Class of 2019 graduates Christian Reid and Megan Barnes-Rolf met while studying BA Acting and Stage Combat at East 15 Acting School at our Southend Campus. United by a passion for heritage theatre that incorporates high-quality physical skills, they founded Fleur de Lis Classical Theatre Company to create, share, inspire, and educate.
How it started…
We met while studying BA Acting and Stage Combat at East 15 in Southend. Both of us had pursued the course following completion of a Foundation Year at East 15 (at the Loughton Campus for Meg, Southend Campus for Chris). Neither of us had been typical ‘theatre kids’ growing up. Chris had studied martial arts since childhood and had grown up in a creative household, while Meg had always been artistically inclined but experienced intense shyness. Both of us had been drawn to the course at East 15 as it offered the opportunity to develop physical and visual performance techniques beyond traditional acting methodologies.
We were cast together for our final year project, where we were tasked with the writing, production, and performance of a new theatre piece. Central to the project were our passions – heritage theatre that incorporates physical performance skills to strengthen the storytelling and enhance the audience experience. Despite Chris missing the final performances of Heirs to the River due to a professional casting, the process had given us the experience of working as a creative partnership and the insight into the complimentary elements we each brought to the project. Following positive reviews of the performance, we began to discuss the opportunities for the life of our creation beyond graduation.
Fleur de Lis Classical Theatre Company
Fleur de Lis Classical Theatre Company focuses on the development of classical era texts for public performance, incorporating advanced physical skills. Central to our mission is the preservation of heritage theatre that offers connection for modern audiences. By incorporating specialist skills such as stage combat, puppetry, dance, and circus skills we can create visual stimulus that honours the text and entices audiences to appreciate the work on a deeper level.
Alongside the creation of productions, we deliver physical skills workshops within the public and private sector, in educational settings, and for fellow artists, as well as applying our knowledge in a consultancy capacity for a wide range of creative events.
Image: Michael Lynch Photography
Working with Essex Startups
Chris had initially worked with Essex Startups back in 2018, while pursuing a previous business venture. Due this support he was aware of the Santander Microfinance Grant in partnership with Essex Startups. Agreeing it was a vital opportunity to seize, so Meg threw herself into the world of pitching, a terrifying and exhilarating experience, that resulted in financial investment being secured.
In early 2024 we joined the Create South East programme, a consortium of businesses, agencies and local government bodies supporting creative businesses across Kent, Essex and Sussex. The intention was to explore investment opportunities for Fleur de Lis and expand our professional network. We were introduced to the Angels@Essex Business Manager John Stenhouse, who works alongside Essex Startups at the University. John connected us with Entrepreneur-in-Residence Magdalena who began mentoring us, helping us to refine our offering and identifying additional revenue streams.
Image: Donna Ford Photography
In February 2025, we are excited to be partnering with the Essex Startups for the annual iTeams programme. iTeams offers students from any academic discipline the opportunity to work on tangible, real-world challenges faced by external organisations. Over seven weeks we will be working with the teams on a challenge that we have set, giving the students direct consultancy experience, and providing us with fresh insights.
How it’s going…
Our main source of income comes from our workshops, where we share our highly desirable skill set with a broad range of people. We are fortunate to have maintained strong ties with East 15, giving us access to an ever-growing pool of talent and helping us to develop a community of artists that can aide the delivery of our educational programmes and the creation of new productions.
Life for both of us is extremely busy. When you run your own business you gain control of time, which can be terrifying and liberating at the same time. You need to plan and understand how best to use your time. It’s important to know what to say yes and when to say no, ensuring that each decision is going to contribute to longer-term benefits.
We are constantly reviewing trends within theatre production and monitoring feedback from our participants to ensure we are meeting market demand and sharing relevant knowledge. It is vitally important to us that quality is at the heart of our portfolio to safeguard our longevity in the industry.
We feel extremely privileged to have been able to pursue an entrepreneurial path that allows us to work in an industry notorious for its challenges. While it’s tempting to jump at every professional opportunity that presents itself, we’ve learnt that if you want your business to be sustainable then you need to find the right balance between your professional and personal life. Balance is a choice, and its importance must not be underestimated.
What’s next…
We have been operating across the Southeast of England for the past four years, supporting hundreds of artists, thousands of school children, and the delivery of a wide range of live performances. Our intention is to begin widening our offering across the UK, before reaching out to Europe and beyond. We want to be in a position where we have the resources to supply our services to meet a global demand.
Through the Create South East programme we are hoping to secure a secondary investment to enable us to acquire a premises. Having a specialised space will allow us to build our portfolio of workshops for a wider audience, provide a base for the creation and rehearsal of productions, and will offer an additional revenue stream by renting space to external users.
Image: Michael Lynch Photography
It is our feeling that drama schools prepare students for the world of work from a creative angle but lack the business foundation required by the many graduates who become freelance theatre practitioners or set out to form their own companies. Graduates are encouraged to use their creative training to make an impact on the world (and rightly so). However, due to the lack of business training they receive, very few manage to enter the industry with the knowledge and tools a creative business needs to earn a living immediately. This delay often causes flexible, low-earning, non-industry related jobs to be prioritised and further perpetuates the stigma of a 'starving artist'. We were always business minded and wanted to be a limited (i.e. 'for profit') company. We wanted to be different from our competitors, who often take on charity or CIC status, and had faith in our ability to build a profitable business. A self-sustaining 'for profit' model was the best way to do this. When the National Portfolio change occurred in 2022 (we incorporated in 2021) we saw several, well established, charities and CIC industry members thrown into uncertainty, with several having to make radical changes to their operations to continue receiving funding and survive. This gave further fuel to the fire that we had made the right choice. Our vision is to create an artist facilitation arm within Fleur de Lis that introduces future generations of talent to the fundamentals of business and alternative models outside of grant funding to better prepare for life in the arts.
Words of wisdom…
If you have a goal, and the belief and passion to see it through, just go for it. It’s better to regret failure than to regret never trying. You will only truly fail when you stop, keep pushing and you’ll find a way to make it work and turn mistakes into valuable lessons.
Understanding the difference between an asset and a liability is key to success. This extends beyond your product/service, it can be a person, a situation, a choice. By analysing every decision and categorising it as an asset or liability, you can ensure that your values are adhered to and resources are used effectively to maximise return.
Surround yourself with people you consider to be assets. People who share your vision and support you, both personally and professionally, will provide the inspiration and motivation when you need it the most.
Do not start a business because you fancy a project, it’s got to be something you can see yourself doing in 20 years. Without that whole-hearted investment of yourself you won’t succeed. When running a business you are not one role, you are everyone and everything. You have to put in the time to reap the benefits of entrepreneurship. It won’t come without its challenges but work hard and the experience will prove to be rewarding and empowering.
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.
iTeams 2025
Ever wondered what a business consultant does? Our iTeams programme will give you a good insight!
Three businesses will deliver challenges to six student teams. Through a combination of workshops, mentoring, and teamwork, each team will be posed a question by a ‘challenge-host’ and asked to create a report and presentation to help the organisation understand the problem at a higher level.
Over seven weeks, you will develop the ability to work in a team, develop problem identification and solving skills, deliver and articulate suggested solutions, and realise limitations and benefits accordingly.
At the Grand Finale, teams will present their findings to an expert panel for the chance to win up to £1k!
Join iTeams on CareerHub
