A Great Blog

Creating the Debate 21 years on…

2011-10-04T15:35:00.002+01:00

To celebrate the company's 21st anniversary we have kicked off a process of reflecting on our work. All our activities involve many different partners and audiences. So we want to include as many voices as possible in this process. We have asked a wide range of people to participate in the discussion and their perspectives will appear on this site in the form of short essays or films. Views might come from scientists, artists, educators, journalists, students or others. The contributions will discuss some the issues raised when theatre encounters complex social, ethical or technical themes.

If you would like to take part in the discussion, you can post a comment or question after any of the postings. You may have seen the company's work and have your own opinions to add or you may want to agree or disagree with the views of the contributors. Whatever the case, we hope the site gives you a further insight into how and why we do what we do.

So are you really a theatre company then? By Tony Jackson

2011-01-07T14:31:00.001Z

In this essay Emeritus Professor of Educational Theatre, Tony Jackson, contextualises Y Touring's work in the wider movement of participatory theatre, and traces the origins of our work back to the Theatre in Education movement which began in the mid 60's.

Open publication - Free publishing - More tony jackson

Derek Barnes

2010-12-23T10:00:00.001Z

In this interview Derek Barnes, who has cast shows for Y Touring and is a member of Y Touring’s advisory board talks about his involvement with the company.
He discusses how he first got involved and why he feels the company is important both educationally and artistically. He also talks about why he feels working with the company is an enriching experience for actors.

Iddo Goldberg, Actor

2010-12-22T10:00:00.002Z

In this interview Iddo Goldberg talks about acting in the Y Touring production Pig in the Middle. He talks about what he learned through working with Y Touring and how he found the experience

Claudia, Student, Westgate School

2010-12-21T10:00:00.009Z

In this interview Westgate student, Claudia talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she learned and what stuck in her mind about the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Professor Sir Iain Chalmers, James Lind Initiative

2010-12-20T10:00:00.008Z

In this interview Professor Sir Iain Chalmers talks about his involvement with the Y Touring production Starfish. He discusses the development process of Starfish with reference to how accuracy of information issues within the play were addressed through the drafting process.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Hival, Student, George Green School

2010-12-19T10:00:00.004Z

In this interview Hival, a student from George Green School talks about watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He discusses what he learned from watching the production and recalls what was memorable for him about it.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Simon Vinnicombe, Playwright

2010-12-18T10:00:00.003Z

In this interview playwright Simon Vinnicombe talks about the play Ceremony which he wrote for Y Touring as part of the project with King's College. He discusses why he felt it was important to have young people involved in the play development process.

Dickon Tolson, Actor

2010-12-17T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Dickon Tolson talks about acting in the Y Touring production The Inner Circle. He recalls his first audition for Y Touring and what he gained from working with Y Touring.

Sue Nott, BBC

2010-12-16T10:00:00.002Z

In this interview Sue Nott from the BBC talks about how she first got involved with Y Touring. She talks about her favourite productions and her involvement in the BBC filming of the Y Touring production of Sweet as You Are.

Mrs Mutumba, Teacher, Maria Fidelis School

2010-12-15T10:00:00.006Z

In this interview Mrs Mutumba a teacher from Maria Fidelis School talks about the Y Touring production Nobody Lives Forever. She discusses what she felt the students got out of the production.

Nourham, Student, George Green School

2010-12-14T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Nourham a student from George Green School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Laura Grant

2010-12-13T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Dr. Laura Grant talks about her involvement in the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses the work she did as part of the evaluation of the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Hannah, Student, Westgate School

2010-12-12T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Westgate student, Hannah talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She talks about what she gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Lesley Paterson, The Royal Academy of Engineering

2010-12-10T10:00:00.007Z

In this interview Lesley Paterson, Head of Public Engagement, The Royal Academy of Engineering talks about her involvement with Y Touring on various projects including Breathing Country and The Projectionist.
She discusses why she got involved with Y Touring and why she feels the work of Y Touring is important.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of The Projectionist here

Val, Teacher, Treloar College

2010-12-09T10:00:00.007Z

In this interview Val, a Teaching Assistant form Treloar college talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses what she thinks the students gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

James, Student, Westgate School

2010-12-08T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Westgate student, James talks about his experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He discusses what he learned from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Jenny Harris

2010-12-07T10:00:00.004Z

In this interview Jenny Harris talks about her involvement with various Y Touring projects. She discusses the collaboration between The National Theatre and Y Touring on the Theatre of Debate project.

Rosa, Student, Westgate School

2010-12-06T10:00:00.004Z

In this interview Rosa, a student from Westgate school talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she enjoyed about the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Abi Bown, Playwright

2010-12-05T10:00:00.005Z

Playwright Abi Bown talks about her experience of writing the Y Touring play Mind the Gap. She talks about the process of writing the play and how she felt about working with Scientists and experts.

Steven Helliwell, Actor

2010-12-04T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview Steven Helliwell talks about acting in the Y Touring productions Starfish and Cracked.
He discusses why he became an actor and his experience working with Y Touring.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Dr. Trevor Yellon

2010-12-03T10:00:00.005Z

In this interview GP Dr. Trevor Yellon talks about his involvement with the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He talks about the value of engaging people in debate over Electronic Patient Records.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Breathing Country: By Dr Martyn Thomas

2010-12-02T11:53:00.003Z

Eminent software engineer Dr Martyn Thomas, a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, writes an essay describing his experiences as a member of the project advisory group for Breathing Country a Theatre of Debate® project exploring the use of electronic patient records in medical research. He outlines the issues raised by the introduction of electronic patient records and writes in depth about his experience of participating in the project workshop day. He describes his emotions as he found himself, a 62-year-old expert used to delivering lectures to professional and academic conferences, journalists and TV cameras, participating in ‘drama’ activities with a group of teenage students and other experts.

Open publication - Free publishing - More raeng

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Karifa, Student, Acland Burghley School

2010-12-02T10:00:00.007Z

Karifa, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He discusses why he got involved in the project and what he got out of it

Jenny and Lynn, Teachers, Treloar College

2010-12-01T10:00:00.010Z

In these interviews Jenny and Lynn, teachers from Treloar talk about their experience of watching Y Touring’s production Breathing Country. They discuss what they felt their students gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here