A Season of No Shows

1 August 2022

New Diorama announces Autumn 2022: a radical artist intervention through a season of no shows.

New Diorama Theatre deliberately announces no public programme for Autumn/Winter 2022.
'Intervention One’ will be NDT’s most radical project yet, our biggest ever investment in developing a new slate of bold, risk-taking work.
A submissions window is now open for companies to take part, with publication of a new artistic vision ‘Towards a New Movement in British Theatre’.
NDT will also go dark across all social media until 2023.

Today New Diorama announces that it will present no public programme for the rest of the year.

Instead, ‘Intervention One’ will call together the UK's most exciting independent theatre companies. Together, we'll get off the treadmill and begin work on a bold slate of new ideas - aiming to break the current short-term programming and development cycles that are exhausting artists and stifling creative risk.

In a context of austerity, fatiguing Brexit trauma, government-backed culture wars, ‘protected heritage’ and rapidly declining living standards - for artists and for their audiences - we need to make space for real bravery and new thinking. We need to restore our belief in theatre as essential to our lives.

So, we're stopping: making space, time and resource to fund artistic dreamtime, messy new ideas and genuine R&D for companies taking part – with no pressure for programming or any immediate outcomes.

NDT Artistic Director David Byrne said:

‘Post-pandemic, we promised to listen more and do better. The sheer catalytic energy required to ‘bring theatre back’ has left artists on the brink of burn-out and exhaustion. So New Diorama are going to do the most radical thing we can imagine: stop. Marking a once-in-a-generation moment, we’ll work behind the scenes to return in 2023 with a renewed artistic vision, a re-energised artist family, and our boldest-ever slate of work.’

NDT will go dark across social media during this period, allowing us to support risky work without having to ask artists to package their thinking or ideas immediately for public consumption. Outlining the mission and challenges ahead, Artistic Director David Byrne has published a personal statement, including a brief for artists wanting to join. ‘Towards a New Movement In British Theatre’ is available here, with an artist submissions window now open.

NDT Executive Director Will Young said:

‘Having fought so hard to survive lockdowns, we need to go beyond recovery to a greater ambition: re-inspiring audiences and reminding them why theatre is essential to our lives. NDT has some of the best audiences in London, those most energised by new talent and bold ideas, so we know they’ll bear with us during this temporary closure, and be ready for us on the other side.’

Supporters

'Intervention 01' is supported by two creative partners, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival - representing a new collaboration centred on artist support and opportunities to access its new Creative Space, Studio Theatre and mid-scale Corn Exchange - and NDT's neighbouring creative hub Old Diorama Arts Centre, building on the two organisations' close working relationship. Funding partners include Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants, Jerwood Arts and the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation.

Further interventions will follow.

David's blog: 'Towards a new movement in British Theatre'.

Intervention 01: The Opportunity for Artists.

Information for Audiences and Supporters - including how to help!

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