About The Clifford Company
Since September 2025, Exeter Northcott Theatre has been piloting its new Clifford Company programme for recent graduates and education leavers. Across the course of the last academic year, a group of four emerging artists have been supported to form a theatre company through weekly sessions and industry masterclasses.
Company Members
Ally Bradley
Issey Mathias
Verity Soley
Fran Harman
How did you get involved in the world of theatre, and what drew you to the stage?
My journey into the world of theatre started at the age of three, when my Mum signed me up for Ballet class. After my first dance show, performing on the Princess Theatre stage in Torquay, I completely fell in love with performing. From there, my passion for performance developed into acting in plays and musicals, which I continued until the age of 18. At this point I wanted to explore other roles within the theatre, which didn’t involve being the performer. I started to explore directing, teaching, and community theatre, all of which I have continued to be involved in to this day.
How was Clifford Company born, and how did you become a member?
As a collective, we met at the University of Exeter while studying BA Drama. During this time, we had the chance to work together multiple times and discovered how well we gel as a group. Each of us had unique skills which complimented one another beautifully, so we decided to work together after we graduated, which led us to Exeter Northcott’s Clifford Company programme.
What are you currently working on as a company, and what support are you receiving from the Northcott?
We are currently working on a verbatim project, which provides a platform for young people to share opinions and experiences of what it is like growing up in the coastal area of Torbay. After the workshops, we hope to create a show based around two teenage characters as they try and navigate life in Torbay. The young voices will be at the forefront of the script, in the hope that we make them feel seen and heard. We also hope to implement change so that young people receive better support and opportunities.
What do you hope to achieve within this company?
We hope to secure funding to continue our work with young people in Exeter and Torbay after we finish the Clifford Company programme. We would like to continue developing the project and tour the show to other coastal towns in the South West. We also want to create third spaces for young people to help them grow and develop, creatively and socially, helping them learn valuable life skills in a fun and safe environment.
What does Northcott’s support mean to your work and future ambitions?
The Northcott’s support means a great deal to us. We have been lucky enough to meet so many industry professionals and associates of the theatre, which have taught us so much. The opportunity to continue learning and developing as artists in such a supportive environment has made the jump from graduating to real life a lot easier and less stressful. We now also have relationships with different artists and experts, who we can contact if we need further support in the future.
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