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Combining our knowledge of theatre and capital, Playing Field is dedicated to accelerating the creation of world class theatre.
We are involved in the early-stage development, late-stage investment and production of a wide variety of projects in London, nationally and internationally.

OUR WORK

The Lives of Others, Inter Alia, Jesus Christ Superstar, Paddington, Billy Elliot, All My Sons, Teeth & Smiles, Legally Blonde, Woman in Mind, The Importance of Being Earnest, New Adventures - The Red Shoes, Oedipus (London and NY), Paranormal Activity, Miss Saigon, Kinky Boots (UK Tour), Till the Stars Come Down, Born with Teeth, The Hunger Games, Good Night, Oscar, The Red Shoes, Punch, Death on the Nile, Make It Happen, Midsomer Murders, One Day, The Weir, Here and Now, The Years, The Battle, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Murder on the Orient Express, The Roommate (NY), Swan Lake, Ghost Stories, Kinky Boots, Dear Evan Hansen, Mrs Warren’s Profession, A Comedy About Spies, The Fifth Step, A Knight’s Tale, Macbeth, People Places and Things, Dear England, Stranger Things, Moulin Rouge, Why Am I So Single?, Dr Strangelove, Life of Pi (London and NY), Back to the Future (London, NY and Australia), The Hills of California, War Horse, MJ The Musical (London), The Motive and the Cue, Starlight Express, Hello Dolly!, The Artist, Just For One Day, Harry Clarke, Player Kings, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, Here You Come Again, Opening Night, Red Pitch, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Slave Play, The 39 Steps, Waiting For Godot, Merrily We Roll Along,  Standing at the Sky’s Edge, King Lear, Lyonesse, Dr Semmelweis, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder, A Strange Loop (London), The Crucible, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, 42nd Street, Greatest Days, Crazy for You, Groundhog Day, A Little Life, A Streetcar Named Desire, Patriots, 2.22 - A Ghost Story, A Doll’s House (NY), Medea, The Wizard of Oz, New Adventure’s Sleeping Beauty, New York, New York (NY), Oklahoma!, Hey Duggee, Bugsy, Sylvia, Cages, The Piano Lesson (NY), The Seagull, Death of a Salesman (NY), The Lehman Trilogy (London and NY), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Drifters Girl, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Magic Goes Wrong, Punchdrunk The Burnt City, Jerusalem, Funny Girl (NY), The Cher Show, The Little Prince (NY), Spring Awakening, The Time Travellers Wife, 101 Dalmatians, Identical, Good, New Adventure’s Nutcracker!, Cruise, The Human Voice, Newsies, Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomstick, Singin’ in the Rain, Chicago, School of Rock, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Art of Banksy, Girl from the North Country, What the Ladybird Heard, The Comeback, Grease, Hairspray, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Pillowman, Annie, Oi Frog and Friends, The Son, Noises Off, White Christmas, Touching the Void, The Bodyguard, The Watsons, The Barbershop Chronicles,  A Taste of Honey, Peter Pan, Nine Night, Mame, The Man in the White Suit, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night

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War Horse
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OUR TEAM

Lisa Popham

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa’s career spans strategy, sales, marketing, theatre management, business management, innovation and consultancy. Previously she has worked for Dewynters, The Royal Court Theatre, The Really Useful Group, The Theatre of Comedy Company, The Society of London Theatres, and Capital Radio. At Dewynters, one of the world’s leading entertainment marketing agencies, her roles ranged from Head of Marketing to Chief Operating Officer, working on projects from Wicked, We Will Rock You, Disney’s The Lion King and Priscilla Queen of the Desert to The Royal Opera House and Donmar Warehouse

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Lois Lancaster

Chief Operating Officer

Lois has over 25 years of experience in managing Operations. She has held senior positions in a number of large financial institutions including Lloyds Bank PLC and Aviva PLC.

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Ashley Herman

Founding Director

Ashley founded Applause in 1982, which became the U.K.’s leading specialist tourism theatre ticket agency. In 1997 Applause was merged with First Call Plc. In 1989, on behalf of Cameron Mackintosh, he launched Theatre Direct Inc., which is now known as Broadway.com. In 2000, he founded Encore to specialise in the multichannel distribution of West End theatre, becoming responsible for over 20% of West End theatre admissions. Encore was recently acquired by Today Tix and the combined company is the largest independent supplier of West End tickets. Ashley has served on the Council the University of Surrey, as Chair of the Guildford School of Acting, as a Trustee of The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and of Mousetrap Theatre Projects. He has produced and co-produced many West End and touring productions.

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Andrew Empson

Investment Consultant

Andrew’s theatre career began backstage, then onto running three London Fringe theatres, before moving into West End general management and Production. He was Managing Director of PW Productions, producing a long series of West End and touring shows including The Woman in Black, An Inspector Calls, Amadeus and re-opening the Roundhouse theatre with Oh What A Lovely War from the NT. Since leaving PW Productions he has been involved in shows, events and theatre operations in the UK, USA and in Europe.

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Ryan Woods

Director

20 years of professional ticketing, sales and marketing at leading theatre ticketing agencies, most recently as Commercial Director at London Theatre Direct, owned by Trafalgar Entertainment. Starting out selling groups in 2005, the following 12 years he rose through the ranks in marketing and online sales roles. In 2015, he became COO for London Theatre Bookings, which operated over 12 shops in the West End selling thousands of tickets. During this period, he helped create and bring to market The Theatre Cafe. Departing in 2020, he oversaw the post pandemic return to market for London Theatre Direct. Overseeing all marketing functions and producer relationships, this saw an accelerated growth and market position for London Theatre Direct, cementing them as a lead distributor of tickets for the West End.
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Alison McCarthy

Finance Director

Over 20 years’ experience in the creative industries, working across all sizes of business, from start-ups to multinationals and with investment funds specialising in the content and IP.

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Lisa Horseman

Operations Manager

Extensive administrative experience within large institutions. A hugely experienced administrator and the heart of the Playing Field Theatre Ltd team.

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David Dobson

IP and Immersive Consultant

Former Managing Director of Secret Cinema,  Business Development Director of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group and Managing Director of Whatsonstage.com,  which he sold to Time Out Group. Over 25  years' experience working in the theatre industry.

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Stonehage Fleming

Co-founder & Corporate Adviser

Stonehage Fleming is a co-founder of Playing Field. Stonehage Fleming is the leading independent family office in Europe and a valued adviser to the world’s leading families and wealth creators. Stonehage Fleming works with families to help determine a purpose and strategy for their wealth, and provides the platform to protect and manage their assets, across generations. The Group advises on over £60bn of assets. Stonehage Fleming is majority owned by management and staff, operates from 18 offices in 14 geographies, employing over 900 people. www.stonehagefleming.com

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