Three-Day Course For Theatre Makers

Stuff and Nonsense Theatre present in partnership with Cambridge Junction a Three-Day Course for Theatre Makers

Discovering Your Co-Creation Process
How to explore, experiment and invent through co-creation;
developing your unique artistic practice.

The course will be led by Niki McCretton, Artistic Director for Stuff & Nonsense Theatre Company, as well as Director and Mentor for many other companies and artists.

“I have watched Niki’s creative process for more than a decade. She is prolific, hugely resourceful and one of our treasured British theatre-makers. She creates with passion.”
Chris Chibnall, Head Writer/Show Runner Dr Who, Writer/Producer Broadchurch, 
Head Writer Torchwood.
Patron Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company

Friday 22nd July – Sunday 24th July 2022
At Cambridge Junction, Clifton Way, Cambridge CB1 7GX

Timings for the course are:

  • Friday 22nd July: 1pm – 6pm
  • Saturday 23rd July: 10am – 6pm
  • Sunday 24th July: 10am – 3pm

Co-creation is a key part of The Arts Council’s Let’s Create strategy.
Co-creation has a broad definition, but loosely it is to involve others, usually non-professional groups or persons who you feel may have an interest, lived experience or different perspective on the subject matter, and/or may be an audience for the work. It is a relationship of reciprocity, rather than ‘delivery’.

For many artists this is a new and unknown way of working. This is one of the first training courses of its kind, giving artists insight into different co-creation processes, with an expert who has co-created for over 20 years.

Every artist has a unique practice and this course will show you how to discover the joy and depth that co-creation can bring to your work, giving you frameworks and models to enable your practice to expand and flourish.

The course will be practical, creative, experimental, discursive and inclusive. You do not need to have previous experience of this way of working.  

On completion of the course, participants will be invited to join a VIP co-creation group. Niki will host a series of four follow up sessions online to continue discussing, discovering and experimenting with co-creation, to help you embed the learning into your practice.  As a special offer these sessions will be included free of charge (normally £25 per session).

The course will be supported by Jane McGibbon, Producer for Stuff & Nonsense. Jane will be able to offer individual advice on funding applications, partnership working and more.

Niki says:
“Many artists ask me ‘Why should I co-create?’ This course will unpick that question to reveal the fascinating layers of our artistic practice, helping us to think excitedly about expanding our creative potential.

Co-creation is vibrantly fruitful. It’s not about delivering workshops. It’s not about diluting your ideas. It offers us powerful insights to enhance our practice, taking it in unexpected, inspiring and inventive directions. It becomes fuel!”

Performance Poet Toby Thompson on Niki’s Co-creation methods:
“It becomes rapidly impossible to tell who has become putty in whose hands. An infectious passion for creativity; a refreshing allergy to unearned pathos; an extremely generous style of directing and a keen awareness of the storyteller’s responsibilities. These things and more make Niki a thrill and a pleasure to work with.”

Niki McCretton has been co-creating work with children and adults for over 20 years. She has worked with many artists in their process, as a director, outside eye, catalyst for play and discovery, structuring rehearsals, and working at every stage of the artistic process, from the seed of an idea to the finished outcome.

“‘Niki’s advice and encouragement was a huge help to lift the fog, as it were, and since then we’ve been having really exciting discussions together as a company and with other practitioners, artists, audiences, BSL interpreters and Audio Describers and venues on how we can properly develop this, move forward and engage new people directly in the work. The inclusion of all sorts of groups of people from different walks of life will be immensely enriching for us and our work, and hopefully, for those participants to actively be involved in the creative proces.”
Nick Bunt - Co-Artistic Director, Le Navet Bete

Company Background
Stuff and Nonsense is an established company based at The Lyric Theatre in Bridport, Dorset, with a reputation for quality touring work and relationships with many venues, especially in the SW. They have strong relationships with Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Lighthouse, Poole and The Point, Eastleigh. They have built an eight week run each Christmas at Theatre Royal Plymouth, where they reach audiences in excess of 10,000.  The company and Niki have a strong track record of successful Arts Council grants, as well as commissions and other funding.

Niki McCretton, Artistic Director uses a devising process based on play and improvisation.  Her background is theatre, circus, choreography and working with the minds of brilliantly creative children who offer abstract and strange ideas to the creative exploration. Niki is our permanent director who also directs for other companies, working with comedy, outdoor arts, solo performance, circus companies and puppetry.

Recent work includes - My House, Apocalyptic Circus; Raynard The Fox/The Musicians of Bremen, The Fabularium; The Big Bounce, JAM Productions
Small Scale Theatre – The Time Machine, Mumblecrust Theatre;
Inclusive Large Scale Theatre – Flea, A community opera circus , Andrew Dixon
Inclusive Theatre – Till We Win, Extraordinary Bodies Young Company (outside eye)

Cost:
£300 to include three-day course and four online follow-up sessions.
(Early bird discounted price of £275 if booked before May 31st)
Please note that artists will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

Places:
Limited to 20 artists and will be offered on a first come first served basis. The course is suitable for any theatre makers making work with adults or children.
On booking you will be asked for some background information, to help us ensure that the course will meet the needs of all participants.

Fees
On booking your place you will be asked to pay a deposit of £75. The remaining fees will be due by the start of the course.

How to book
Please contact Jane McGibbon at jane.mcgibbon@aloadofstuffandnonsense.com, Producer for Stuff & Nonsense, who can answer any further questions you may have and book your place.

Looking for something specific?