'Not Better, First' Development
CREW FROM STRAIGHT FLUSH - Enola Gay. Cloud cover less than 3/10th at all altitudes. Advice: bomb primary.
TIBBETS - Received. We are go for primary target. Set course, check altitude and speed.
DUKE - Captain, Little Boy is ready to go.
TIBBETS - Open the bay doors.
DUKE - Bay doors open. Target is up ahead, if you can’t see it, you’re blind.
Extract from 'Not Better, First' script
Photos by M Dyczkowska & D Musat
This project started as an experiment to engage our audience from the initial stages of creation. We decided we would gather an ensemble of creatives and performers and begin work on a new piece of devised theatre. We would open our development process to whoever wanted to join and have a look. This normally sheltered, private space, the space of early ideas of trial and failure, would be made public. It felt risky but exciting.
As a devised theatre company we needed to be able to ensure that the creative space was protected and our artists didn’t feel too exposed or under pressure by this opening of the space. We would go carefully. We had two weeks to play with this project - build a new piece of theatre and experiment with audience engagement.
We invited people to join our warm-up sessions every morning and found this to be a wonderful exercise in community building and allowing people to meet each other in a productive and creative environment, free from the pressure to produce anything. We met new people and shared our practice. We told the story of our work, and this constant sharing helped us sharpen our focus and ideas and unify our creative vision.
We decided to perform a number of work in progress showings. We would invite people into the rehearsal room to watch and feedback and also to test our ideas in the street - the most democratic of public spaces. However, Storm Eowyn had other ideas and we were confined to the safety of our homes. We were still able to invite people to the rehearsal room and completed two work in progress showings. We also recorded our work for the digital space so that anyone can get an insight into how we make work and the processes that happen before a finished production is presented.
As for the piece? Well, let us tell you a story.
There was once a boy who had a mind that loved learning. He devoured books, spoke multiple languages, and was fascinated by how things worked. He invented elaborate mechanisms and designed economic systems. He read epic poetry and literature. He didn’t like confrontation and eschewed violence. He determined that whatever he did with his life, it should be for the betterment of all humanity.
Then he discovered physics and the atom. He became fascinated with this relatively new science. At the same time he saw that the political world around him was changing, fast. He foresaw danger. He could see the atom and the journey towards splitting it. And he saw the potential for great energy. And a great weapon, the likes of which had never been seen before.
This boy was Leo Szilard who went on to build the world's first nuclear reactor in his quest to create an atom bomb.
With thanks to our ensemble of collaborators: Ash Ashton, Cat Barter, James Carney, Michael Curran-Dorsano, Fionnuala Dorrity, Marta Dyczkowska, Gemma Mae Halligan, Dave Marks, Michael McEvoy, Dragos Musat & Jude Quinn, and everyone who came to join us in our warm-up sessions and work-in-progress showings.
This project was supported by Belfast City Council.
