MEET OUR TEAM

Emma Taylor Artistic Director
Emma has been Artistic Director of the Canal Café Theatre, the UK’s leading launch pad theatre for the comedy industry and Producer of NewsRevue, since 2001. Some directing highlights include; Lucky Stiff, (Whatonstage Best Musical Revival Nomination), Mamet's The Shawl with Scarlett Strallen, world premieres Stage Fright by Lynn Howes with Abi Titmuss and Shamlet by Andrew Doyle. Emma is the recipient of an IARA Special Recognition Award, Fringe Report's Theatre Person of the Year Award, a Guinness World Record on behalf of NewsRevue and most recently a joint outstanding achievement award from London Pub Theatre Awards with the late founder of NewsRevue, Professor Michael Hodd. She is author of The Pocket Producer (available on Amazon). She is also a performer and a multi-lingual private consultant for Screen Presence.
Jess Barrett General Manager, Associate Producer
Jess is thrilled to be a part of the Canal Café Theatre team as General Manager and Box Office Assistant. She has worked in fringe theatre in the UK and the US as a director, writer, performer, and stage manager. Highlights have included her work at The Irish Classical Theatre, NY in 2016, her Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut in 2019, and her recent writing competition win at The Hope Theatre in 2021. Jess specialises in comedy and new writing, having written and performed in everything from stand up to musical cabaret to improv. From 2016-2019, Jess worked as a theatre teacher, writer/director at the Theatre Royal Margate Kent, predominantly with young people.
Lauren Lucy Cook
Lauren Lucy Cook Administrator
Lauren is a multi-disciplinary creative, specialising in physical and devised theatre. Outside of her roles as Adminstrator and Production Assistant at Canal Café Theatre, she is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Makers Theatre, a theatre company that centres their work around playfulness and collaboration, and is an ensemble member of new experimental theatre company, Not Quite Theatre Co.
Reice Weathers Casting Director
Reice is delighted to come on board as a casting director for NewsRevue and the Canal Café Theatre. Artistic Director, Emma Taylor first met Reice aged 5 when he was a member of her drama school, the Norrie Carr Drama School and since then he has graduated from the BA(Hons) Acting course at The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in 2015 and received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor by the Black British Theatre Awards 2020. Reice’s previous credits include; THE UPSTART CROW (Phil McIntyre Entertainment), THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE (The Greenwich Theatre), BOXMAN UK TOUR (Flugman Productions), THE TEMPEST (Bilimankhwe Arts) and DOCTORS (BBC), DREAM TEAM (Sky One). Alongside work in theatre and film, Reice also founded and runs Make Believe Group, a low-cost performing arts school for children ages 3 to 16 which provides opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds. Reice’s goal with this institute is to ‘inspire, motivate and bolster self-esteem while teaching valuable life skills of which can be implemented into their everyday lives, contributing to their development as people and broadening their horizons through performing arts.’ Please visit https://www.makebelievegroup.co.uk/school/make-believe-islington/ for more information.
Richard Baker Associate Musical Director
Richard is a freelance musical director, improviser, vocal coach and composer. He has worked with NewsRevue since 2014, and has been MD either fully or partially on 15 separate runs in that time. Most recently, he also worked as an improvising musician with Mischief Movie Night (nominated for Best New Comedy at the 2018 Olivier Awards). As a composer, Richard's work includes music and songs for Peter Pan Goes Wrong and the new musical Tasting Notes, and his credits as MD include the All Male Pirates of Penzance at The Palace Theatre and Wilton's Music Hall; Iolanthe and The Mikado on national tours of the UK; Secret Garden at the Ambassadors Theatre; Finian’s Rainbow at Charing Cross Theatre; Princess Ida at the Finborough Theatre; Lucky Stiff, Road Show, Anyone Can Whistle and Our House at the Union Theatre; The Wandering Scholar at the King’s Head Theatre and the annual pantomime at Newbury Corn Exchange for five consecutive years.
Samuel Hopkins
Samuel Hopkins Associate Director
Samuel is a London based theatre director and performance maker. He is particularly interested in making work around LGBTQ+ themes and experimental practices. Directing highlights include NewsRevue (Edinburgh 2018+2019), The Hired Man (Cadogan Hall), and Outside (The Vaults). He co-founded and performed with internet-cum-cabaret company Copycatzzz in their unique petting experiences; YAAASSSS and AUBERGINE. As a queer performance-maker his work has been performed venues such as The Yard Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre, and The New Diorama. In 2016-17 Samuel was also part of The Fems, a bouffon clown troupe, and he has performed in various cabaret spaces such as House of Idiot and The Glory.
Trekessa Austin
Trekessa Austin Technician
Trekessa devised her debut one-woman show at just 8 years old to an audience of 1: her mum. The world is eagerly awaiting a sophomore production. She works as a freelance theatre technician for a creative outlet and is otherwise quite uninvolved in the industry. You can find her typing away behind the desk at her corporate job, riding a bike around London in the sunshine, or catching movies with friends. Don't forget to say hi to her in the tech box, she loves a chat!
Kirsty Turnbull Technician
Kirsty is a Technician and Production Associate from South London. She recently graduated from Cambridge, where she read Classics and was involved in multitude of different theatrical productions, including “My Dad Wears a Dress” which toured in the Camden and Edinburgh Fringe 2023. She is part of White Noise Theatre Company, who regularly facilitate Scratch Nights and Collaborative Workshops for up-and-coming theatre makers based in London and the South East. Kirsty is very excited to join the wonderful CCT team and can usually be seen in the tech booth wearing something undoubtedly from Lucy and Yak!
Bryn Cash Box Office Assistant
Bryn is an actor and writer with a passion for comedy and has been working with CCT since 2023 after joining as a performer in NewsRevue. Unfortunately he didn’t realise he had signed a blood contract with the venue, that means he can’t leave until he passes away and breaks the curse or has a first born to offer in his place. He can usually be found hanging from the rafters at the back of the theatre uttering the world’s worst puns like an ancient incantation. Please don’t say hi to him.

JOIN OUR TEAM

General Manager & Associate Producer

Role: General Manager (Canal Café Theatre) & Associate Producer (NewsRevue)

Location: Little Venice, London

Contract: 30 hours per work, 1 year fixed term contract

Salary: Starting salary £21,606 pa (in line with London Living Wage)

Start date: 1st September 2025 (Flexible training period from 1st August.)

Deadline to apply: Friday 25th July at 12pm

Do you want to play a pivotal role at the beating heart of London’s comedy and new writing scene?

We’re looking for a dynamic and driven General Manager for the Canal Café Theatre and Associate Producer for the Guinness World Record-breaking NewsRevue—the longest-running live comedy show in the world.

This is a unique opportunity for someone ready to take a big step into the world of theatre, comedy, and producing. You’ll work closely with the Artistic Director and a committed team of freelancers to help shape the future of two much-loved institutions.

If you’re ambitious, organised, a great communicator and have a love for comedy and live performance, we’d love to hear from you.

We’re looking for someone who:

  • Has a keen eye for comedy and new writing
  • Can manage multiple projects calmly and efficiently
  • Is comfortable with (or willing to learn) basic accounting and bookkeeping (e.g. Quickbooks and FreeAgent)
  • Thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
  • Is passionate about launching their career in theatre and ready to go the extra mile

 

Essential Skills

  • Experience of managing small-scale fringe productions, either as a Stage Manager or as a Producer
  • Experience in budget management and record keeping.
  • Strong IT skills, experience in Microsoft and SharePoint, with the ability to learn new software
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work well under pressure
  • Excellent people management skills
  • A can-do attitude, a passion for fringe theatre and a love of comedy

 

This role would suit:

  • An emerging producer, programmer, or theatre-maker looking for a springboard
  • A recent arts graduate or early-career arts manager
  • Someone excited by satire, sketch, and supporting new voices

 

Your key responsibilities will include:

  • Day-to-day management of the venue and company operations
  • Programming and liaising with writers, performers, and comedy collectives
  • Supporting the production and rehearsal process of NewsRevue (weekly turnover!)
  • Basic bookkeeping and financial tracking
  • Overseeing contracts, schedules, and logistics
  • Helping ensure the smooth running of a thriving, high-energy venue
  • Organising tech rotas
  • Familiarity (with or willing to learn) box office systems (Line Up)

 

To apply, please send a CV and short cover note to Emma Taylor at mail@canalcafetheatre.com by Friday 25th July at 12pm.

Let us know if you have any access needs.