Our History

Cardboard Citizens was conceived in 1991, and since 1994 has been a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. For the first few years of its existence it toured devised Forum Theatre pieces to hostels and day centres, in London and throughout the country, sometimes producing two tours a year. From the very beginning, the vast majority of its performers have been drawn from homeless people, and by 1998 these performers were paid a wage in parity with the ITC/Equity contract.

The parameters of the work broadened, first to include touring Forum Theatre to secondary schools, mainly in London, and then to embrace biennial site-specific (non-Forum) theatre productions. Aimed at a general theatre-going public, including the company’s core homeless audience, these latter productions have often been mounted in collaboration with others arts organisations and have usually dealt with subject matters linked to social exclusion. Productions in this category have included versions of The Lower Depths, The Beggar’s Opera, Mincemeat, Pericles and Timon of Athens. As well as broadening the profile of the company and satisfying the ambitions of the artists working for Cardboard Citizens, these projects have also brought the company-trained homeless actors into contact with other professionals, skills and disciplines. The most enduring of the partnerships involved in these productions has been the ongoing relationship with the Royal Shakespeare Company, with whom Cardboard Citizens has made three major pieces of work to date.

Our Values

Respecting experience: People who have experience of homelessness can be well placed to support other homeless people. Whenever possible, Cardboard Citizens employs ex-participants, both in short and long-term positions.

Challenging people: Everyone benefits from high expectations, whatever their background. The company believes that participants, volunteers and staff are all capable of high achievement, and sets the bar accordingly.

Recognising achievement: Homeless people have in many cases overcome huge obstacles to survive their journeys. Cardboard Citizens recognises the nature of the difficulties people face, whether in health, or education, or personal circumstances and the corresponding value of their achievements.

Excellence: We strive for excellence in every activity or service the company provides – poverty of resources need not mean poverty of aspiration.

Patience: The company is aware that change is hard-won and difficult to sustain – and will not abandon people should they slip on their journey out of homelessness.

Professionalism and Initiative: The company will support staff and participants and provide training wherever possible, ensuring that the workplace is a nurturing supportive environment. In return it expects people to be professional, to show initiative and to be able to work effectively both on their own and in teams.

Inclusive dialogue: Dialogue is at the heart of Forum Theatre, and forms an important part of the company’s values. The company believes in consulting both staff and participants about all major strategic developments.