mission

We’re an award-winning British theatre company that stage stories about the here and now.

We collide new writing, choreography and genre in unexpected ways to create thrilling nights at the theatre.

We develop our projects through in-depth primary research and create collaboratively in spaces that are welcoming and playful.

We offer learning opportunities with a focus on inspiring and empowering those who feel theatre is not for them.

APPROACH

Our investigative devised projects involve extensive primary research and a wide range of collaborators.

With commissions we provoke writers to create thrilling new plays and adventurous adaptations.

Through rapid response we stage our most immediate, debate-stirring work and forge new artistic relationships.

We amass and share research through workshops, discussions and broadcast to encourage conversation.

Our education programme empowers people to make theatre of their own using our practice.

HISTORY

Squint was founded at the University Of Reading in 2009 by Artistic Director, Andrew Whyment, with an Edinburgh Festival Fringe production of Bryony Lavery’s Frozen.

We’ve been producing new work since 2011.

Today we’re London-based, but we work internationally.

Team

Featured

Andrew Whyment | Artistic Director

Andrew is a Director and Facilitator.

When he’s not in a rehearsal room you’ll probably find him watching an indie film, cooking for friends or running around an East London park.

@whymeand
awhyment@squinttheatre.com

Lee Anderson | Literary Associate

Lee is a Writer and Dramaturg.

When he isn't writing plays, he's banging on about something he's read in an overexcited patter, watching horror films or debating the best nineties hip-hop album.

@leeanderson_88

Adam Foster | Artistic Associate

Adam is a Writer and Theatre Maker based in Margate.

He strives to make theatre as compelling as a last-minute goal or a late flurry of wickets.

@adzyfoster

Claire Gilbert | Associate Producer

Claire is a Producer based in Chelmsford.

She works internationally with companies including Cardboard Citizens, BEZNA Theatre and Out Of The Forest Theatre. She’s an avid champion of new writing, libraries and white wine spritzers.

@_clairegilbert_
producer@squinttheatre.com

Kane Husbands | Associate Artist

Kane is a Director and Facilitator who specialises in movement and choreography.

He’s Artistic Director of The PappyShow, where his practice is focused on movement, physical theatre and training, with an emphasis on play and a physical, therapeutic approach to making work.

@kane_husbands

Louise Roberts | Education Associate

Louise is a Drama Teacher and Facilitator currently working at a secondary school in South London.

She’s passionate about empowering young people to tell stories through their own unique voices and honing their communication skills both on and off stage.

@louise_eroberts

Ash J Woodward | Associate Artist

Ash is a Video & Projection Designer.

He has designed and animated content for large scale shows on the West End and Broadway as well as for live music, museums, opera, dance and smaller theatre performances all over the world.

@ashjwoodward

Sid Sagar | Workshops Facilitator

Sid is an Actor, Writer and Facilitator.

When he's not acting, writing or facilitating, he nurtures his productivity by deleting social media apps on his phone and immediately logging onto them on his laptop.

@sid__sagar

Partners

POLICIES

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

PURPOSE

Squint is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our staff, participants and audiences, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

We aim for our staff to be representative of all sections of society, and for each individual to feel respected and able to give their best.

We strive to:

Provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment.
Not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of:
- Age.
- Disability.
- Gender.
- Marriage or civil partnership.
- Pregnancy and maternity.
- Race.
- Religion or belief.
- Sex.
- Sexual orientation.
Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination including in:
- Pay and benefits.
- Terms and conditions of employment.
- Dealing with grievances and discipline.
- Dismissal.
- Redundancy.
- Leave for parents.
- Requests for flexible working.
- Selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities.

COMMITMENTS

We are committed to:

Encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Creating a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.
- This commitment includes training staff about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.
- Responsibilities include staff conducting themselves to help Squint provide equal opportunities, and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination.
- All staff should understand they, as well as Squint, can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, against fellow staff, customers, suppliers and the public.
Taking seriously complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination by fellow staff, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of Squint’s activities.
- Such acts are dealt with as misconduct and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice.
- Further, sexual harassment may amount to both an employment rights matter and a criminal matter, such as in sexual assault allegations. In addition, harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 – which is not limited to circumstances where harassment relates to a protected characteristic – is a criminal offence.
Making opportunities for training, development and progress available to all staff, helping and encouraging them to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised.
Making decisions concerning staff being based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
Reviewing employment practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness, and also update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law.
Monitoring the make-up of staff regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.
- Monitoring will also include assessing how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action plan, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, and considering and taking action to address any issues.

COMPLAINTS

If you think you have been a victim of any form of discrimination, victimisation, harassment or bullying whilst engaged with Squint and would like to make a complaint, please contact Artistic Director Andrew Whyment here or Associate Producer Claire Gilbert here.

PRIVACY

PURPOSE

Squint is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses the personal data of staff and to meeting our data protection obligations. This policy sets out Squint's commitment to data protection, and individual rights and obligations in relation to personal data.

This policy applies to the personal data of job applicants, staff (employees, freelancers, associates) and former staff, referred to as HR-related personal data. This policy does not apply to the personal data of clients or other personal data processed for business purposes.

DEFINITIONS

"Personal data" is any information that relates to an individual who can be identified from that information. Processing is any use that is made of data, including collecting, storing, amending, disclosing or destroying it.

"Special categories of personal data" means information about an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health, sex life or sexual orientation and biometric data.

"Criminal records data" means information about an individual's criminal convictions and offences, and information relating to criminal allegations and proceedings.

DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

Squint processes HR-related personal data in accordance with the following data protection principles:

Squint processes personal data lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner.

Squint collects personal data only for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes.
Squint processes personal data only where it is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes of processing.
Squint keeps accurate personal data and takes all reasonable steps to ensure that inaccurate personal data is rectified or deleted without delay.
Squint keeps personal data only for the period necessary for processing.
Squint adopts appropriate measures to make sure that personal data is secure, and protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing, and accidental loss, destruction or damage.

Squint tells individuals the reasons for processing their personal data, how it uses such data and the legal basis for processing in its privacy notices. It will not process personal data of individuals for other reasons.

Where Squint processes special categories of personal data or criminal records data to perform obligations or to exercise rights in employment law, this is done in accordance with Squint will update HR-related personal data promptly if an individual advises that information has changed or is inaccurate.

Squint keeps a record of its processing activities in respect of HR-related personal data in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

As a data subject, individuals have a number of rights in relation to their personal data.

Individuals have the right to make a subject access request. If an individual makes a subject access request, Squint will tell:

Whether or not data is processed and if so why, the categories of personal data concerned and the source of the data if it is not collected from the individual.
To whom data is or may be disclosed, including to recipients located outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and the safeguards that apply to such transfers.
For how long personal data is stored (or how that period is decided).

Rights to rectification or erasure of data, or to restrict or object to processing.
Right to complain to the Information Commissioner if the individual thinks Squint has failed to comply with their data protection rights.
Whether or not Squint carries out automated decision-making and the logic involved in any such decision-making.

Squint will also provide the individual with a copy of the personal data undergoing processing. This will normally be in electronic form. In some cases, Squint may need to ask for proof of identification before the request can be processed. Squint will inform the individual if it needs to verify identity and the documents it requires.

Squint will normally respond to a request within a period of one month from the date it is received. In some cases, such as where Squint processes large amounts of the individual's data, it may respond within three months of the date the request is received. Squint will write to the individual within one month of receiving the original request to tell if this is the case.

If a subject access request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, Squint is not obliged to comply with it. If an individual submits a request that is unfounded or excessive, Squint will notify that this is the case and it will respond to it.

Individuals have a number of other rights in relation to their personal data. They can require Squint to:

Rectify inaccurate data.
Stop processing or erase data that is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing.
Stop processing or erase data if the individual's interests override Squint's legitimate grounds for processing data (where Squint relies on its legitimate interests as a reason for processing data).
Stop processing or erase data if processing is unlawful.
Stop processing data for a period if data is inaccurate or if there is a dispute about whether or not the individual's interests override Squint's legitimate grounds for processing data.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Individuals are responsible for helping Squint keep their personal data up to date. Individuals should let Squint know if data provided to Squint changes, for example if an individual moves house or changes bank details.

Individuals who have access to personal data are required:

To access only data that they have authority to access and only for authorised purposes.
Not to disclose data except to individuals (whether inside or outside Squint) who have appropriate authorisation.
To keep data secure (for example by complying with rules on access to premises, computer access, including password protection, and secure file storage and destruction).
Not to remove personal data, or devices containing or that can be used to access personal data, from Squint's premises without adopting appropriate security measures (such as encryption or password protection) to secure the data and the device.
Not to store personal data on local drives or on personal devices that are not used for work purposes.

TRAINING

Individuals whose roles require regular access to personal data, or who are responsible for implementing this policy or responding to subject access requests under this policy, will receive additional training where necessary to help them understand their duties and how to comply with them.

REQUESTS

Squint has appointed Artistic Director Andrew Whyment as the person with responsibility for data protection compliance within Squint. To ask Squint to take any of the steps detailed above, please send your request here.

RECRUITMENT

Squint takes promoting the equality of opportunity seriously and is committed to building diverse teams.

Squint recognises the positive value of diversity and inclusion, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates, differently-abled people, trans and non-binary individuals and those from low-income backgrounds.

We aim to create a culture of inclusion where everyone feels seen and heard and can be themselves. Regardless of your background, all we ask is that you have the skills and experience required and the desire to do the best you can. In return, we pledge to ensure that our selection process is both transparent and fair and that we’ll do everything we can to help you succeed.

We welcome talented candidates from diverse and neurodiverse groups as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We make disability-related adjustments to the recruitment process and during employment where necessary and possible.

We value long-term creative relationships but make a point of identifying a portion of acting and creative roles on each of our projects which can be opened up to people we have never worked with before. We advertise these roles widely and meet with as many candidates as resources permit.

SAFEGUARDING

Our safeguarding policy is available here.