Announcing our Potential DISTANCE Season: a new programme of work despite and because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This winter we are seeking possibilities for live performance in the idea and realities of distance. What does it mean to gather, to participate, to witness? What theatre do we need at a time when, to keep each other safe and well, we must keep physically distant? What should theatre do right now?

While we still have more questions than answers, over the past six months we have found ourselves starting work on projects in new and unexpected ways, with an amazing and expanding group of artists.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but today, we are thrilled to announce...

  • Our first outdoor, site-specific, socially-distanced performance
  • Our first education project for young people
  • Our first filmed workshop series for making theatre at home
  • Our first artistic-academic collaboration that will feed directly into a research output
  • And....the launch of our new Helpdesk, offering free technical advice for online performance and collaboration in real time.

Explore the programme below!

Classbot 450

Classbot 450 is a new week-long Adventure in Learning for primary schools, designed to inspire young people to learn computer programming using live immersive theatre and an accessible coding interface..
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SIGNAL FIRES: The Actors' Church

On November 4th, gather near while staying afar in the grounds of The Actors' Church, as part of Signal Fires, a nationwide festival celebrating the 'original theatre' - telling stories around a fire. Light a lantern and follow a trail of clues and stories to invoke and honour performers past, present and future. A quest to rekindle story-telling, puppetry, laughter and light in dark times...
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You are a puppeteer

Our first YouTube foray! Presenting a three-part video puppetry workshop series, presented by Lori Hopkins and Jess Mabel Jones and aimed at puppeteers of all ages. Jess and Lori share their skills and secrets and show you how to make your own theatre at home with the ordinary objects and materials around you. Free, online and available now.
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The PD Helpdesk!

During lockdown we've been helping people with trouble-shooting and tech set-up for performing and collaborating in real time online. Now we are offering our assistance more widely! Send us your technical queries about your online performance and we will advise you if we can.
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The PD Helpdesk

During lockdown we've been helping people with trouble-shooting and tech set-up for performing and collaborating in real time online. Now we're keen to offer our assistance more widely! Send us your technical queries about your online performance and we'll advise you if we possibly can.
More...

And in R&D

DIGITAL NATIVES - What a difference almost a year makes! Back in January, we began work on developing a new form of live, online performance borrowing from immersive theatre, TV and transmedia storytelling (who knew that just a few months later that wouldn't feel so niche...). A small team of writers, gamers and dramaturgs came together for a one-week residency, suppported by The Lowry, Salford. This winter, the Digital Natives writers will reconvene to put together early prototypes for how audiences might influence  the action of a live scene that plays out online. We hope to share them with you soon.

Supporters for the season

Season image: Footage of shadowscapes by Jess Mabel Jones