Powerful passionate committed theatre that if seen widely enough may change hearts and minds. — The Guardian
- Theatre
- Film
- Installations
- Workshops
What we do
Mama Quilla is an award-winning woman-led performing arts company spotlighting human rights issues. It was founded by Kay Adshead and Lucinda Gane in 1999 to offer a female perspective on the big issues of the day. It also recognizes and seeks to combat the waste of resources and talent in female theatre practitioners over the age of 40.
Our first three major productions, The Bogus Woman, Bites, and Bones were all performed at the Bush Theatre and published by Oberon Books. All were subsequently produced internationally, The Bogus Woman (La Femme Fantôme) and Bones (Bones (Les Os)) by La Compagnie Yorick and Bites (Morsi/Bisse) by Teatrificio.
Actors who have worked with Mama Quilla include Noma Dumezweni, Sarah Niles, Ishia Bennison, Karena Fernandez, Chris Jarman, and Pauline Moran.
Democracy v. Donald J. Trump
Democracy v. Donald J. Trump will be a curated series of 11 short films to be made by new, emerging, and established filmmakers. The project will bring together personal, original and genre-bending responses to Donald Trump’s attack on democracy in America. The films will celebrate the diversity, urgency and legitimacy of protest, and will be released in June 2028 ahead of the Presidential election.
Curator Kay Adshead
Selected work
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012022The Pangolin ProjectAlexandra Palaceproductions→
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022018The Working Class ProjectBirmingham Rep; Broadway Theatre, Barking; Alexandra Palace, Haringey; Shop Front Theatre, Coventry; Saltaire; Coventry Market; Poundworld, Coventryproductions→
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032016Acts of DefianceTheatre503productions→
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042015The Singing StonesArcola Theatre, LondonproductionsMixed mediaTriad of plays→
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052012MatterBroadway Theatre, Barkingproductions→
Voices that are rarely heard.
Since the company’s earliest days, Mama Quilla has built a creative practice deeply rooted in community work — site-specific theatre and workshop performance that celebrates marginalised voices and explores their experience.
A long creative relationship with the Crossroads Women’s Centre, working alongside Women Against Rape (WAR), Legal Action for Women (LAW) and the All African Women’s Group, has informed many of the company’s most enduring productions and platform events.
“Mama Quilla has built its reputation tackling issues deemed thorny. In so doing, it has become an invaluable resource providing a voice for those who are rarely heard.” Cari Mitchell / Crossroads Women's Centre
Rapid-response theatre, mixed-media.
Launched in April 2011 by Kay Adshead and former students of the City Lit, the Mama Quilla Initiative operates as a pod inside the company — creating rapid-response theatre, original innovative mixed-media performance responding to the times and provoking debate.
Two epic productions a year.
Since 2007, Mama Quilla has worked in partnership with Barking College of Performing Arts, devising original epic productions from young people’s own experiences. Two productions a year, involving more than 50 students each, performed at The Broadway Theatre, Barking.
- Fringe First
- Manchester Evening News Best Fringe Performer
- Adelaide Best Play of Fringe
- Adelaide Fringe Sensation
- Susan Smith Blackburn finalist (×2)
- EMMA
“Powerful, passionate, committed piece of theatre that if seen widely enough may change hearts and minds.” The Guardian · on The Bogus Woman
“Political theatre is alive again.” Evening Standard
“This is political theatre at its best.” Scotland on Sunday
“A magnificent fantastical roar against a world in which half the population is excluded, ignored, derided, mistreated.” One World · on The Singing Stones