Wise Owl Theatre Company Ltd craft and create engaging theatre accessible for everyone. We bring storytelling to life, through a variety of performance mediums including puppetry, music, and dance.
We work with leading theatres across the UK, as well as delivering exciting and immersive performances on steam trains, in museums and historical sights.
Wise Owl is proud to be in partnership with highly regarded creative specialists, who’s skill brings these stories to life…
Jonathan Saville,
Director of Programming Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
With a keen interest in diverse performance art, Chris integrates puppetry, music, and dance to make stories accessible and entertaining for all. In 2015, he founded Wise Owl Theatre Company Ltd, dedicated to bringing storytelling to life through visually stimulating methods. Recognised for creating captivating performances, Chris has toured regularly at prestigious UK venues including: Curve Theatre Leicester, Birmingham REP, Cheltenham Everyman, Buxton Opera House, and Theatre Royal Nottingham.
Since 2018, Chris has served as Artistic Director for a series of large-scale immersive train ride productions, captivating audiences across the UK through innovative theatrical storytelling set aboard heritage steam railways. His productions at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Severn Valley Railway have redefined how live performance can engage families and audiences within unique, moving environments, combining theatrical design with the atmosphere of Britain’s historic railways.
Through these creative ventures, Chris has welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests on board immersive theatrical journeys that blend storytelling, music, and spectacle in unforgettable ways. His innovative approach continues to set new standards for live, site-specific performance in the UK.
Beyond his work in immersive theatre, Chris is deeply committed to using performance as an educational tool. He is currently collaborating with local authors and illustrators to develop original works that explore themes of environmental stewardship and animal conservation, inspiring young audiences to connect with the natural world through the arts. His dedication to both education and creativity underpins his mission to craft meaningful theatre that resonates with audiences of all ages.
Chloe trained in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. After graduating, she played the role of Heavenly Friend in the musical Carousel, Hope in Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter, as well as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other theatre credits include: Mating Game, The Fancy Man, The Titfield Thunderbolt and Rattle of a Simple Man.
Chloe recently returned to theatre after taking a break, for a number of years, to work as a behaviourist with rescue dogs. She has appeared regularly on Paul O’Grady’s: For the Love of Dogs and BBC’s The One Show where she spoke about responsible puppy ownership!
She is delighted to be part of the creative team and is very excited to transfer her coaching and management skills to the role of assistant producer.
Matthew works internationally as a Director, with a strong focus on puppetry, object manipulation and physical theatre. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama as an Actor, specialising in collaborative and devised theatre.
Alongside his professional directing career Matthew also teaches puppetry and movement internationally and has directed students in productions and projects from ArtsEd, East15 and the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama.
Credits include: The Woman Who Finally Got Inside Her Husband’s Brain (Omnibus Theatre); Holes (UK Tour); Skellig (Nottingham Playhouse); Treasure Island (Leicester Haymarket Theatre); Once on this Island (ArtsEd); Holes (Nottingham Playhouse); Babe The Sheep-Pig (Polka Theatre & National Tour); Dinner at the Twits (Les Enfants Terribles, The Vaults); The Witches (Dundee Rep); Adventures in Wonderland (Les Enfants Terribles, The Vaults); and The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Little Angel Theatre & The Old Vic).Associate/Assistant Credits include: War Horse (UK & International Tour 2019-2020); War Horse (UK Tour 2017-2018); Kiki’s Delivery Service (Southwark Playhouse); War Horse (UK, Ireland & South Africa 2013-2015); War Horse (Holland & Belgium tour 2014-2016); War Horse (Australia & New Zealand 2012-2013); War Horse (China 2016-2017); and Alice’s Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles, The Vaults).
Kevin is a designer of set and costumes for theatrical productions. He trained on the Motley Theatre Design Course and produces designs that are innovative and visually creative whilst being practical.
With well over 100 credits, his playful and intelligent designs have been seen in many theatres including in London and New York.
His work is varied and includes designs for Sir Alan Ayckbourn and designs for large community casts.
Mel Knott has worked as the choreographer for Wise Owl Theatre Company’s “The Polar Express” production since 2018.
Mel is currently a Lecturer in Community Dance Practice at De Montfort University and Associate Dance Artist at Curve. She teaches and choreographs dance in higher education, schools and within the youth and community dance sector, and leads Curve’s Young Dance Company.
Her credits include: Curve’s productions of Fiddler on the Roof (2018) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2017); and movement director on Made at Curve productions of Giraffes Can’t Dance (2019), Cat in the Hat(2018), Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine (2017), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (2016), Roald Dahl’s The Witches (2015/16).
In 2014 Mel worked alongside Nikolai Foster to create a large-scale community performance for Richard III reinterment at Leicester Cathedral.Prior to moving to the East Midlands, Mel enjoyed 12 years as the Director of Dance at The BRIT School in London.
David Coull is the Resident Production Manager for Wise Owl Theatre, as well as the company’s Lighting Designer for our theatre tours and immersive theatre productions. Based in Derbyshire and originally from Bedford, David moved to study Technical Theatre at the University of Derby in 2017. He graduated in 2020 with a first-class honours degree, training primarily at Derby Theatre, where he soon became part of the technical team. Starting as a Casual Technician and later promoted to full-time Lighting Technician in 2022, David has developed a strong specialism in lighting across multiple theatrical forms.
With experience as a Designer, Programmer, Operator and Production Electrician, David has worked on a wide variety of shows including in-house productions, touring theatre, plays, musicals and readings. Alongside his theatre work, he has also delivered lighting for music events, gigs and festivals, both independently and through his own business, Carpe Noctem.
David’s lighting programming credits include The Sinfonia (Leeds Playhouse, April 2024); Aladdin (New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, December 2023); Cinderella (Derby Theatre, December 2023); and Robin Hood (Derby Theatre, April 2023).
In 2018, David joined the opening team of the Bonus Arena, Hull, where he lit the first-ever performance in the 4,500-seat venue. He has also worked on numerous major UK festivals as stage crew, including Leeds Festival (2018 & 2019), Latitude Festival (2019) and Slam Dunk (2019).