Go Live Theatre Announces David Shields as New Patron

Go Live Theatre has announced that David Shields has joined the charity as a Patron to support the company’s core initiatives as an industry ambassador.

David Shields said, “I am incredibly honoured to become a patron of Go Live. Working with them on Punch was joyful and inspiring, and seeing how well the young people they brought to the theatre reacted to the show only confirmed in my mind the power of theatre; and how vital it is that we get as many kids as we can to attend, especially those that ordinarily don’t have the opportunity or means to.”

Chief Executive of Go Live Theatre Sita McIntosh added, “We are thrilled David has joined our distinguished group of patrons. We witnessed first-hand the impact of his extraordinary performance in Punch on young people, and for some, it could honestly be described as life-changing. During the run David worked closely with Go Live to ensure that young people from less fortunate backgrounds were able to see the show for just £10 and his on-going commitment to accessibility to theatre for young people squares neatly with our mission.”

David Shields’ theatre credits include Punch (Apollo Theatre, Young Vic Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse - Olivier nomination for Best Actor). His television credits include Dear England, Masters of the Air, Black Mirror, Van der Valk, The Liberator, Treadstone, The Crown, and Doctor Who; and for film, Dracula: A Love Tale, Freud’s Last Session, Judy and The Bad Education Movie.

Since its inception as Mousetrap Theatre Projects in 1997, Go Live Theatre has so far enabled more than 275,000 children and young people to experience the joy of live theatre. The charity works on a wide variety of programmes with producers and venues, offering those from disadvantaged and/or vulnerable backgrounds opportunities to visit the theatre.

One of the cornerstones of the charity’s work is their subsidised Education Matinees for state schools and pupil referral units, especially those with a high percentage of pupils on free school meals. In some instances, over 80% of the students that attend step foot inside a theatre for the very first time.

In addition to the Education Matinees, their Family First Nights programme similarly extends that experience to families from low-income backgrounds, creating opportunities for parents and guardians to treat their children to a night out at the theatre. By enabling parents and guardians to access theatre, it allows them to also experience the transformative power of live performances to encourage a lasting relationship with theatre and the arts.

Inclusive Family Days are aimed at children and young people who are blind, visually impaired, and/or D/deaf. They prepare them with pre-show touch tours of the set and workshops to explain and enhance their experience - from the music and the story, to costumes, set and props. They will attend performances that are audio-described, captioned, or BSL interpreted to enable memorable and exciting theatre trips with no barriers. Go Live will host an Inclusive Family Day at SIX The Musical on Sunday 19 April.

Finally, Relaxed Performances are opportunities for those with sensory, learning or physical disabilities to attend an adapted performance in cases where the mainstream shows are too overwhelming. First pioneered in the West End by Mousetrap Theatre Projects in 2008, the Go Live Theatre team are so proud to see relaxed performances becoming increasingly commonplace across the West End and UK. Go Live will host the very first Relaxed Performance of Hamilton on Wednesday 29 April 2026.