Ophelia Charlesworth: My start-up journey

It isn’t often that you see law students enter the creative world. But during her time as a law student at the University of Essex, Ophelia Charlesworth found herself being undeniably drawn to the boundlessly expressive and honest medium of theatre. This spark would lead to her founding her own theatre company, Steelacts Productions in 2022, through which she has produced her uncompromisingly moving and honest debut play, You Are African First Before Anything.

How it started…

I chose the University of Essex because my home is in Norwich and it wasn’t too far, but still offered a sense of rebellion by moving away. I also knew the University of Essex was one of the top institutions for research and I thought it would be an ideal fit if I chose to pursue a Master’s.

My experience at the University of Essex was great! I enjoyed studying law and reading a broad range of cases. It gave me confidence and real-life insight to practicing law. As someone passionate about theatre, I started wondering how I could adapt what I was learning for the stage. I decided to join the Theatre Society which allowed me to work collaboratively with a group of like-minded people. This gave me further confidence to establish Steelacts Productions with my friends on campus.

I discovered Essex Startups in my second year, through conversations about theatre and storytelling with some of my friends from different courses. We were discussing the possibility of using some of the law cases as a framework to create performance pieces to provoke conversations about justice and ethics. I took part in the Summer Bootcamp, which involved a weekend bootcamp followed by an intense few weeks of market research and the creation of a business plan. Guided by mentors during regular 1:1 meetings, each element of the business plan was broken down allowing us to submit our work and receive feedback as we went. We were provided with the essential knowledge needed in preparing to start a business, as well as an understanding of how best to structure and deliver an ‘elevator pitch.’ At the end of the process, we were invited to present our business idea to a panel of experts, and I was delighted to secure the first investment of £500 for the company.

After graduating from Essex, I decided to go to drama school to study for a Master’s and hone my acting skills. I produced my own one-woman show, resulting in me gaining the confidence to create more performance opportunities for myself and my peers. I started assembling a team to form Steelacts Productions and develop my one-woman play, You’re African First Before Anything, for a wider audience.

How it’s going…

It’s important for me to create opportunities for black actors and to tell their stories. While at drama school, I struggled with finding stories that I could relate to as an African. As a company our focus is on telling stories that touch lives and are raw, vulnerable, and unconventional to demonstrate all facets of society.

My play has recently toured and while we’ve had a lot of African audiences, it has been well-received by all who have come to watch the show. Even though the story is presented from an African perspective, it remains relatable to many. It’s a semi-autobiographical play about a British-Nigerian girl and the conflicts she has with her very traditional mother. Family conflicts, regardless of cultural heritage, can often be seen as taboo, so the play highlights this strange dynamic and the fight to fix it, while also touching on death, grief, love, self-identity, and what it means to be African.

The creative process has involved networking with musicians, directors, producers, and writers. I also did performances at scratch nights, which helped me develop the play even more. The Omnibus Theatre was the first theatre we performed in, during International Women’s Week. The reviews were great, and people were asking when we were going to perform it next! The play was then picked up by different theatres across London, and then recently at the Lakeside Theatre on the Colchester Campus.

The next step…

Our focus this year is to find sponsorship for the play which will allow us to plan further afield including America, Nigeria and across the UK. It’s looking like a busy year!

I want to be able to give people the opportunity to tell their story and for Steelacts Productions to be able to provide all aspects of production support, regardless of composition.

In terms of work-life balance, I’m able to manage my creativity alongside the management of a company thanks to the support of my amazing team. There is a lot to juggle, but when you have a goal and a vision for something, the excitement of seeing your hard work come to fruition keeps you motivated. When things get a bit difficult, I have mentors who give me the advice and help I need to keep me on track.

With any start-up business, you’re trying to find your footing and make sense of everything as you go. It can be a lot. But I’ve learnt so much about the things that work and don’t work, so I use this knowledge to grow and move forward as best I can.

Words of wisdom…

If you have an idea, start small and don’t worry about the ‘how’. If you know your ‘why’, then the ‘how’ shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Throughout this journey I’ve learnt to have a better relationship with failure. Failure forces you to adapt and seek success using different methods.

Do not be afraid to network. It can feel quite scary, but you can learn so many things from people with different skills and these connections can help you further down the line.

Find out more

If you have a potential business idea, or are interested in developing your business skills, find out more about the training, events and support Essex Startups offers to current students and recent graduates.