Devoted and Disgruntled debate in Edinburgh
Open forum on theatre at Royal Lyceum
By Thom Dibdin
The Devoted and Disgruntled roadshow is arriving at the Royal Lyceum this weekend, for two days of open discussion on all matters theatre-related. This will be the first visit to Scotland of the forum which started in 2006.
The D&D roadshow is run by Improbable and described as “the nationwide conversation about the future of theatre”. It is a place where any and everyone who cares about theatre can meet outside their usual roles to debate the issues which concern them. It is run on the Open Space system, without key speakers or hierarchies of organisers.
According to Angie Bual, director of Trigger which is co-host of the event: “I contacted Improbable last year to see if we could bring Devoted & Disgruntled to Scotland. It was out of panic. We had lost our international live art festival. The divide between England and Scotland funding was affecting the support available to our artists. There was talk of a referendum and I wanted to puzzle it through with the wider theatre sector.
“Since then, Creative Scotland’s Review of Flexibly Funded Organisations has been announced, ahead of the Scottish Theatre Review. Vicky Featherstone has announced her move from National Theatre of Scotland. The Commonwealth Games is fast approaching, and along with it, a potential new government.”
Alex McGowan, of the Royal Lyceum, adds: “It’s a brilliant forum for passionate debate and discussion amongst the wider theatre community. Improbable have made a great success of using the Open Space approach to encourage people to come together to chat, plot, plan and listen as part of a National and UK wide conversation. And in the current economic and political climate which influences our funders, audiences and artists that conversation is as vital as ever.”
The weekend event runs from 10am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday, is free and open to all – whether audience members or artistic directors. It will take place in the Lyceum rehearsal studio.
Full details of how to get tickets is here: www.devotedanddisgruntled.com
ENDS
