Guildford Fringe Founder Steps In To Save The Electric Theatre

Published on: 5 Oct, 2025
Updated on: 6 Oct, 2025

By David Reading

The future of the Electric Theatre is now looking more secure – with the news that the founder of Guildford Fringe has stepped forward with a mission to save the popular arts venue.

The Electric Theatre closed earlier this year, facing extreme financial pressures caused in part by higher energy and employment costs.

Nick Wyschna, founder of Wysch Productions, which includes Guildford Fringe, has formally expressed an interest in taking on the lease.

His intention is to reinvigorate the theatre “as a vibrant space for professional productions and community-driven performances.”

The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) had been running the theatre since 2017, but revealed that the venue had made a loss “in excess” of £250,000 over the period of a year.

Wysch Productions has submitted an Expression of Interest to Guildford Borough Council, who said recently that they are “absolutely committed” to ensuring that the theatre continues to thrive.

The company says the Expression of Interest highlights a vision to:

• Restore the theatre’s professional output, bringing high-quality productions to Guildford that will attract audiences from across Surrey and beyond

• Support local creativity, offering affordable access and opportunities for community groups, schools, choirs, youth theatres and amateur dramatic societies

• Establish a balanced programme, blending professional touring shows, locally produced work and grassroots performances to ensure the theatre serves a wide audience

• Engage with young people through educational workshops, performance opportunities and collaborations with schools and colleges

• Maximise use of the building, ensuring the theatre is active daily with a mix of rehearsals, performances, talks and community events.

Nick Wyschna

Nick Wyschna said: “Community is at the heart of everything we do, with inclusivity and accessibility driving our work across Guildford.

“Guildford Fringe Festival has hosted thousands of performers who might not otherwise have staged their work, with ticket prices kept low to ensure the widest possible access.

“Alongside the Festival we have delivered countless free cultural events including Opera on the Balcony concerts at The Guildhall, which attract huge numbers each year, and we have donated our time and expertise to major community occasions such as the Guildford Christmas Lights and the 2015 National Armed Forces Day, a landmark event for 60,000 attendees.

“Each year, our Pay What You Can scheme for the Godalming family pantomime gives hundreds of families the chance to experience theatre regardless of financial circumstances, setting a precedent later adopted by others locally.

“Extending our mission further, our venue The Fallen Angel has become a safe and vibrant home for the LGBTQ+ community.

“Although we are a commercial company, every aspect is built with community at its core, ensuring the arts remain open, inclusive, and welcoming to all. This ethos would flow through to the Electric Theatre should we be awarded the lease.”

Actor Rosie Hatton, user of the Electric Theatre and co-founder of Something Fantastic, commented: “The Electric Theatre is so important to me as a Guildford resident and it’s one of the reasons I chose to live here in the first place.

“The Electric needs to be a hub for local culture, arts and performance – amateur and professional. It needs to stay as a theatre, but it can be so much more. Nick knows that the Electric is not just a building but that it plays a critical role in Guildford’s culture.

“Nick understands that the Electric needs investment, but that it must have a sustainable, commercial business model behind it from which it can build on solid foundations for the future. That’s why I love what he’s proposing.”

Share This Post