Project Origins

Theatrescience’s first project was Imagining the Future (2002-3), which brought together leading playwrights with several research scientists and clinicians for a week-long workshop at the Theatre Royal Plymouth’s brand new TR2 building. The primary aim of this week was to break down the barriers between scientists and playwrights and so enable them to ‘imagine the future’ together.

Three new stage plays were created as a result of this workshop, as well as one new radio play, later broadcast on BBC Radio 4. One of the playwrights at the workshop, Simon Turley, developed the play ‘Seeing Without Light’ (pictured),  working with Professor Anthony Pinching from the Peninsula Medical School. Subsequently Simon has become the Theatrescience resident writer and Tony the ongoing scientific advisor.

Next was the Newbury Science/Drama Festival, involving six schools at the Corn Exchange Theatre. This was followed by the Plymouth Science Drama Festival (2003), for which we worked with four schools at The Drum Theatre in Plymouth, UK.

Drawing on our experience at these festivals, we created The Drama of Science programme, which was rolled out nationally to schools and Science Centres across the UK in 2004.