Current Opportunities

Young Company Director

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Theatre Maker/Director to lead our Young Company, a dedicated ensemble for emerging artists aged 18–30. This role is at the heart of our mission to bridge the gap between training and the professional industry, providing young talent with the platform to hone their craft and engage in high-quality theatre making. The successful candidate will lead weekly sessions every Wednesday (7:30pm – 9:30pm) during term time, and following a handover with the Artistic Director, continue to oversee the development of a new production for our Tales from the Forge festival in May 2026, with a vision for future regional touring. We are looking for a facilitator who is passionate about artist development and possesses the technical skill to steer a project from initial rehearsals to a professional stage. 

Key Details 

• Contract Term: Mid March – July 2026 (with potential for extension). 

• Schedule: Weekly term time Wednesday evenings, plus additional rehearsals, administration and planning days, and performances as required by the project. 

• Fee: £2,120 (dependent on start date and finalised project scope). 

Personal Specification  

• A proven track record of mentoring, facilitating, or collaborating with early-career artists to develop their craft and professional practice. 

• Understanding of the logistical and creative challenges of touring to non-traditional venues, village halls, or studios with limited technical infrastructure. 

• Experience in ensemble-led theatre making, demonstrating an ability to build cohesive, high-functioning creative teams. 

• A non-hierarchical, generous creative style that prioritises the “collective voice” and empowers all collaborators in the room. 

To apply please send your CV with cover letter to Artistic Director Jo Billingham on jo@forestforegtheatre.co.uk by midday on Friday 13^th February 2026. If you would like an informal chat before applying, please feel free to get in touch.

‘Becoming Simone’ Creative Team Opportunities

Forest Forge are delighted to be supporting Becoming Simone, a brand-new three-hander comedy by writer Liz Garland, as part of our Creative Collaborations programme.

Becoming Simone follows Claire, a forty-something woman from Surrey who, despite her seemingly perfect life, feels disconnected from herself. On a whim, she leaves her marriage and comfortable home and travels to Hull, where she reinvents herself as Simone, a faux palm reader whose predictions prove uncannily accurate. Irreverent, heartfelt and comic, the play explores reinvention, identity and how we claim our lives back.

The production has undergone several development stages and is now entering a full rehearsal process across March and three-date pilot tour in April. The project is also supported by Mayflower Theatre, Wiltshire Creative, Stage Door Southampton and Hampshire Cultural Trust, and is funded by Arts Council England.

We have three opportunities available, so please see the individual callouts below.

Become a Trustee

We are always interested to hear from people with skills and experience that can support Forest Forge achieve its ambitions. Though we are not currently recruiting trustees, if you share our love of theatre, creating opportunities and our community, we would love to connect with you to begin forming relationships ahead of the next round of board expansion.

As a registered charity our board plays a key part in helping us to realise and deliver our strategic vision, supporting us to not only deliver work today but secure our future for the benefit of the people of the New Forest and surrounding region.

Please contact hello@forestforgetheatre.co.uk if you are interested in finding out more.