The Nuffield Theatre delivers a range of innovative participatory projects (also see PROJECTS ARCHIVE). Projects respond creatively to the fact that many people are unlikely to choose to see experimental performance on a campus-based theatre. Rather than delivering traditional outreach work, we provide opportunities for local residents of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in the creative process of innovative artists.

We would like to hear your ideas too, so if you have a proposal for an exciting participatory project, please contact Alice Booth, Projects and Artist Support Officer. Email: alice@nuffieldtheatre.com or call: 01524 592994.

Spanning three striking parts, Trilogy takes its shape as a celebratory venture into modern-day feminism. This performance triple bill examines and explores the joys and complexities of being a woman today. Nic and her company of performers deliver relentless raw energy in this thrilling art-work that’s designed to challenge, inspire and make way for positive change.

An invitation from Nic Green:

“I would like the help of lots of women for a performance event taking place at the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster in January 2010.

I am looking for anything over 30 people to make this happen. So here we go... The first part of the Trilogy ends with a high energy, ensemble naked dance. It is a powerful and emotive moment, presenting the female body in an alternative, empowered way, and celebrating the difference and diversity between us. In the past we have had women of all shapes and sizes, abilities, ages and backgrounds and it has been amazing.

I realise it's a big challenge (for many of us) to do a performance with no clothes on, but I can promise to approach this in the most sensitive way I know how, and you won’t be asked to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with. If you come to the first session (which we will do fully clothed!) you’ll be able to meet myself and the other participants and decide if you’d like to take part. By attending the first rehearsal you are not committing to anything and if you feel it is not for you then we will totally understand.

With best wishes, Nic.”

“The most liberating thing I have ever done”. Participant, Edinburgh 2009

How many people have we recruited so far? We held tea and cake sessions at the Peter Scott Gallery and at the Gregson on the 7th of December, and about 25 women came along which is great.... but we would still like some more!

Want to take part? Rehearsals are in Lancaster and take place every evening from 6pm – 9pm during the week of 25th January. Contact Alice for full details. If you think you may not be able to attend all of the sessions, please still get in touch – we may be able to work something out!

Performance Details The performance is at the Nuffield Theatre on Saturday 30th Jan. Tickets are £10/£7. Call our box office on 01524 594151 or book online, go the the 'what's on' section of this website.

Making Time is a new performance project devised by Nuffield Theatre to explore ideas of time. For full details download the attached pdf.

How might a performance last an entire year? How do we mark time and how does it mark us? How do we document time? How can we make the time to make art?

Artists Jonathan Raisin & Elizabeth Willow have been commissioned to spend a year creating a garden in the grounds of Lancaster University; a place in which to respond to change; to follow the seasons; to mark and be marked by the passing of time.

Elizabeth and Jonathan welcome ideas, suggestions and gifts of seeds, cuttings and gardening tips. A regular monthly newsletter will be posted online and also available as a paper edition. To join our mailing list and receive more information about times and events, contact makingtime@nuffieldtheatre.com

Download Making Time Newsletter 1
Download Making Time Newsletter 2

Download Document (0.64 MB)

Experimentality is the 2009-2010 Annual Research Programme of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Lancaster University, and is being delivered in collaboration with LICA and many other organisations across the Northwest of England.

It is a year-long collaborative exploration of ideas and practices of experimentation in science and technology, the arts, commerce, politics, popular culture and everyday life. In a linked series of events in the Northwest of England - interdisciplinary workshops, arts events, and an international conference - it brings together leading practitioners from various fields; academics from the social and natural sciences, arts and humanities; and members of the wider public. It uses the notion of the experiment to explore vital questions about the relationship between knowledge and power, freedom and control in the modern world.

For more information, see www.lancs.ac.uk/experimentality .

Interdisciplinary workshops:

The Experimental Condition: Programme Launch (15-16 October 2009)

Experiment as Event (19-20 November 2009)

Experimental Subjects (14-15 January 2010)

Experimental Objects (18-19 February 2010 - at the Storey Creative Industries Centre, Lancaster)

Experimentality and Nature (25-26 March 2010)

The Experimental City (14-15 May 2010 - in Manchester)

International conference:

The Experimental Society, Lancaster, 7-9 July 2010

Public arts programme:

15-16 October 2009 - Nuffield Theatre Mem Morrison - Ringside

17 October 2009 - Lancaster Literature Festival Steven Hall and Ellis Sharp

23-24 October 2009 - Nuffield Theatre A2 Company - The Future of Death / part 5

25 October 2009 - Lancaster Literature Festival Luke Kennard and David Grubb

29 October 20009 - Lancaster International Concert Series Psappha - Back to (and beyond) the Electric Palace

9 November 2009 - Nuffield Theatre Michael Pinchbeck and Simon Bowes - Family Double-Bill

26 November 2009 - Lancaster International Concert Series Gavin Bryars Ensemble - Nothing Like the Sun

27-28 November 2009 - Nuffield Theatre Tim Crouch - ENGLAND

4 December 2009 (Deadline) Experimentality: Photography Competition

13 January - 6 February 2010 Experimentality Photography Exhibition, Peter Scott Gallery

January - March Experimental Objects Exhibition, Storey Gallery, Lancaster

2 February 2009 - Nuffield Theatre Random People - Versions 1-5

12-15 May 2010FutureEverything festival, Manchester - The Experimental City http://www.futureeverything.org/

The Nuffield Theatre and the Dukes in Lancaster are continuing to promote ‘A NIGHT LESS ORDINARY’, a new national scheme that’s allowing Lancaster’s two most exciting theatre venues to team up and offer thousands of free tickets to local young people over the next two years.

To sign up for the scheme, get free tickets and great further discounts at our venues, just call the Nuffield box office on 01524 594151 or the Dukes on 01524 598500. Almost all shows in the Nuffield Autumn 2009 programme have free tickets set aside for the scheme - see WHAT'S ON Section for details - where you see the ANLO logo there are free tickets (subject to availability).

The darlings of Londons neo-cabaret scene explain the FREE theatre tickets for under 26s scheme through the medium of song...

A Night Less Ordinary is an Arts Council England scheme in association with Metro, which will provide 618,000 free theatre tickets to anyone under 26 in more than 200 venues across England. For more information about the scheme visit www.anightlessordinary.org.uk

The Nuffield won our category at the recent Arts Council art08 awards held in Liverpool in November 08. The Nuffield took the Inside-Outside-Online prize for our year-long programming project, alongside wins from Manchester International Festival's 'Monkey - Journey to the West', Bluecoat Arts Centre's Shine project and overall winner, inspiring Lancashire-based young people's leader Paul Hartley. Comedian Dave Spikey compered the event, and ACE interim director Aileen McEvoy said 'All our art08 award winners have demonstrated their dedication to delivering the kind of fantastic work that inspires us and brings us together, making the North West a better place to be'

Nuffield New Works is a commissioning programme supporting the research, development and dissemination of new theatre and dance practice. Working with established companies with a national and international reputation, and a range of UK and international co-producers, the scheme enables artists to explore new collaborations or to experiment with new areas of practice. Most shows have toured extensively nationally and internationally, and several have been selected for British Council showcases.

Nuffield New Works supported shows include The World in Pictures (Forced Entertainment); Broken Chords (Vincent Dance Theatre); Alice Bell and Daniel Hit By a Train (Lone Twin); OAP (Ursula Martinez); Dinner with America (Rajni Shah); Silence of the Soul and 5-2-10 (Walker Dance Park Music); Incarnate (Marie-Gabrielle Rotie); Hotel Methuselah (imitating the dog); A Pastoral (Uninvited Guests); Making the Difference (Small Change); Relative (Niki McCretton and Kathy Hinde); Years, years (Deer Park); The Lastmaker (Goat Island); Song of Songs (Sonia Hughes). For more information, contact Matt Fenton on 01524 593431, matt@nuffieldtheatre.com