Theatre News

Executive director and producer announced for Emma Rice's Wise Children

Judith Dimant and Poppy Keeling are to join the Bristol-based company next year

Judith Dimant and Emma Rice
Judith Dimant and Emma Rice
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

The executive director and executive producer for Emma Rice's new theatre company Wise Children have been announced.

Judith Dimant and Poppy Keeling are both arriving to take on the role of executive director and executive producer respectively at the Bristol-based company from theatre company Complicité. Dimant has worked at Complicité as executive director for 25 years, while Keeling worked for the company for ten years as producer and director of the group's Creative Learning Programme.

Between them at Complicite, they worked on pieces including The Encounter, Lionboy, A Disappearing Number, A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer, Shun-Kin and The Elephant Vanishes.

Rice said of the appointments: "Judith and Poppy bring an unparalleled wealth of skills, understanding and experience to Wise Children – not to mention their unique shared history. I feel lucky beyond words to share the Wise Children journey with these remarkable women by my side – prepare for wonders!"

Keeling will take up her role in the new year, while Dimant will join later in the spring of 2018.

Dimant said: "After 25 years at Complicité I feel privileged to join Emma Rice at the start of this new venture. Emma is an artist I have long admired and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her."