Short, Sharp, Scary:
Theatre That Bites Back
TikTok Shocks
Creative Director / Presenter
As Artistic Director of Theatre Centre, I collaborated with Headlong and TikTok to launch TikTok Shocks—a bold, fast-paced digital theatre project designed to inspire emerging artists during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
At a time when stages were dark and opportunities scarce, we built a new kind of creative space: digital-first, time-limited, and made to be shared.
The Format
13 early-career artists selected from across the UK
24-hour creative challenges delivered via TikTok
Each prompt inspired a rapid performance response
Work showcased on TikTok’s global discovery homepage
The final showcase aired live on Halloween 2021, broadcast from TikTok’s London Live Studio to an audience of over 50,000 viewers across TikTok’s global network.
Why It Mattered
Tiktok Shocks gave young theatre-makers the chance to create, connect, and be seen in a time of isolation. The project:
Introduced a new generation of artists to global digital audiences
Blended theatre practice with platform-native storytelling
Proved that urgency, constraint, and play can unlock powerful new work
Reached beyond traditional theatre spaces to meet young audiences where they already were
Want to Explore TheatrE
In Digital Spaces?
If you’re building a digital-first programme, nurturing new talent, or want to bring live energy to online platforms, let’s build something unforgettable.