about
archipelago is a theatre collective that makes work about themes of epic proportions whilst looking at a local, community, personal level. Our work crosses genres, forms, and styles, but is united under the banner of live, daring, and generous work that brings people together. Made with communities, for communities.
We have a vision for archipelago that is all about connecting people. We think it’s magic and worth celebrating our points of difference, whilst embracing that which also unites us. Our mission is to be part of the fabric of community that brings all these tiny islands of people together, to try and bring about a seachange in our society, both big and small.
Every archipelago project is started by a period of listening. We think it’s vital that before we speak we have heard from others. This listening takes a variety of forms, but it’s all about us as artists, and as a company, engaging with people, and places, who have things they want to say and deserve to be heard. Our process is all about collaboration; we think it enriches everybody that takes part and makes genuinely thrilling work.
mother of the revolution soundtrack
Get your hands on one of our limited edition vinyl copies of the songs from our upcoming folk musical!
projects
If you’d like to know more about our work and find out about our upcoming performances and projects, click below!
about us
Beth is a director and facilitator with a passion for telling new and socially-engaged stories. She works across both professional and participatory work on a range of scales, in a generous, collaborative and responsive style – often as a deviser and constantly with young people. She makes theatre as a joyful and political act.
She loves bad jokes, 90s hip-hop, biscuits and being an auntie. She hates marzipan, waking up early and horror films. Her love language is Jeff Goldblum gifs and she’s really good at pub quizzes.
Kirsty is a theatre maker and director, passionate about making applied theatre that addresses barriers and inequalities in the arts and beyond. Her delivery of community engagement programmes has learned from communities of endlessly creative people with learning disabilities, families living in kinship foster care, and lots of children from birth – 18. Her work aims to speak to people who are often left out of the conversation.
Thanks to living in Glasgow, Kirsty is that friend who always suggests walking is easier than an Uber even when it’s not. She sings too loud in the shower, then makes pancakes to apologise. Just to confuse everyone, her spoken accent is Scottish, but Yorkshire in Sign Language.
Sean is a composer, musician and sound designer who makes new work with a focus on innovative approaches to how people experience music. He works across artistic disciplines including theatre, music, and film and his creative practice centres on collaboration, co-creation and reactivity to artists, participants, and audiences.
Outside of work, you’ll find him spending too much money on clothes or walking in the Peak District. He’s a great advocate for not telling people how nice the north is in case they come and spoil it. He’s also always Greg Davies when playing the Taskmaster board game.
casting
We don’t run auditions for any of our projects. We think it’s a false economy that actors are the only creatives in our industry who have to constantly prove their skills in recruitment. Instead, we are much more interested in having conversations with artists across all disciplines about our projects as equal collaborators.
We regularly put public casting calls for our projects here; but if you’d like to talk to us at any point about our work or working together please get in touch via our emails below.
currently casting
We are casting for the role of Nadia in Santa Must Die!. We are considering artists from and preferably still living in the North of England, preferably Yorkshire.
Santa Must Die! is a raucous new gig theatre show for the gig economy at the most difficult time of the year! A different kind of Christmas story about it being really sh*t when Xmas is all work and no play, about finding joy in unexpected places, and fighting against that which is meant to keep you down.
CASTING BREAKDOWN
Nadia is charismatic and unapologetic. She loves making music but craves stability, something she feels ashamed to admit. She is smart and sarcastic but worn out by life on a zero hours contract. They have a strained relationship with her family and her work doesn’t lend itself to meeting and making friends. They lean heavily on their best friend Abed and struggles with feeling like a burden. She would do anything for her friends, the same can’t be said for her employers. Work is for paying the bills, life is for living.
Casting: Woman/Non-binary performer from the Global Majority in their 20s/30s, Northern Accent. Strong singer. Musician of at least 1 of the following: guitar/bass/keyboard.
DATES AND RATES OF PAY
Rehearsals and Tech: 13th November – 2nd December in Leeds
Performances: w/c 4th December – Community Tour in West Yorkshire
w/c 11th December – Performances at Leeds Playhouse
w/c 18th December – Performances in Greater Manchester
Rate of Pay: £550 per week for 6 weeks = £3,300
Travel and Accommodation will be provided.
HOW TO APPLY
We will not be auditioning for this opportunity, just meeting artists and deciding who to work with based upon the conversations that emerge. If you would like to be considered for this opportunity please email beth@archipelagoarts.co.uk with a theatrical CV and Headshot or Spotlight link, and answers to the following questions – in any way you wish, by video, voice note or in text, in no more than 250 words per question or 5 mins of recording by Saturday 21st October at 5pm. From this we will produce a shortlist of artists that will be meeting by Zoom in the following week and will be in touch with everyone who expresses interest.
Questions
1. Tell us about a gig or piece of art/theatre that has inspired you
2. Tell us about a cause that you’re passionate about
If you have any questions about this casting note, contact beth@archipelagoarts.co.uk
contact us
We would love to hear from you!
To get in touch, you can email us directly on:
beth@archipelagoarts.co.uk
kirsty@archipelagoarts.co.uk
sean@archipelagoarts.co.uk
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archipelago arts collective ltd.
Registered Company Number: 12273963