Theatre Beyond Borders

In this episode we speak to Alexander Salzberger who is a Swedish Playwright and part of our new translation programme New Nordic Voices with his play ‘Real Knows Real’. We talk about returning to writing again after a long break, why the personal stuff is the political stuff, and just how you find your voice.

In this episode, we speak to Daria Glenter who is a Norwegian Playwright and part of our new translation programme New Nordic Voices with her play ‘Ring Ring Ring’. We talk about theology and folk tales being the mother of dramaturgy, what to do if you are a master procrastinator, and why you shouldn’t keep your texts to yourself.

In this episode, I speak to Arda Yildirim who is a Finnish Playwright and part of our new translation programme New Nordic Voices. We talk about the power of writing by hand and the freedom it unlocks, why the word ‘artist’ can be problematic, and just how the Finns have found the key to successful meetings and inspirations - in saunas.

In this episode we speak to Gígja Sara Björnsson who is an Icelandic playwright and part of our new translation programme New Nordic Voices. We talk about how absurdity and humour can aid activism in plays and why it’s important to be inspired by artists and genres we don’t know. We are also joined by Gígja’s sweet daughter… and Camilla's curious dog.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast features a very cute baby and a very curious puppy.

In this episode, we speak to Marie Bjørn who is a Danish playwright and part of our new translation programme New Nordic Voices. We talk about how myths can inspire new writing that resonates with us today, the art of self-care and the right to fail, and why writer collectives are so important.   

Our 1st episode of season 2 of Theatre Beyond Borders is here! This season we focus on 'Artists in Conversation' and will be speaking to theatre-makers across borders about what inspires them and how they make work.

For Episode 1 we speak to Siri Paulsen who is a Greenlandic director and sound designer. We talk about how culture and historical research can shape the soundscape of a project, and about the importance of acknowledging Nordic colonialism and what its history means for Greenland and Greenlandic culture. 

About Siri

Siri creates audio guides and plays based on research, and usually creates all the music for the productions herself. She was born and raised in Greenland with a mixed race and cultural background, and her move to Denmark in 2018 confronted her with the fact that Danes have little to no knowledge of the Greenlandic-Danish history. Naturally, her work started zooming in on events in the two countries' common history. She tries to ask questions rather than find answers.

Remember our podcast Theatre Beyond Borders? We have a special episode for you as we come to the end of the year and the end of our first season! This year we have been trying to demystify making international theatre, and today we finish this season with an episode on international arts funding.

For this episode, we're joined by Nick McDowell and Nicola Smyth from the international department at Arts Council England. 

We recorded this episode back in the summer during the first wave of Covid-19, and while we are still battling the effects of coronavirus and its impact, we hope this episode on the future of international arts funding might give you some tips and inspiration for your future work.

This week we're joined by Max Vickers and Serena Grasso from Bloomsbury Publishing. 
We talk about the process and importance of publishing international playtexts in the UK, and why it’s so important to change the canon and whose voices are being heard.

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer, and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. We've previously worked closely with them (as Oberon Books) on a number of projects including I Run, published in 2019 and Plays by Post, which finished in August.

This week we look at international theatre in the West End with producer Grant Edwards. We talk about cultural diversity in the West End and why some of the most famous stages in the world can benefit from international productions and collaborations.

Grant Edwards is the Associate Producer for Wild Yak, Belka Productions and helps to manage international arts charity Developing Artists. He has worked with Maly Drama Theatre (St Petersburg), Belarus Free Theatre and Sovremennik Theatre (Moscow) to name a few; in venues throughout the West End and at Sadlers Wells.

This week we’re joined by Karen Toftegaard from CPH Stage in Denmark, Hili Iivanainen from Tampere Theatre Festival in Finland, and Nic Connaughton from Pleasance Theatre in London. 

We talk about international festivals and the benefits of international networking, and what theatre festivals might look like in the future.