A multi-award winning arts charity
In our 2026 season we once again explore two fascinating British stories
Tales from a mobile library
The Grate Cheese Quest
Theatre can be unaffordable. We aim to keep our prices as low as possible.
Over half of our shows are ‘pay what you feel’. When sell tickets they are as inexpensive as possible.
We aim to balance welcoming everyone whilst valuing the quality of our creatives.
We’re the UK’s most prolific theatre company, touring to nearly 140 venues per year.
We tour on our narrowboat, Tyseley, in the summer and by road in spring and autumn, to every conceivable type of venue, reaching audiences that other companies cannot.
We estimate that by the end of 54th year of touring we will have:
We have performed at allotments, blind societies, care homes, community centres, deaf clubs, dry docks, festivals, lifeboat stations, pubs, rallies, restaurants, village halls and Youth Hostels. We’ve even performed inside a tunnel, in the bows of a docked boat, for naturist audiences, in people’s very own front rooms and even the odd theatre.
So in 1972 Mikron took the plunge and toured our first play written for the waterways; “Still Waters”. One or two of us have taken the plunge since – usually unintentionally!
Tour booking and press was done by Sarah from the back cabin of the boat and, with a large bag of ten pence pieces, a stool and a local payphone, she would book and promote tours. Cast members used to research and co-write the shows, which were directed by Mike Lucas. Mike also performed for the company for many years.
Mikron is now famous for its national waterways tour, aboard the 1936 Grand Union Carrying Company narrowboat, Tyseley. First used by Mikron in 1975, she has been our floating home ever since.
Mike ran the company until 2005 when his role was split between Richard Povall (Artistic Director) and Peter Toon (General Manager).
In Winter 2009 Marianne McNamara took on the Artistic Director role and Pete became Producer, with Richard stepping out of the day to day running of the company.
To read more and listen to Mike Lucas chat about the company see this wonderful website.
Mikron Theatre Company began when Mike Lucas, Sarah Cameron and Ron Legge took a show to the Edinburgh festival in 1963.
Mikron was named after MIKe, RON and Sarah CameRON.
Mikron is the Greek word for small. Small we were and small, in the best sense of the word, we still are.
The Mikron seed was sown in 1963 when Mike Lucas, a jobbing actor, realised that his mission was to take theatre to unusual venues and new audiences outside of London.
Today we still hold fast his original principles, touring the country with shows which both inform and entertain.
It was during a boating holiday that the truly unique aspect of Mikron came to be.
Mike, having spent many hours enjoying the atmospheres of the canalside pubs and sampling their local brews, realised that travelling by canal would really give his company a way to reach audiences and venues that may be too “out of the way” for regular touring companies.
We’re honoured to be one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations.
Mikron is officially one of the country’s leading arts organisations for the Arts Council’s current funding period.
To say we’re happy is an understatement – this support sees Mikron sail into the middle of our 6th decade of touring.
We really wouldn’t be in this privileged situation without you, our wonderful, loyal audiences.
We will only contact you if you request to join our mailing list(s), and this may be about tour information, fundraising and general chit chat.
