About The Six Twenty — The Six Twenty

Theatre shouldn’t begin when the curtain rises or end when it falls. It should start the moment you arrive and stay with you long after.

ABOUT US

The Six Twenty is a theatre company creating immersive, live experiences you step inside. We make theatre that’s designed to be experienced together.

Based in Newcastle (UK), we create work for theatres, streets, community spaces and unexpected places.

The Six Twenty is led by Artistic Director Melanie Rashbrooke, a theatre-maker and director based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Each project brings together a different mix of collaborators, from performers and musicians to writers, designers and community participants, building a team around the story we want to tell.
The Six Twenty grew from a love of stories and the feeling of sharing them together.
At its heart, theatre is a live, social experience.

People gathering in a space, a street, a moment, reacting and discovering something together in real time.
That spirit runs through everything we make.
Some of our work happens in theatres.
Some of it unfolds in streets, public spaces and unexpected places.
Sometimes you watch.
Sometimes you take part.
But the aim is always the same:
to bring people together through story.
Our work ranges from theatre productions and immersive experiences to participatory projects created with communities.
We bring different forms together. Theatre, music, audio, games and live performance often sit side by side in our work.
The result is storytelling that feels playful, welcoming and a little unexpected.
Our projects have toured to theatres, festivals and public spaces across the UK.
Collaboration sits at the heart of The Six Twenty.
We work with artists, venues, organisations and communities to create new work together. Many of our projects are co-created with participants of different ages and backgrounds, bringing lived experience directly into the creative process.
We believe theatre can happen anywhere. From theatre stages to city streets and digital spaces, every project begins by asking what kind of space and experience the story needs.

You don’t just watch. You’re part of it.

THE IDEA

We believe theatre is at its best when it brings people together.

Not just sitting in the same room, but sharing something.
Reacting. Laughing. Feeling it at the same time.

That’s why we make live work.

Because something happens live that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

WHAT WE DO

We create live, immersive and shareable experiences that bring people together through story.

Work you don’t just watch.
Work you step inside.
Work that stays with you after you leave.

WHy it matters

Theatre doesn’t have to feel distant or exclusive.

We make work for people who might not think theatre is for them.
Work that feels welcoming, alive and relevant.

Because everyone deserves a place in the story.

HOW WE WORK

We make work with people, not just for them.

We collaborate with communities, artists and audiences to shape each experience.
Every project grows from the place and the people it’s made with.

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE

A good night out.
A shared experience.

Sometimes loud.
Sometimes quiet.

Something you talk about afterwards.

Because theatre isn’t just something you watch. It’s something you’re part of.

The People Behind The Six Twenty

Artistic Director Melanie. A woman sitting in the back of a camper van, smiling and holding a red mug. The van is customized with various supplies, decorations, and a cozy setup.

Melanie rashbrooke

Melanie Rashbrooke is a director, writer and theatre-maker based in Newcastle upon Tyne. She founded The Six Twenty to create theatre that feels social, welcoming and shared.

Her work blends theatre, music and audience interaction, often inviting audiences to step inside the story rather than simply watch from the sidelines. Melanie has created and directed work for theatres, festivals and community spaces across the UK, collaborating with artists and communities to develop new stories together.

Founder & Artistic Director

More About Melanie

Producer Steven. A man with glasses, a beige hoodie, a cap, and headphones is pointing to his right while speaking at an event with a "Sundeland Youth Council" banner in the background.

Steven Blackshaw

Steven Blackshaw is a producer and theatre-maker who works across live performance, touring and new project development. He collaborates with The Six Twenty to support the creation, delivery and partnerships behind the company’s work.

Steven works closely with artists, venues and organisations to help ambitious projects grow from early ideas through to production and touring.