Emma Rice has announced that her acclaimed theatre company Wise Children will now be known as Emma Rice Company, marking a bold new chapter for the South-West-based organisation.
The company will continue its mission to produce ground-breaking work with exceptional artists, tour internationally, and deliver a comprehensive education and outreach programme from its home base, The Lucky Chance in Frome.
Emma Rice said, “The only certain thing in life is change, and change is what is happening! It is with a heady mix of pride and excitement that we are announcing our new company name, the Emma Rice Company.
“We haven’t taken this decision lightly as we’ve truly loved being Wise Children! I carry the book in my heart, and its spirit will always be at the centre of the company’s ethos and story. However, the need for change has become compelling and we are nothing if not brave and smart.
“We’ve been forced to admit that the name we love so much is not helping us communicate the kind of work we make. We cannot keep explaining to partners near and far that we are not a children’s company! We also have exciting plans to celebrate and remount some of my past work, from my glorious time at Kneehigh, and less glorious time at Shakespeare’s Globe. It’s time to join the dots, tell the big story and bring all these wonderful chapters together under the simple and authentic banner: Emma Rice Company. I couldn’t be prouder.”
As part of this exciting transformation, Emma Rice Company has announced a three-year partnership with Theatre Royal Bath titled The Director’s Cut. This collaboration will see the revival of some of Rice’s most iconic productions.
The season will begin with Malory Towers in May 2026, followed by Tristan & Yseult in September 2026. Additional programming will be revealed in the coming years.
Danny Moar, Director of Theatre Royal Bath, said, “It is an enormous privilege for Theatre Royal Bath and its audiences to collaborate with the Emma Rice Company in this way. We look forward to two great productions opening with us in 2026 with more to come in the years ahead.”
The Director’s Cut will also tour the UK through Emma Rice Company’s ‘slow tour’ network, a post-pandemic initiative promoting a slower, kinder way of working. Partners include York Theatre Royal, HOME Manchester, Belgrade Theatre, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Nottingham Playhouse, and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Following its premiere at Theatre Royal Bath, Malory Towers will tour ten UK venues. The production is supported by Arts Council England’s Incentivising Touring: Repayable Grants for Theatre and Dance scheme, receiving a share of over £2 million in its first round.
Also announced is a new adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, directed by Rice, which will run at The Lucky Chance from 25 November, continuing the company’s tradition of festive family theatre.
Internationally, Emma Rice Company’s adaptation of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest will open at The Old Globe in San Diego next July before embarking on a US tour.
More information can be found here
