About us.
Founded in 2020, we are an inclusive, passionate and friendly company, dedicated to celebrating all that is Good, Bad, Ugly, Weird and Wonderful about the world.
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Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, our programme of work aims to be as varied as the world we live in, with everything from modern takes on classics, to new writing and contemporary masterpieces. With both Professional and Community-based projects, we want there to be something to see for everyone, or to get involved with.
Meet the Team.
Edward Loboda - Artistic Director & Administrator
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Ed is an Actor, Writer and Producer who started at Youth Theatres as a teenager, and then went on to earn a BA in Drama and Theatre Arts from the University of Birmingham (2015) and then an MA in Shakespeare and Creativity at the Shakespeare Institute (2017).
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He founded Sweet Sorrow Theatre Company in a fit of productive madness in September of 2020 out of a desire to say goodbye to what little free time he already had!
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When not plotting to conquer the world, he can be found... conquering the world... virtually... on a computer (he plays too many video games...). He also enjoys indoor climbing, reading science fiction and being a total nerd.
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Favourite Shakespeare Play: Measure for Measure
Favourite Modern Play: Journey's End
Favourite Musical: Rent
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Shows Directed for Sweet Sorrow: The System (Nov 2020 & Feb 2023), Macbeth (Mar 2021), Dream State (Jul 2022 & Nov 2023), A Midsummer Night's Dream (July 2022)
Abigail Halden - Social Media/Marketing Manager. Resident Designer & Choreographer
Abi grew up in ballet classes, completely entranced by the stage and theatre. She studied English Literature at the University of Birmingham graduating in 2019 before moving to Stratford-upon-Avon to complete a Master’s Degree in Shakespeare Studies in 2020. From there, she met Ed while rehearsing for a show called Every Man Out of His Humour by Ben Jonson, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, she has worked in Development at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and work with Sweet Sorrow Theatre Company whenever she can, doing whatever she can.
Favourite Shakespeare Play: Titus Andronicus
Favourite Contemporary Play: The Whip
Favourite Musical: Les Miserables
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Shows Directed for Sweet Sorrow: The Importance of Being Earnest (March 2024)
Our Directors
Rebecca Lawton
Becky grew up with a passion for performance, starting theatre school from a young age and taking part in musicals and classical theatre productions. She later graduated from Regent’s University in 2015 with a degree in Acting and Global Theatre where she also had the opportunity to study musical theatre and directing in Boston, Massachusetts.
After graduating she went on to work freelance as an actress and singer until 2018 when she moved to Stratford-upon-Avon to study for a masters degree in Shakespeare and Creativity at the Shakespeare Institute. This degree gave her the opportunity to step into the role of a director more and since then she has enjoyed partaking in both acting and directing roles for local theatre productions ever since.
Favourite Shakespeare Play: Macbeth
Favourite Contemporary Play: Life of Pi
Favourite Musical: Legally Blonde
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Shows Directed for Sweet Sorrow: The Comedy of Errors (Summer 2023)
Dr. Joshua Caldicott
Josh is a scholar of theatre history and audience studies, who received his PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2023. During his studies, Josh was fortunate to find opportunities to act and direct, and found great joy taking the plays he was studying from the page to the stage, particularly some of the weirder Ben Jonson plays.
When he is not fighting goldsmiths with umbrellas or arguing that Jonson is underrated, Josh loves playing board games with his friends, even if they don’t always listen to his explain the rules.
Favourite Shakespeare Play: Two Gentlemen of Verona
Favourite Contemporary Play: The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil
Favourite Musical: Come from Away
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Shows Directed for Sweet Sorrow: Every Man out of His Humour (September 2023)
