About Us
Out of Kilter Theatre is a Manchester-based company.
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We’re interested in devising, developing, and performing new work as well as bringing our own approach and ideas to the production of published plays.
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Whether it’s the subject, or the style, or both, we aspire to make theatre that is strange, unusual, out of the ordinary, surreal, evocative, provocative, bold, and beautiful.
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We believe in theatre as a physical, intellectual, and emotional space of wonder, magic, and strangeness; a place where we can embark on new journeys, into other places in this world, or in other worlds, or inside ourselves.
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Our emphasis is on making theatre as performance rather than conventional narrative and we love to combine emotive, non-naturalistic, and naturalistic language with a strong emphasis on incorporating physicality/dance. We believe in the importance of collaboration as part of the development and rehearsal process and actively encourage performers to contribute their ideas in the rehearsal room so that they feel a sense of ownership of the work.
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As a company, we will be working with talent from the North-West region and will be offering valuable opportunities and experience to young people at the start of their careers in theatre and the performing arts.
Kerry Kawai
Actor, Director & Co-Founder
“I’ve been acting and directing for 20+ years in London, Manchester, and Tokyo, Japan. My work is a fusion of styles and Stanislavski and Uta Hagen are particular influences on my approach to the truth on stage. I have a background in dance and physical theatre and my approach also often employs the techniques of Kabuki theatre, Jaques Le Coq, and, more recently, Viewpoints.
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I’m a great believer in collaborative work and encourage actors and performers to offer up ideas within the rehearsal process”.
Mark Murphy
Producer, Writer & Co-Founder
“In 2006 I fulfilled a long-held ambition to study a masters degree in dramatic writing. In 2009 my play, ‘Out of Dead Air’ was performed at the 24:7 Theatre Festival in Manchester. Later that year I joined Incubate Writers on attachment to Bolton Octagon where I gained valuable experience as part of the writing team working on two of the theatre’s Christmas productions.
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After Incubate Writers I returned to working on new material and teamed up with Kerry in 2015.
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As a writer I value the influence of music, poetry and dance in the creation of new work just as much as watching and reading plays and performances. As a producer I’m a dogged developer of projects”.
