onstage activities...science and the art of performance
throughout Science Year and Planet Science, we’ve been keen to work with partners on imaginative projects that combine science and the performing arts in its widest sense.
Here are the productions that have taken to the stage in the name of science as part of our campaign:
- johnny ball's tales of blooming science
A musical journey through the history of science and technology.
- cheltenham science festival science theatre
Science theatre shows, performed live by students at the Festival.
- robot wars' on tour
The metal-munching mob, on the march…
- sci-circus
High-wire science in action from No Fit State Circus.
- theatre of science
Simon Singh and Richard Wiseman bring science and statistics to life.
- wellcome trust science centrestage
A series of regional and national performances of student-led science theatre.
- footprints
A touring show about genetics from Amoeba Theatre and the British Association
- national youth music theatre
A series of 2-week long residential courses and performances for young people from all backgrounds.
johnny ball's tales of blooming science
Supported by Science Year, Johnny Ball took to the road with a science and technology extravaganza for young people.
Time-travelling though the history of invention and discovery, he and his assistants called in on the likes of James Watt, Michael Faraday and Marie Curie to find out more about what they did – and how and why they did it.
Music and jokes kept the pace upbeat all the way, and a comprehensive set of teachers’ notes meant that classes could reap the full benefit of the show before, during and after the performance.
cheltenham science festival science theatre
Funding has been provided to support five schools in writing and producing their own plays, which will be performed at the Cheltenham Science Festival to parents and other pupils.
robot wars' on tour
The ‘Robot Wars’ concept on TV and elsewhere has proved to be such a successful means of interesting both young people and adults in the design and creation of working technology, that the opportunity for Science Year to support the tour was not to be missed.
Sir Killalot, Matilda, Sgt Bash and friends went on tour around the UK in a showbiz spectacular showcasing their metal-munching talents and rivalries. Home-made robots challenged them at every venue, keeping the house robots’ pit-stop engineers extremely busy between shows…
sci-circus
Science is all around us … and in this case, it was taking place right over the audience’s heads!
No Fit State Circus are known for their incredible acrobatics and use of space, and this special touring even gave them the chance to challenge themselves in new directions – while demonstrating the laws of physics in action.
theatre of science
Simon Singh (physicist) and Richard Wiseman (psychologist and magician) took to the stage to demonstrate why the truth really can be stranger than fiction… and even more entertaining in some cases!
The format of the show involved inviting the audience to take part in a series of brain-boggling onstage demonstrations. Funnily enough, most participants were unsuccessful, but as was revealed later, that was only because they hadn’t yet been let in on the scientific secrets …
wellcome trust science centrestage
Actors and scientists worked with drama teams from schools around the country to create theatrical shows exploring areas of scientific controversy as they affect our lives and society as a whole.
A series of regional festivals were held to showcase the performances, and the very best of these were invited to take part in a national event in London.
footprints
Footprints was a play devised and produced by the Amoeba theatre group in partership with the BA. The show was about genetics for KS3 toured in 2002. The link features background resources for the play.
national youth music theatre
Science Year awarded the NYMT a grant for 'The Lab' courses held in 2002. 'The Lab' aimed to find new and accessible ways of making science appealing to young people. This was done through a residential course where the company used music theatre as a means of delivering educational outcomes in a range of fields. In this instance two new works were based on scientific issues.