1998
Pursued by a Bear was formed by theatre director Stuart Mullins and RSC actor – Joseph Millson to produce the work of playwright Craig Baxter (resident writer from 1998 – 2004) who wrote The Animals (Dublin Theatre Festival), Monogamy (Riverside Studios) and The Ministry of Pleasure (Theatre 503) plus The White Canary – an educational project co-commissioned by Greenwich Council and The Antarctic Survey. UK tours won the company fine reviews and a following for new work.
Further commissions followed:
2003
Troy Andrew Fairclough’s – You don’ t Kiss (Oval House & UK Tour) – Wins the Newnham Best New Play Award.
2003/4
US Writer – Said Sayrafiezadah’s All Fall Away (Theatre 503), starring actor Tanya Franks in the central role of Samantha. Anna Reynold’s play Loved (schools workshop production)
2005
Hong Khaou’s Pieces of Me (Greenwich Ferrier Estate).
Pursued by a Bear moves from it’s London base to take up residency at Farnham Maltings at the invitation of AD Gavin Stride
2005/6
Alex Clifton joins PBAB as new Artistic Director directing the acclaimed Yorgjin Oxo: The Man by Thomas Crowe – a co-production with Theatre 503 and producing the SK8 Community production in Farnham
2006
Liz Landon joins the company to run Farnham Maltings Youth Theatre on behalf of Pursued by a Bear. She commissions playwrights David Lane and Samantha Ellis to each write a Play in a Week
The company receives its first Arts Council funding for organisational development and an educational tour of Arcadia by Odiri Ighamre-Aiken.
New Writing Theatre Director Helena Bell joins Pursued by a Bear as new Artistic Director with Writer/Film Maker Grant Watson as Associate Director for Film and Jo Turner as Administrator. Oladipo Agboluaje becomes Associate Playwright (whilst under commission to the company for a new play – For One Night Only).
2007
Rukhsana Ahmad commissioned to write Letting Go. PBAB is awarded first Arts Council research and development grant to develop a double bill of new plays by Agboluaje and Ahmad now titled – Footprints in the Sand and showcased at Reading South Street. Post show discussion with writer & political activist – Bonnie Greer and Jonathan Meth from Writernet
Grant Watson commissioned to write The Last Line of Defence – a multi-media co-production with Farnham Maltings. (Heritage Lottery funded)
Films in a Week (The Ghost of Ockford Ridge & Centigrade) made with young people from Ockford Ridge. Funded by Waverley Borough Council, Farnham Maltings & The Local Network Fund
Short Film – The North shown at The Farnham Festival
Life Writing Workshops produced at Reading South Street in association with Writernet. Script development, dramaturgy and workshops
2008
Footprints in the Sand (Oval House & UK Tour) in association with Farnham Maltings & Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud. Arts Council funded. Post show discussion ‘Border Language’ with Fiachra Gibbons – Guardian Arts Editor
Short Film – The Myth of Snowfall made with elderly residents of Waverley care homes ( MJ Hindley Trust & Concertina Trust funded)
2009
Fresh Tracks (New Writing Award for young, emerging talent in the South East). Writing workshops across Surrey plus dramaturgy and showcase for Six Awardees. (Awards for All & Waverley Borough Council funded)
Short Film – The Horse Killer (with support from South Hill Park, Bracknell)
2010
Fraser Grace commissioned to write Kalashnikov. Arts Council funded development period & showcase at Oxford Playhouse
Creative Partnerships & Screen South film commission – The Blood Run
Writing Workshops in East Sussex Schools
2011
Kalashnikov: in the Woods by the Lake (Theatre 503, London & South East tour) in association with BT Studio, Oxford Playhouse & The Mercury Theatre, Colchester. Arts Council funded
Writer Fraser Grace and Director Helena Bell awarded Arts Council funding for 5 day research trip to Russia
Satinder Chohan commissioned to write Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi – Arts Council funded development period & showcase at South Hill Park, Bracknell
Company invited to share work with delegates at Decibel showcase, Manchester, Caravan, Brighton Festival & The British Council showcase, Edinburgh
2012
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi (Arcola Theatre & UK tour) in co-production with Kali Theatre and in association with The Mercury Theatre, Colchester. Arts Council funded. Nominated for The National Lottery Awards
On Hungry Hill – Feature length film by Grant Watson (Heritage Lottery funded)
2014
Nessah Muthy commissioned to write Sundowning – Arts Council/Waverley Borough Council funded development period at Basingstoke Festival, followed by a rehearsed reading at The Arcola Theatre, London (Arcola Lab Award Winner)
One Among Millions – Two films commissioned by Surrey History Society following writing workshops in schools across the County (Heritage Lottery & Surrey County Council funded)
2015
Grant Watson commissioned to write The Lamellar Project – Arts Council funded development period at South Hill Park, Bracknell. An international co-production with US theatre company Tiny Dynamite and in association with Kent based environmental charity – The Bay Trust. Winner of an UPstream Award (a project using funds and expertise from SHPLive and Greenhouse).
Waverley Cares – Film commissioned by Waverley Borough Council to celebrate and promote the care sector across the borough.
ARCHIVE – Land and Sea – Song cycle by Nessah Muthy and Catherine Ireton working with participants living with dementia in Surrey. (Waverley Borough Council, National Lottery & Surrey Community Foundation funded).
2016
The Lamellar Project on UK Spring & Summer tour (Arcola Theatre, London, Unity, Liverpool & South East tour) with Tiny Dynamite, Philadelphia and in association with South Hill Park, Bracknell. Funded by Arts Council, England, seeded by Greenhouse, a Farnham Maltings initiative and supported by Calyx Films and The Bay Trust.
Helena Bell is appointed Artistic Director of Kali Theatre Company and leaves PBAB.
The Lamellar Project transfers to Philadelphia, USA in a new production led by Tiny Dynamite. The play is renamed Perfect Blue.
In the Autumn, Rosamunde Hutt is invited to become the new Artistic Director of Pursed by a Bear.
2018
The company begins a residency at Trestle in St Albans.
Foundry 2018 brings R&D of two new plays, Nothing on Earth by Anna Reynolds and The Wake by Afia Nkrumah.