"An exciting emerging company with a great creative approach."
About Us
Hi, I'm Helen and I run Above Bounds Theatre — a Devon-based project that puts children's voices at the heart of the theatre-making process. I believe every child should have the chance to work alongside a professional artist, and that theatre and the arts should be affordable, accessible, and welcoming to all — no matter their background, location, or language.
Often, our projects involve us, the professional artists, working alongside children to create everything — from the story and characters to the setting and design. We then bring the finished shows back to them and share them with other children and families in their communities.
We’re committed to making theatre affordable and accessible, breaking down barriers so that all children and families can enjoy and take part in the arts. We tour our work across the UK and previously ran the Above & Beyond Children’s Theatre Festival — a three-day event held in three different library spaces across Plymouth in 2018 and 2019.
We work with schools, home-schooling communities, venues, and libraries — and if you have a project idea or proposal, please get in touch on abovebounds@gmail.com, I’d love to hear from you.
Meet the artists
Above Bounds is led by me, Helen Bovey, on a project-by-project basis, working with a pool of talented artists from across Plymouth and Devon.
All of our productions are rooted in the places and stories that matter to the people we work with. We’ve worked with schools in Plymouth through the With Flying Colours project (2020-2023), where we were resident artists at Beechwood Primary Academy and Oakwood Primary Academy from 2021 to 2023. We’ve also collaborated on regional projects — for example, Brilliant Bee, created with young people in Plymouth as part of the Life on the Edge project with South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Doorstep Arts. That piece explored the insects and wild habitats found along the South Devon Coast Path.
Helen Bovey- Director & Founder
Helen Bovey (she/her) is a Devon-based Theatre-Maker and Director with over 10 years’ experience in creating and producing theatre. As Founder of Above Bounds Theatre Collective, Helen has developed shows such as Silly Squirrel (winner of Best of Children & Families at FUSE international 2022), Winterwood (Alibi & Angel Exit Theatre, 2024) The Snow Queen, and The Golden Penguin and The Pizza Inspector through the With Flying Colours (2019-2023). Her work, including residencies in primary schools, emphasises co-creating work with young people & communities, sparking new ideas & inspiring future productions. In 2025, Helen completed a Masters in Creative Practice with Make Happen Institute, focusing on her practice of co-creating theatre with children. As well as running Above Bounds, Helen works as the Operations Manager for Beyond Face CIC, & has previously worked as a Producer/Facilitator for Exeter Northcott Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth and the Barbican Theatre. As a Consultant & creative, she has worked with Scratchworks, Four of Swords, Sam G Creates, Alibi and Hattie Collins. She is passionate about using theatre as a method for social change.
If you would like to support our work, you can donate here:
www.ko-fi.com/abovebounds
Previous Collaborators
Victoria Horan
Performer, Movement Director and Facilitator
Vicki has been a regular collaborator with Above Bounds since 2018, and has worked on: The Elves & The Shoemaker, A-Tissue! A-Tissue! Two Little Kittens (created with Kane John Mills and Helen Bovey in 2019), The Pizza Inspector and Silly Squirrel, which she co-created alongside Helen Bovey. Vicki worked on the With Flying Colours project with Above Bounds, working as part of our residency in Beechwood Primary Academy and Oakwood Primary Academy between 2021-2023.
Chloe Benbow
Set Designer & Maker
If you have seen an Above Bounds show, you’ve probably seen one of Chloe’s set designs. Chloe worked with Above Bounds from 2018-2021, designing the sets for The Elves & The Shoemaker, A-Tissue! A-Tissue! Two Little Kittens and The Golden Penguin (which includes our giant polar bear!). Chloe also created the Fishco Disco, giant disco dancing fish!
George Boundy
Co-Founder
George Boundy trained at East 15 Acting School alongside Helen Bovey, graduating in 2013, before completing a Masters degree in Playwriting Studies at The University of Birmingham. In the early days, Above Bounds was Helen and George, and they worked alongside one another until 2018.