'Digital Theatre Making' invites participants to experiment with devising and creating performative digital theatre using mobile phones supplied by CPT. It is led by theatre-maker, actor, and creative facilitator Simone French from the theatre company TomYumSim.
About the programme
Digital Theatre Making is a workshop series led by theatremaker, actor and creative facilitator Simone French from the theatre company TomYumSim. Simone makes innovative theatre that interrogates technology and mixes live performance with digital platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Zoom, and Youtube. Her work aims to playfully pull apart traditional performances and build community through creative participation.
What will be explored?
Students aged 14+ will experiment with devising and creating performative digital theatre using mobile phones. Simone will share her process of making her digital theatre project 'A Suffocating Choking Feeling' - a show which mixes live performance with Instagram and explores influencer culture and “authenticity” online. Passionate about the ways young people engage with technology - Simone will empower students to see digital theatre as a way to have autonomy over what we share online and create in a safe and playful manner.
How long is the workshop?
This is a 5-week programme consisting of five 2-hour workshops.
What will we be doing?
- Introducing students to Simone’s theatre-making practice & creation techniques
- Mindmapping and sharing the impacts that social media has on our day-to-day with the exploration of online safety
- Playing with creating performative content on mobile phones using Instagram and Tiktok Creating characters, personas, and short online narratives
- Workshop sharing and discussion
How can my school get involved?
This workshop series is currently being delivered in partnership with Global Generation’s summer programme. If you would like to find out more and collaborate with us please get in touch via community@cptheatre.co.uk. We are also very happy to have a further conversation in-person or digitally. We look forward to doing some theatre with you!
About Simone
Simone has worked as a youth creative facilitator with 42nd Street, RECLAIM and People’s History Museum and Hot House Theatre. She has also taught at Middlesex University and Monash University. She most recently devised ‘Trapped in the Museum’ with 15 Young people, assisting them to create a performative protest party, led by their ideas and voices. She toured Italy in collaboration with 15 Italian students to present ‘Body of Knowledge’ - a sharing of intergenerational knowledge via phone conversations.
Her career has included work in the UK and Australia; with Manchester International Festival, Royal Exchange Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre, People’s History Museum, Manchester Pride, Pleasance Theatre, Theatre Deli, Melbourne International Festival, Sydney Opera House and Darwin Festival.
