Joe Plumb founded the Horse Box Theatre Company in 2018 with an aim to create a proudly nomadic theatre group that creates new and exciting work on our converted horse box theatre and 'off the box' at a whole variety of performance spaces. 

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In 2019, we were selected to be part of Make It SO: Festival of new work at the Nuffield Southampton Theatres. We created Renegade Girls, an inspiring performance based on the true stories of women from Southampton and the Isle of Wight. 

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That summer we were resident at Tapnell Farm Park for their weekly Sunset Shindigs and presented brand new family friendly productions of Hansel & Gretel and The Bagwitch's Revolting Right Royal Knees Up and The Game Show Show Live. We also curated a weekend of family friendly theatre as part of Ventnor Fringe Festival which included music, theatre and games. 

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In 2020, we returned to the Nuffield Southampton Theatres Make it SO: Festival with a brand new play 'Last Night I Didn't Sleep Wink' a dark performance that tackled challenging topics of mental health, grief and suicide. After a highly successful short run at NST we have been developing the show into a full-length play for touring in the future. 

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During the global pandemic we had to adapt our 2020 plans and created a season of plays online. We collaborated with directors and performers from across the country to produce three plays that were filmed from the actors individual homes.  Our Ryde Arts commission of 'Spirit of the Place' was adapted into an audio performance and available to listen to online. 

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In September 2020, Joe headed up north to develop his skills on the MA Playwriting course at University of Manchester. During his time there he created a number of exciting plays new plays about schools, mermaids, prisons, lighthouse keepers, revolutions, kings and so much more!

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Joe wrote and directed our production of 'The People's Republic of the Isle of Wight' which won the Audience Choice Award at Ventnor Fringe in 2021. He returned the following year with a new show, Born to be the Weather Wizard and is planning something very special for 2023!

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In 2022, Joe returned to his home on the Isle of Wight and began working with Shademakers and Department. He was one of the Movement Directors on the The Queen's Beasts for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London and is now the Programming and Operations Manager for Department. In November, Joe worked with Julie Jones to create an electrifying new adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The Isle of Wight County Press described it as "brilliant and twitchingly disturbing". 

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In 2023, as part of our Born in a Barn project, Joe will be developing two of his new plays: Ryde Boy and Tea Shop on a Beach. 

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