take part;
Solicit references about you from your nominated referees if we are considering employing you in any capacity;
Run a DBS check about you if we are employing you to work with vulnerable groups, including young people;
Keep our database accurate and relevant — this may include merging your personal data if it has been collected at different places and times, removing duplicate information, and checking against public records such as the National Change of Address file;
Undertake consumer research — we may contact you to ask you to participate either online, by telephone, or in person; you are under no obligation to participate in this research and should you provide any further personal data, we will inform you about how this data will be used;
Classifying our patrons into groups or segments, using personal data you have provided and publicly available information — these segments help us to understand our patrons better and ensure we’re sending relevant messages to each group;
Learn about your interests and preferences so that we can contact you with information that is relevant to you, including our marketing communications and adverts – this may involve using your details to show you targeted advertising on social media and other third-party websites you use. Only pseudonymised personal data, and no personally identifiable information is shared during this process. Please see the ‘when and how we collect your personal data’ section for more information.
Measure and understand how our audiences respond to a variety of marketing activity so we can ensure it remains effective, well-targeted, and relevant;
Help us run the test version of our website that we use internally to pilot new features and ensure the smooth running of our online services;
Detect and reduce fraud and credit risk.

6. SHARING YOUR PERSONAL DATA WITH THIRD PARTIES

Marketing purposes

We will never share, sell, rent or trade your personal information to any third parties for marketing purposes without your prior consent.

There may be times when we ask for your clear consent to share personal information with specific third parties who have collaborated with us or whose work we think you will like. These third parties will contact you to let you know how they collected your personal data and to check that you’re still happy for them to hold it. You will always be able to opt out of their communications by contacting them directly.

In order to show you targeted advertising on social media and other third-party websites you use, we may share your pseudonymised personal data with third-party advertisers. No personally identifiable information is shared during this process. Please see the ‘when and how we collect your personal data’ section for more information.

Data processors

Some of our third-party service providers may have access to your personal data in order to facilitate or perform services on our behalf. Good examples of this are payment and mailing list processing.

These service providers are often referred to as “data processors” as they are responsible for processing personal data on behalf of a data controller (in this case Little Earthquake). Sometimes it is necessary to provide these data processors with personal data that can identify you personally. All of the data processors we use have policies stating that they will not use your personal data for anything other than the clearly defined purpose relating to the service they are providing for us.

The data processors we use that we share this information with are:

Krystal: they host our main website servers, domain names and also create regular backups of our website. The servers are all UK-based and protected by top level security. Visit Krystal at: krystal.co.uk;
Mailchimp: they process our mailing list data and help us build our newsletters. Your mailing list subscription preferences are synced with Mailchimp so that we only send you non-administrative emails if you really want them. They are based in the USA, but hold a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Mailchimp at: mailchimp.com;
Eventbrite: when box office facilities aren’t provided by a venue we are visiting, we use Eventbrite to run box office for our events. They are based in the USA, but hold a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Eventbrite at: eventbrite.co.uk;
Quickbooks: we use Quickbooks to manage our financial obligations. They are based in the USA, but hold a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Quickbooks at: quickbooks.intuit.com;
Donorbox: we use Donorbox to collect one-off and regular financial donations through online donation forms and donation buttons (read their privacy policy here);
Stripe: we use Stripe as one of the options that donors can use to make one-off and regular financial donations through Donorbox. Stripe processes the payment details for the donation (read their privacy policy here);
PayPal: we use PaPpal as one of the options that donors can use to make one-off and regular financial donations through Donorbox. PayPal processes the payment details for the donation (read their privacy policy here);
Apple Pay: we use Apple Pay as one of the options that donors can use to make one-off and regular financial donations through Donorbox. Apple Pay processes the payment details for the donation (read their privacy policy here);
Wordfence: we use the Wordfence plugin on our main website to provide a security firewall and run preventative malware scans on our website’s database. In order to do that, it processes your IP Address, the referring website (if provided), your Internet browser type and version, and any unique device identifiers (these are all anonymised and pseudonymised). Wordfence’s servers are based in the USA, but they hold a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Wordfence at: wordfence.com;
Akismet: we use the Akismet plugin on our main website to stop spam being posted to the website. In order to do that, it processes your IP Address, the referring website (if provided), your Internet browser type and version, and any unique device identifiers (these are all anonymised and pseudonymised), as well as the information you post directly (such as your blog post comments). They are based in the USA, but hold a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Akimsmet at: akismet.com;
Google: we use Google Analytics to monitor website visitors so we can better understand how they use it. Google Analytics uses cookies to do this and does not collect, save or store any personally identifiable information. Google is based in the USA, but holds a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Google at: google.com;
Instagram: We use an Instagram account. You need an existing Instagram account to interact with us on Instagram. When you register for an Instagram account you will be asked to agree to their own terms, conditions and privacy policies. Instagram is based in the USA, but holds a privacy policy that is in line with GDPR as part of their binding corporate rules (see the ‘Transferring your data outside the European Economic Area’ section for more information). Visit Instagram at: instagram.com.

If we run a competition, we sometimes use a third party to administrate it. In order for them to do so, we will need to share with them the personal data you provide. We will make this clear at the point when you choose to enter the competition.

The other data processors we use have access to anonymous and pseudonymised personal data only. This includes data processors who help us to analyse how our website and social media profiles are used, and to serve targeted advertisements. No personally identifiable information is shared during this process. Please see the ‘when and how we collect your personal data’ section for more information.

Legal obligations

There may be times when we are legally obliged to share your personal data. Such circumstances include:

If required to do so by the ‘know your donor’ principles under charity law;
Via a court order;
When requested by the police or a regulatory or government authority investigating illegal activities;
To protect and defend the rights (including against legal liability) or property of Little Earthquake;
To prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with our services;
To protect the personal safety of users of our services or the public

7. HOW WE HANDLE AND PROTECT YOUR DATA

We strive to handle all of your personal data in an honest, transparent and conscientious manner. We are also committed to protecting your personal data from improper use.

Data security

We ensure that appropriate organisational and technical measures are taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of your personal data, and against accidental loss, destruction or damage.

This means that we have taken the time to implement the right physical and technical security, and have designed and organised our data security policies and procedures according to the nature of the personal data we hold and the harm that may result from a security breach.

We are clear about who is responsible for ensuring data security in our organisation and we back this up with staff training.

We are ready to respond to any breach of security swiftly and effectively.

How long we hold your data

We will review the personal data we hold on a regular basis and will only keep information for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this policy and to fulfil our legal obligations. The retention period of your personal data will vary according to the purpose for which the data has been collected.

When your personal data is no longer required it will be securely deleted. As soon as we become aware that any personal data is out-of-date and inaccurate, we will rectify or securely delete it.

If you ask us to stop sending direct marketing communications to you, we will keep the minimum amount of information (such as your name, address or email address) to ensure we adhere with such requests.

Transferring your data

The personal data you provide to us may be transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). By way of example, this may happen if any of the computer servers used to host Little Earthquake’s website are located in a country outside of the EEA. If we transfer your personal information outside of the EEA in this way, we will take all reasonably necessary steps to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this policy.

Web links and external sites

Little Earthquake is not responsible for the privacy policies, notices, practices or content of other organisations or websites, even if those websites are accessed using links or other prompts from Little Earthquake (including on our website and social media profiles). Although we only look to include quality, safe and relevant external links, we cannot be held liable for any damages, loss or implications caused by clicking on those links. We advise you to take all necessary precautions before clicking on any external links as you do so at your own risk.

Please remember that when you click on any external links, you are moving onto another site where their terms, conditions and policies will apply and which will differ from ours. You should read the privacy policy and other relevant notices of any websites you visit.

Publicly posted information, including social media posts

When interacting with us online (either on our website or through external social media platforms), users are also advised to do so with due care and caution in regard to their own personal privacy. The information you voluntarily post online is published publicly and you should be aware of the fact that publishing personally identifiable information on the Internet potentially puts you at a higher risk of identity theft. You can find more information about identity theft here: www.identitytheft.org.uk.

While we take technical steps to prevent the automated harvesting of email addresses, we cannot guard against manual collection by third parties of these email addresses or any other information you publish.

Little Earthquake encourages users wishing to discuss sensitive details to contact us through primary communication channels such as by telephone, email or contact forms rather than through publicly visible posts.

Interaction through external social media platforms on which Little Earthquake participates are subject to the terms and conditions as well as the privacy policies held with each social media platform respectively. You are advised to read the privacy policies and other relevant notices for these platforms.

Risk of data breach

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, no data transmission over the Internet or method of storage is 100% secure. We therefore cannot guarantee the security of any personal data which you disclose to us and so wish to draw your attention to the fact that you do so at your own risk.

In the extremely unlikely event of a data breach, we will attempt to notify all users immediately, outline the nature of the breach, the risks that the breach poses, and the precautions we have taken.

8. YOUR CHOICES

At any time you have the right to:

Ask to see the personal data we hold about you, and to take that data with you;
Ask to amend the data we hold about you;
Ask us to change how we use your personal data, including for marketing purposes;
Ask us to delete the personal data we hold about you.

To do so, please send a description of what you would like us to do with your personal data, together with proof of your identity, to the attention of Gareth Nicholls (Little Earthquake’s Co-Director) by email: epicentre [at] little-earthquake [dot] com

Every email we send to you will include details on how to change your email communication preferences or unsubscribe from future email communications.

You can instruct your browser to block all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. Blocking cookies may impact the personalised experience and speed you get when accessing our website.

If you are attending an event or taking part in a participatory activity which we are photographing or filming for documentation purposes, we will display signs telling you that this is happening. You have the right not to appear in any photographs or footage we capture and we have systems in place to respect that. The event signage will tell you who to speak to if you don’t want to appear in our documentation.

Should you wish to do so, you have the right to lodge a complaint with The Information Commissioner’s Office. Contact them via their website: www.ico.org.uk

9. UPDATES TO THIS POLICY & FURTHER INFORMATION

This privacy and data usage policy was updated on 10th November 2025. It may be updated in the future to take into account changes at Little Earthquake and the services we provide, or to reflect changes to regulation or legislation.

Updates to this policy will be posted on this page — please check back from time to time. Whenever we update the policy, we will also update the “effective date” at the top. We may also inform you of any changes where we hold an appropriate email address for you and/or display a prominent notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.

Further information on data protection regulations and laws can be found on the following websites:
The Information Commissioner’s Office: www.ico.org.uk
The General Data Protection Regulation: www.eugdpr.org
The Fundraising Regulator: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk

All The Latest From Team Quake

We Want To Hear From YOU! (If you’re aged 55 and over)
25 October 2026
I Can’t Exist / I Will Surely Miss / Your Tender Kiss
1 September 2026
A Real Slow Burner
1 July 2026
The Way I See It Films Now Online
1 December 2025
Keeping It Under Wraps…
1 November 2025
The Way I See It Mobile Exhibition Tour Opens
13 October 2025
How Many People Can You Fit In A Hotel Bathroom?
10 September 2025

Let’s keep in touch…

To discuss commissions, collaborations or consultancy — or if you want to contact us for any other reason — fill in the form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

We make theatre and other stuff.

“Thou Shalt Not Bore” is our only commandment.

The Stuff We Do

Theatre

Audio, Film & Digital

Exhibitions & Installations

Participation

Consultation & Facilitation

“Brace yourselves: Little Earthquake is shaking up everything you thought a theatre trip was supposed to be like, and the results are seismically stunning.”

WhatsOnStage

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Inquiry

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour

The Way I See It

Newsroom

Philip Holyman

Little Earthquake | Co-Director Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

Gareth J. Nicholls

Little Earthquake | Co-Director Freelance | Director & Facilitator

We Want To Hear From YOU! (If you’re aged 55 and over)

Don’t miss...

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Inquiry

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour

The Way I See It

The Dog With Two Dads

The Stolen Year

Rocket Fuel

I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost

Little Earthquake exists to give people experiences that aren’t boring.

Our work is built on three core values:

The company produces the collaborative work of Philip Holyman and Gareth J. Nicholls — who are busy solo artists in their own right:

Philip Holyman

Little Earthquake | Co-Director Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

Gareth J. Nicholls

Little Earthquake | Co-Director Freelance | Director & Facilitator

WorkWithUs

Work With Us

Theatre

Audio, Film & Digital

Exhibitions & Installations

Participation

Consultation & Facilitation

Featured Projects

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Inquiry

Don’t Leave Me This Way — The Tour

The Way I See It

The Dog With Two Dads

The Stolen Year

Rocket Fuel

I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost

Past Projects

2019

MoonFest

2015

The Boy Who Became A Beetle

2022

Programming Consultancy — MAC

2022

Nevertheless, We Persisted

2022

How To Disappear Completely And Never Be Found

2021

The Bluebeard Trilogy

2021

Oedipus

2020

Behind The Screams — Jurassic Park Edition

2020

Culture Club

2020 & 2021

Animal Farm

2019

Moon Museum

2019

Moon Memories

2018

Grimm Tales Retold

2018

DART: Developing Artists for Rural Touring

2017

A Tale Of Two Chippies

We make theatre
and other stuff.

“Thou Shalt Not Bore”
is our only commandment.

The Stuff
We Do

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Director & Facilitator

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Writer & Facilitator

Little Earthquake | Co-Director
Freelance | Director & Facilitator

Work
With
Us