In March 2016 Kate Hall, Jumped Up’s Creative Producer, answered a call out by Battersea Arts Centre for a new partner in the East of England for their second round of the Collaborative Touring Network. Six weeks later Jumped Up and Peterbrough was chosen to be part of this incredible project, and there followed three years of fantastic touring and homegrown projects being created in the city.
The Collaborative Touring Network 2016-2019 was a partnership between Battersea Arts Centre and eight different producing teams based in Darlington, Gloucester, Hull, Medway, Peterborough, Thanet, Torbay and Wigan. Coming together with the joint aim of inspiring an entirely new generation of theatre-goers, the Collaborative Touring Network navigated its way across the country to bring inspiring performance to audiences.
Over three years each producing team delivered six festivals of high quality touring work, alongside homegrown talent, workshops, feasts, music and discussion. The CTN festivals challenge traditional touring models that often exclude areas without an existing infrastructure for theatre and performance.
For Peterborough, as the Platform 8 Festivals, productions were staged in pubs, night clubs, community centres, community gardens, boxing clubs, museums, colleges, school halls and school fields, events in cafes, shopping centres, in the street, in the local press and in a viral world called The Dreamcatcher. And in theatres. Platform 8 reached over 5000 people over 100 events, with 70%+ of audiences being new to contemporary theatre, and 90%+ saying they were inspired to see more.
Particular successes including a new relationship with the d/Deaf community through Cambridge Deaf Association and Peterbrough and District Deaf Children’s Society, reaching families with Hampton Tiddlers and Little Miracles, and supporting local artists to develop their work, including Clare Currie’s Cold Snaps and Lamphouse Theatre’s first family show, Smoke & Mirrors.
The Collaborative Touring Network 2016-2019 was generously supported by Arts Council England , Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and Unlimited Impact - huge thanks for your faith in us and our locations.
Scroll down below for a journey back in time through the festivals, and the wonderful companies and artists who contributed to the success of Platform 8.
Season 6: Spring 2019
Spring 2019 gave us a crazy busy festival of nearly 30 performances in 10 days, and audiences of nearly 2000 people.
Kaleidoscope
Filskit Theatre @ Key Theatre
A gentle, playful performance using light, colour and sound, for babies aged 6 - 18 months and grown-ups.
Juliet & Romeo
Lost Dog @ Stanground College
Sexy, funny and subversive this - a stunning journey across love, loss and longevity.
Now Is The Time To Say Nothing
Reem Karssli & Caroline Williams @ Peterborough Regional College
An interactive sound and video experience, questioning how we become distanced from global conflicts.
COAT
Yomi Sode @ Adrian-Carribean Milllenium Centre
A humorous and moving response to the mistakes made by elders that leave the next generation uncertain of what is expected of them.
Lost Dog Workshop
Solène Weinachter
A physical theatre / dance workshop led by Solène Weinachter (Juliet) from Lost Dog.
She’s A Good Boy
Elise Heaven @ Brewey Tap
An honest, moving and very funny solo show exploring non-binary gender identity using Elise’s real everyday life experience.
Kid Carpet - Noisy Holiday
Kid Carpet
This lively kids show contains a mix of live music, theatre, comedy, puppetry and animation. The Noisy Animals are looking forward to their dream holidays.
What Words Are Ours?
Hosted by Talia Randall @ Key Theatre
A bold, playful and joyous poetry-cabaret, featuring some of the most innovative and daring UK artists working with text, poetry and spoken word.
Scratch Club
APPLES AND SNAKES
Poets share work in progress and get constructive, supportive feedback on their performance from their fellow poets.
Season 5: Autumn 2018
Scratch night including: Small Nose Productions, Lamphouse Theatre, Clare Currie, Charley Genever, Keely Mills and Kindred Youth Theatre
Season 4: April 2018
Sponge
Turned On Its Head @ Key Theatre
Delightful & inventive - come for some super, squishy, squashy family fun time!
Roll, squeeze & pop yourself through a new malleable kind of family dance show - for babies, young children under 4 & their grown-ups.
Ugly Chief
Victoria Melody @ Key Theatre
Victoria Melody's comedy based on true events - honest & humorous.
Ugly Chief explored taboos around death and its practicalities, and the relationship with a parent who you don't always agree with.
Headwrap Diaries
Uchenna Dance @ Gladstone Community Centre
Three fierce, clever & witty women explore femininity
Beauty, culture, and most importantly; hair in a dizzling fusion of dance styles and stories from dance company Uchenna Dance. In association with Peterborough Presents
Death Cafe
Hosted by Kate Hall
A conversation about death.
Across the world people are getting together and having a chat about one of life's great certainties.
Dads and Daughters
Thomas Byron Photography
We had an amazing day taking photos of father / daughter duos
Have a look at the photos HERE
According to Arthur
Paddleboat Theatre Company @ St John’s Church + The Undercroft Theatre
A charming family show, imaginative & touching
Will memories, music and puppetry help Arthur find the moon again and what else he might discover outside his front door?... MORE INFO HERE
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Anonymous
URock Theatre Company @ The Undercroft Theatre
Plúg into a digital storytelling experience through our online world into the future
Made and performed by young people of the URock Ensemble that delves deep into an online world.
Live before you Die
Byron Vincent & Dave McGinn @ The Brewery Tap
Funny, tragic & shockingly honest
A true story from Byron Vincent of hopelessness and friendship told by two best mates on a desperate quest for happiness.
Season 3: Autumn 2017
Where would be without the builders, inventors and creators who didn't wait for permission? Join us for a joyous riot of a night of music, tall tales and going a little-too-far.
We worked with One To One Development Trust to explore the dreams and desire-paths of 400+ people in Peterborough, to create an installation of Virtual Reality, film and words.
Almost Always Muddy is the story of a Hero’s Quest for courage, improvised by the Almost Always Muddy team and led by the world you have built and the suggestions you give.
Kid Carpet will guide you through everything you need to know to be able to rock out big time. Even if it’s your first gig! Kid Carpet welcomes you to join in with stories, games and songs whilst simultaneously inviting you to play ping pong, help catch a lost sandwich in space and take part in a grand dance contest.
Ross & Rachel tells the mind-bending, heart-breaking story of what happens when a couple that was always meant to be together, gets together. And stays together.
Season 2 : Spring 2017
REASSEMBLED, SLIGHTY ASKEW by SHANNON YEE: An immersive story of Terry, discovery, humour, but above all, hope.
NEVERLAND by TOM PENN: Step into a tented den, discover a magical world to explore and play.
UNTIL YOU HEAR THAT BELL by SEAN MAHONEY: Lightening quick rope-work, with jabs and mighty uppercuts.
BUCKET LIST by THEATRE AD INFINITUM: A powerful story of a young Mexican’s fight for justice.
MARKETING TRAINING with HOUSE: Learn how to create a campaign to grow your audiences.
MEANWHILE with LAMPHOUSE THEATRE: 5 radio plays performed live with a soundscape created by a foley artist.
