About us
4Front Theatre Company
4Front is a charity that aims to produce shows and performances that are entertaining and thought-provoking for people of all ages. Yet ultimately we exist to create theatre that puts faith at the 4Front.
Theatre
As a theatre company we perform in all sorts of theatre venues across the UK including at festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
One of our flagship theatrical productions is the inspiring true story of Elisabeth Elliot and the Operation Auca missionaries – ‘Reckless Abandon’.
We have also received fantastic 4 and 5 star reviews for our actor-musician show, ‘Fisherman’s Tail: LIVE' which has enjoyed 2 successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Church
4Front Theatre aims to use performance to serve the local church; providing full length shows, sketches and workshops suitable for a variety of age groups, for example, our comedy sketch show ‘So On & So 4th’.
We encourage Churches to work in partnership with local primary schools by hosting one of our productions for the school, or by sponsoring a show to go into school. We find this has a lasting impact on the relationship between Church and school and can often be a catalyst for an ongoing relationship.
School
4Front Theatre have combined experience working in primary and secondary schools for a number of years as theatre practitioners; workshop leaders; teaching assistants and singing teachers.
We are passionate about our work with children and creating high quality resources. As well as annual pan-tivity performances at Christmas (panto / nativity), we regularly tour our musical ‘Fisherman’s Tail’ about the life and miracles of Jesus. We’re pleased this was also accredited as a recommended resource for the Understanding Christianity RE syllabus for Primary schools.
Prison
4Front works alongside prisons, particularly through chaplaincy’s, to offer a performance and workshop engaging prisoners in themes of faith, freedom and forgiveness in our Beyond Bars project.
The team
Rob Holman
Artistic Director
About Rob
Originally a Lancashire lad, Rob has always had a passion and flair for performance. After years of am dram and work with a couple of theatre companies, Rob enrolled at Regents Theological College as the part of the founding year of its Performing Arts and Theology course.
It was at Regents that Rob found his love of music, even writing and staging a feature length original musical while he was there. As such most 4Front shows have a bit of music in them, with Rob writing original music and lyrics.
After graduating from Regents, Rob joined Riding Lights Theatre Company as part of their Roughshod community theatre team, working in schools, churches, prisons and other community venues up and down the UK, seeing the ways in which theatre affects people of all ages and from all walks of life.
Rob holds a masters in theology, and likes to accumulate skills and hobbies, including music, magic and circus skills. Yet in his spare time loves a good board game.
Nat Holman
Operations Director
About NatAbout Nat
Originally from Yorkshire, Natalie has loved performing arts since a very young age and has worked professionally with a variety of theatre and television companies over the years. The eldest of 4 girls, she got plenty of practice at bossing people around from an early age!
It was during their undergraduate studies that Nat & Rob met and, in Nat’s third year, got married, started 4Front and she still managed to graduate with a First Class degree in Applied Theology and Performing Arts BA (Hons)! Nat is passionate about combining faith with theatre to tell incredible, inspiring and thought-provoking stories in a fun and accessible way.
You are more likely to catch Nat via email or phone rather than on stage these days, as she runs the administrative and operational side of 4Front. Wherever she is, one thing is for sure, she’ll always have a cup of tea in hand!
We have a fantastic team of trustees who are:
Oliver Ward, John Drew, Steve Ford-Thomson, Natalie Holman, Bethan Newman and Barry Mason.
Testimonials
'The actors who took the roles of characters who knew Jesus were amazing! They told their stories about Jesus’ miracles in an engaging and entertaining way. We – children and adults alike, all could believe that they were actually there 2000 years ago. The children hung on to their every word and the interplay between cast and children was brilliant.'
L M de Vine, Head Teacher: Cookley Primary School
'Our emotions are stirred, our imaginations ignited, and our souls inspired in a way that even great preaching would struggle to match.
Pete Read, Vice Principle RTC'I would like to say that our class absolutely loved the experience! They were immediately engaged with the activities; I particularly enjoyed the idea of the 'time tunnel' that allowed the class to go back in time about 2000 years ago.
Birchen Coppice Primary school, Worcestershire
"We had a great time with 4 Front Theatre, they were very professional in everything leading up to, and putting on the production. Then, with the production itself, it was very well acted, engaging, funny, emotional, moving and very cleverly written, as it built, to a moment, at the finish, that had everybody on the edge of their seats!
Dan - Pastor at The Source Church, Malvern.'A full house attended 4Front Theatres Easter show 'Breaking Bread', great acting skills yet again, everyone enjoyed the Easter story told from a different point of view'
Garstang Free Methodist Church
'The children really enjoyed the show. It was a lovely way to emphasise the importance and centrality of Jesus at Christmas. Thanks for a great show!'
Mrs.Surral, Headteacher of St. James' CE Primary School, Malvern.