unREVIEW
 2018 & 2019
Unlimited have been pioneers in combining theatre and science, fearlessly going where few other companies have gone before in exploring the metaphysical and everyday impact of scientific advances on our lives. The Guardian
Theatre that feels like being hugged by an old friend, only when you walk away you realise there’s a note about an insurrectionary meeting down at the docks in your pocket. Rachel, who comes to all the shows
Based in our new home at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds, founding member Jon Spooner continues to lead the company as Artistic Director in close collaboration with fellow founder Clare Duffy carrying its twenty year history and mission into a future full of Unlimited possibilities.
We are storytellers. And we want to change the world… Unlimited is a company of artists and
Led by a core creative team of artists and
producers making and telling inspirational
producers, the shows are always co-created in
stories for live performance in public spaces –
collaboration with an expanding pool of
festivals, theatres, galleries, museums, the
associate and collaborating artists, scientists,
streets of your city, on the internet and for
technologists and permanent support staff. As
broadcast.
an Arts Council of England National Portfolio Organisation we tour extensively in the UK and
We are storytellers and we want to change
have presented work at international festivals
the world (even a little bit) for the better.
and venues in the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Zimbabwe, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Ukraine, Singapore, South Africa, the USA and The International Space Station.
2018 and 2019 have been extremely busy, exciting and successful years for us. We've collaborated with a huge range of brilliant partners, worked hard to reach new audiences and delivered a series of high profile, popular and critically acclaimed projects across the UK.
2018 saw the realisation of Future Bodies - our two year collaboration with RashDash and HOME which was recently shortlisted for the 2019 Manchester Culture Awards in the "Inspiring Innovation" category. In the same year we also produced You Have Been Upgraded as the headline performance event for Manchester Science Festival and in both years we have toured extensively to festivals
with The Space Shed (awarded 'Unique' Shed of the Year in 2019) telling stories about space and science and interviewing climate scientists and activist to help us work out how best to fight climate change. New for 2019, we released some of our favourite conversations with guests to the Space Shed as a brand new podcast series, Live from The Space Shed.
The following is a review of our most significant projects from 2018 and 2019 as well as a brief, sneak peek into our plans for 2020 and beyond.
Welcome to the shows. We’re glad you could make it.
Future Bodies A co-production with HOME made in collaboration with RashDash
AU
2,00
0+
DIE NC E AC MEMB R 20 S OSS ERS HO WS
THE FUTURE IS COMING. STOP BEING NORMAL. The technology of the future is being developed, in part, by very intelligent and/or very wellfunded people who believe that death is just a technical glitch and immortality is genuinely possible. The human being is being upgraded. This is terrifying and exciting and it’s coming – whether we like it or not. Unlimited and RashDash come together to imagine the implications of real world, leading edge developments in human enhancement technologies. Future Bodies grew out of two years of creative collaboration with RashDash and leading scientists in human enhancement technologies. Featuring six performers and realised by a creative team of ten, the show explored the science, ethical, political and cultural implications of leading edge developments in
human enhancement and biotechnologies. Our key research partners included Professor Barbara Sahakian, who is studying the impact of ‘smart drugs’ on cognitive ability; Dr Timothy Constandinou who is developing technology that will interface with neural pathways for restoring lost function in sensory, cognitive and motor impaired patients; Professor Paul Freemont who is developing new, synthetic materials and drugs; and Anders Sandberg, a self described ‘Transhumanist’ and philosopher at the Institute for the Future of Humanity. With significant support from The Wellcome Trust's Public Engagement Fund we were able to think big about bringing these ideas to the stage and opening up conversations with audiences about what it means to be human - both now and in the future.
The show was co-produced with HOME in Manchester as the first show to be produced dedicatedly for their T2 space. The majority of the 14 performances at HOME were sold out, as were the post show discussions and a ‘Meet The Cyborgs and Scientists’ Q&A event. The production then hit the road to visit Northern Stage in Newcastle and Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield. We worked with a large creative and technical team to realise the high-tech vision of tomorrow, integrating projected "creative captioning" of the text, British Sign Language, live music and a story layered with ambitious staging and design. Visit our dedicated ‘microsite’ to find out more and for links to our research unfuturebodies.com
“My phone died after the show so I licked it. A student turned to his teacher, “Miss, I have questions.” I felt so broody. I cried a lot. #futurebodies is amazing, mind boggling. I feel happy to die and excited for breathing. Thanks” @AlfieHeffer on Twitter
39% OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS AT HOME WERE
FIRST TIME BOOKERS
31% OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS AT HOME AGED
16-25 “Fantastic writing blended with stunning visuals, tech and music. A thought-provoking piece that celebrates the amazing capabilities of the human body.” Audience Member
“A heady mix of visuals and sound, mangled together to form an intoxicating elixir” The Grouchy Critic
“a fusion of many forms of art, delivered to your brain with a slap across the face” The Journalix
“It was great to see such a diversity of actors, to have such different bodies, different ages, different body types.” Read all the reviews at unfuturebodies.com/what-people-are-saying
Audience Member
You Have Been Upgraded Building on the theme of Future
In a glitzy Saturday night, chat
Bodies, You Have Been
show format, scientists, artists
Upgraded was a festival of human
and industry figures were
enhancement and biotechnology
welcomed to the UNET sofa to
co-produced with Manchester
discuss ideas around 'The Future
Science Festival as their 2018
Human' - the science involved, its
headline performance event.
applications and ethical
Audiences were invited to meet
implications. The audience could
scientists at the forefront of the
also meet academics, researchers
field, try out demos for the latest
and entrepreneur partners
biotechnologies and ask
showcasing real world
questions about the impact of
developments in human
these advancements on humanity.
enhancement technologies with the opportunity for audiences to
The event was hosted by the
try them out.
fictional start-up company Unlimited Enhancement
The careful curation of guests
Technologies (UNET), whose
from a mix of backgrounds
vision is for a world in which
blended with an “elegantly brash”
scientists, artists, academics and
design ethos gave the event a
entrepreneurs collaborate to
captivating and entertaining
create the most advanced
flavour. Body and performance
prosthetics, brain implants and
artists shared a stage with
smart drugs to restore or improve
scientists, cyborgs and
physical functions and heighten or
biohackers in a unique and bold
repair damaged cognitive
speculation on the relationship
function. UNET’s strap line is the
between art and science in a
deliberately provocative command
future where science fiction and
to “Stop being normal”.
fact collide.
SOL D OUT EVE NT!
“Absolutely loved it. It was fantastic. There was enough science in it to keep us interested, but it was also entertaining as well.” Audience Member
“Great way to present new technologies and make the public more aware of what's coming!” Audience Member
“Had so much fun last night. Probably the most interesting event I have ever been to!!” Contributor
HOSTING
100
OVER EVENTS 2 YEARS G INCLUDIN H IT TALKS W
45
TE + CLIMA SCIENCE S T R EXPE
Unlimited Space Agency In 2010 we accidentally set up our
to gorgeous, ingenious,
own space agency, UNSA. Fast
impressive life – unfolding and
forward seven years, we’ve staged
opening up to create a self-
Mission to Mars, launched The
contained ‘stage’ with fully
Astro Science Challenge, got a
integrated sound and lighting.
few awards under our belt, inspired a lot of children, and to
The Space Shed and the story of
top it off, Tim Peake(!) is our
How I Hacked My Way Into Space
patron. Our next step in 2017 was
were so popular on their ten
to build UNSA’s HQ, The Space
location tour of the UK in 2017, we
Shed.
decided to remount the show in 2018. It went on the road to five
Conceived by Jon and designed
locations including the Royal
by regular collaborator Rhys
Albert Hall, with added DJ’s and
Jarman, The Space Shed is fully
interviews with leading space
mobile, weather resistant and
scientists. Working with the
specially designed to be installed
University of Manchester, we
indoors or outdoors - in fields at
collaborated with particle
festivals, public squares in towns
physicist and DJ Dr Rob Appleby
or cities, galleries in museums,
and his Science In The House
stages in theatres or anywhere
project, expanding The Space
else! When The Space Shed
Shed’s festival day with tunes and
‘powers on’ it awakes and comes
beats into the evening.
“What an awesome way to get kids interested in space and science!” Mum at We The Curious, Bristol 2019
In 2019, The Space Shed hit the road again after a number of exciting upgrades for an eight location tour with not just one, but two shows. How I Hacked My Way Into Space was joined by UNSA’s brand new show, How to Save The Planet, which encourages young people and their families to talk about climate change and the active ways in which they can help combat the climate emergency. The 2019 tour included more interviews than ever before, with leading scientists and climate activists, as well as workshops, film screenings, DJs, and even indoor fireworks. On top of the great success of the tour, we’re incredibly proud to announce that The Space Shed was voted ‘Unique Shed of the Year’ in the national Shed of the Year competition. We’ll remain on cloud nine for a long time to come.
SEEN BY OVER
50,000 PEOPLE
“Booking The Space Shed was the best decision of my professional career. I’ve loved working with you... the whole team were brilliant.”
Director, Science Festival
“The Unlimited Space Agency is great. Their approach to inspiring children about science is rigorous, fun and it works! I’m proud to serve with them on their mission to inspire the next generation of scientists and space explorers.” Tim Peake, astronaut
VO
‘UN TED I SHE QUE THE D OF YE 201 A R ’ 9
“Perfect snacking on science. These guys are on a great mission to get more people into science… if they’re running a space agency from a shed, they’ve got to be doing something right” Reviewer on Apple Podcasts Our brand new podcast series,
Butterworth, cosmologist Alex
Live from The Space Shed was
Amon, Extinction Rebellion’s
launched in June 2019 by astronaut
Rupert Read, climate activist Alice
and UNSA patron Tim Peake to his
Bell, and all round amazing human,
1.6m Twitter followers! Hosted by
Jacqueline McGlade. The season
Director of Human Space Flight Jon
closes with BBC presenter and
Spooner and UNSA’s first
EduTuber Maddie Moate.
astronaut, Mini Jon, the podcast shares our conversations with the
The podcast has been made
super cool space and climate folk
possible with the support of our
that we’ve had the pleasure of
guests, a team of very talented
talking to while touring the UK over
artists, guidance from our friends
the last couple of years.
Storythings and support from the Science & Technologies Facilities
Season 1 kicks off with space
Council, the Cockcroft Institute,
doctor and BBC presenter, Kevin
The Space and Arts Council
Fong. Later episodes include chats
England.
with particle physicist Jon And all your other favourite podcast platforms!
The Future 2020 is (nearly) fully booked! The Space Shed will be touring again JuneOctober with more shows, workshops, DJs and an inspiring programme of guest speakers joining us as we record a new season of our 'Live From The Space Shed' podcast.
‘You Have Been Upgraded’ will be back in October, bigger and bolder than ever before. Against the backdrop of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics we'll be asking some of the world's leading scientists, researchers and athletes the big questions on doping and enhancement generally as we invite you to consider what the future of humanity might look like. From January we'll be developing a new project led by Clare ‘Nervous: 1001 Stories To Save Your Life’ about what stories we’re forced to tell when we encounter power; we’re exploring the power of stories; why do we need stories and how many, many, many stories make the abuse of power not only possible but normal? ‘Nervous’ will integrate live performance and 360 degree film projected inside a touring dome structure. You can join us for work-in-progress performances throughout
2020-21 and the full production is slated for late 2021 or early 2022. Also starting in January, Jon starts development with a new project working in collaboration with theoretical quantum physicists at Oxford University's Wolfson College as they work towards the next major breakthrough in a "unified Theory of Everything". Production slated for autumn 2021. We're also co-producing 'The Big Data Show' with Clare's other company Civic Digits. Part live theatre, part gaming experience, The Big Data Show uses ingenious digital magic to help us question just how cyber savvy we really are. And what ARE we actually agreeing to every time we share our personal data online? Using the story of real-life teenage hacker Rupert Goodwins as a starting point, this interactive show places YOU at the heart of the action and assigns your mobile device a starring role. Find out more and watch the promo video here: https://civicdigits.com/ For all the latest news on where and when you can join us, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @untheatre and sign up for updates by email at our website unlimited.org.uk/contact
CORE FUNDER www.unlimited.org.uk
www.unspaceagency.com
www.thespaceshed.com
www.howtosavethe.earth
www.unfuturebodies.com
FUNDING PARTNERS
www.astrosciencechallenge.com
Unlimited is:
Jon Spooner <@snoopfish> Founding Member / Creative Director
Clare Duffy <@playdoctorduffy> Founding Member / Co-Director
Alice Massey <@Almass123> Executive Producer
Sarah Webb <@SarahWebby_> General Manager
To contact any of us by email: firstname@unlimited.org.uk
Follow the company on twitter www.twitter.com/untheatre
www.twitter.com/unspaceagency
PROJECT PARTNERS Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/untheatre
Or follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/untheatre/
https://www.instagram.com/unspaceagency/
Send us a postcard: Yorkshire Dance
St Peter’s Buildings
3 St Peter’s Square
Leeds, LS9 8AH
Give us a call: +44 113 880 5682
Registered Charity No. 1117029
Photo credits:
Future Bodies - Jonathon Keenan
Space Shed at New Scientist Live - David Stock
You Have Been Upgraded - Drew Forsyth & Christian Dyson