WHAT IS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT?
There are many stages to creating a new production and one of the earliest is called the Research and Development phase - commonly known as R & D.
Once we have an idea for a new production, or perhaps an early script, we can explore this further by having anything from a few days to a week of R & D. This could be just our Artistic Director and a playwright. Or it could be a small team of people, including actors, so that ideas can be explored more fully.
Research and Development is a great way for us to explore how our new idea can become a fully fledged stage show. Following the R&D phase, the production will often then be ready to go into rehearsals in a few months time, before becoming a full production ready to take on tour. However, this process is also used to help discover the things that don’t work. Sometimes we might go into the R&D process with a play we think will be performed by one actor and come out discovering it needs four! And occasionally we’ll discover that our idea just isn’t working in the way we’d hoped and decide not to take it any further.
Whatever the outcome, Research & Development is a really exciting part of the production process and one that we want to share more of with our audiences. Below are details of some of the ideas we’re working on at the moment. If you have any more questions about the productions we’re working on, please email hello@theatriolo.com and we’ll tell you more about what’s going on behind the scenes.
SHOWS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT
Homesick Gorilla
Homesick Gorilla tells the tale of a Gorilla named John Daniel, who was involuntarily parted from his family when he grew full-size and unmanageable for Miss Cunningham, the woman who raised him. This story will be explored through Matthew Robins’ inventive, unique and playful live animation. The next stage to develop Homesick Gorilla will be to carry out R&D during August 2024.
The Vanishers by Catherine Dyson
Written by Catherine Dyson and commissioned by Theatr Iolo as part of the 2019 Platfform new writers call out.
The Vanishers, originally named “Last Seen, Lake Shore”, is a surprising and funny play that deals with the recurrent theme of "the missing girl" in contemporary entertainment.
Working with award-winning playwright and theatre maker, Tim Crouch, and Artistic Director Lee Lyford, Catherine and the team aim to explore why we keep telling these stories and what it means for young women of today.
An early read-through of the script with actors took place over Zoom in May 2021.
The next stages of the development of The Vanishers will take place in Spring 2025.
Mission to the Midnight Zone by Catherine Dyson & Hannah McPake
Devised by Catherine Dyson and Hannah McPake, Mission to the Midnight Zone is a play inspired by the story of Jonah, a giant whale that toured the UK on the back of a lorry in the 1950s.
The play sees a pair of time travelling, eccentric curators who are on a mission to recover something from the past. Midnight to the Midnight Zone will be devised with the potential of being presented on Theatr Iolo’s travelling theatre.
An early R&D took place in September 2021, where the creative team explored the story of Jonah the Whale, interviewed key people and visited spaces relating to the piece.
The next stage of development for this piece will be an R&D in spring 2024.
Time Detectives by Owen Thomas
Written by Owen Thomas, Time Detectives is an outdoor piece, inspired by metal detecting.
Two metal detectorists, one hearing and one deaf, are in the process of tracking down the legend of Highway Annie, a female highwaywoman of the 17th Century.
The detectorists meet with the children and gather outside where their adventure will begin.
As part of the R&D process, the creative team spent a few days with pupils from Coed Glas Primary School and Mount Stuart Primary School in June 2022 in order to explore the piece further.
The next steps for Time Detectives is for the creative team to meet following the development of an updated script in the summer of 2023.
Anturiaethau (a’r Brwydrau) Ardderchog Y Bachgen Madfall by/gan Chris Harris
Written by Chris Harris as part of Theatr Iolo’s Platfform call out in 2020, the Welsh language play, which translates as The Excellent Adventures (and Struggles) of Lizard Boy, is an autobiographical tale that follows the tale of a boy who is living with eczema, with a passion to make films. The play explores his struggle to be comfortable in his own skin before he can follow his dreams.
The next steps for this piece will be an R&D in spring 2024.