Them?
by Evangeline 'Evie' Osbon
Them? is about finding your place in the world. Mir realises they are Genderqueer whilst working in a binary, tick-box and oppressive Job Centre. This play explores identity and mental health against the backdrop of a patriarchy disguised as a matriarchy. In a reality where computers talk, virtual life and real life are blurred, we peer into Mir’s mind and lived experience.
This narrative is incredibly timely, with the insidious media coverage on Trans & Queer bodies, the cost of living crisis, an ever-growing society of people experiencing burnout, & mental ill health - not to mention the gapping disparity between the rich & those experiencing poverty. Them? will expose all these cracks & fill them with glitter.
Showing and Q&A of Them?
On 8 June, 7-9.30pm
Below you can see our recorded event that delved into the process & outcome; sharing and discussing our co-creation R&D with 10 local Queer Artists (our Creative Mentees on the project), and sharing sections of our new play, Them?
This video is captioned.
How it came about...
Evie wrote an early draft of the play when they were part of Nottingham Playhouses’ 2022 Playwright Playground cohort, based on their time working in a Job Centre throughout the Pandemic.
Evie received paid support from the Young Vic for a one-day R&D to try out some of the script, discuss themes & characters, and improvise some new scenes.
Mind Out Theatre then received Arts Council funding to develop the show through an R&D in April 2023, with in kind support from the Nottingham Playhouse, Nonsuch Studios, In Good Company, Captivate & City Arts.
The R&D 2023
31 March - 6 April
We used the R&D week to explore early play concepts, including some scripted work, improvisation, musical ‘jamming’, and movement workshops to experiment with narrative & form. Uniting queer artists at different stages in our careers, we worked alongside 10 local queer artists (Creative Mentees).
The week culminated in an informal feedback session as an opportunity to talk about what we learnt about collaboration and co-creation in a relaxed way to inform our next steps!
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Meet the team behind the R&D...
Evie Osbon
Writer / Producer / Performer
Evie is a Genderqueer, Nottingham-based Theatre Maker, Director, Producer & Facilitator.
They set up Mind Out Theatre in 2017, championing women, femme, non-binary, and queer stories. They make bold, funny, & daring shows; often dark comedies that begin in familiar environments & descend into the surreal to magnify societal stereotypes, & injustices. Evie is interested in unpacking how non-hierarchical we can be throughout artistic projects, & believes the process of making is as important as the outcome! They were awarded the Sir Alec Guinness Award 2017 for their work as a change-maker in Theatre.
Evie is a New Perspectives New Associate Artist, & recently assistant directed Middle Child & Milk Presents’ new show, Modest at the National Theatre Studio.
To find out more about Evie's work as a Theatre Maker and Director, go to 'Who?' and follow @EvieOsbon on Twitter!
Velenzia Spearpoint
Director
Velenzia is a director, theatremaker and creative producer. In 2018 she took over as Artistic Director at the Bread & Roses Theatre, is also co-founder of women-led theatre company Get Over It Productions and a core member of Quandary Collective. She consistently works with several other companies and theatres across the UK. Recent credits include, Inner Circle (Displace Yourself Theatre, Bradford), Offie Nominated: I & the Village (Bread & Roses Theatre), Standing Ovation Award Finalist: Raise the Vibration (Online), Sad-Vents (VAULT Festival 2023), & The Unravelling Fantasia of Miss H (Yorkshire Tour 2023).
Follow @velenzia on Twitter!
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Octavia Nyombi
Outreach Producer
Octavia is a performance artist who acts, writes, directs and facilitates. She holds a First Class Drama degree from De Montfort University.
She has a passion for bringing together communities through cross-cultural art and conversations, recently directing Nottingham’s new trilingual play, ‘Mara Ba.’
She is integral as Nottingham Playhouse’s Youth Board Chair, setting up their award-winning Queer Arts Collective and co-running The Wolfpack Collective.
She has notably performed a leading role in ‘Queer Upstairs’ at The Royal Court Theatre. And starred in Travis Alabanza’s short film ‘Burgerz and Chips’.
Her latest writing, 'We're sorry to report delays for a gay distater’, is currently touring the UK within a collection of 5 short plays titled ‘When all is said’, curated by Travis Alabanza.
Follow @OctaviaNyombi on Twitter!
Joe Strickland
Access Consultant
Joe Strickland is a theatre maker, digital producer, creative technologist and access consultant from Nottingham. They are Artistic Director of Chronic Insanity Theatre, and an Executive Producer at DaDa. They have been an access consultant on projects for the Young Vic, NSDF, Eventotron, 20 Stories High, and the British Council.
Follow @JoeStrickland94 on Twitter!
Phoebe Wall-Palmer
Strategic Producer
Phoebe is a Cultural Producer, Fundraiser, and Artist Mentor, working with a range of independent companies and small-mid scale organisations. She is currently Fundraising Manager at Night Time Economy Solutions. Her experience spans producing for theatre, festivals and large scale co-creation projects. This includes 4 years as Creative Producer for one of the UK's first Theatre Companies of Sanctuary, Maison Foo, and Consultant Producer for The Big House and In Good Company. Phoebe is also an accredited coach (Relational Dynamics 1st), alumni of National Arts Fundraising School, Associate Lecturer at University of Lincoln and former Trustee of the Lincoln Drill Hall.
Follow @pheebs_wp on Twitter!
Victoria Firth
Wellbeing Consultant
Victoria Firth is a theatre maker, performer and writer working at the intersection of theatre, live art and cabaret. Her work explores empathy, embodiment and connection – getting under the skin of things that lots of us feel but often don't talk about. She also provides well-being support and mentoring to other artists, runs workshops on self-care for creatives and delivers 1-2-1 access support.
Follow @msvhf on Twitter!
Issy Abdul-Rahim
Marketing Officer
Since working in theatre, Issy has focussed on audience development, marketing, and community outreach, gaining experience in roles within Marketing and Participation at Nottingham Playhouse as well as freelance work with other cultural organisations. She is particularly interested in creating and maintaining access to the arts for marginalised communities and works with a variety of groups and through varied media channels to achieve this.
Follow @issyalia on Twitter!
Luwa Adebanjo
Performer / Theatre Maker
Luwa Adebanjo is a poet, writer, actress and theatre-maker from Nottingham. She began reading at a young age and began writing her own novels and poems at the age of 11, It’s all been uphill from there (unless you ask her therapist).
Luwa loves art, writing, binge-watching Netflix and board games in equal amounts. She hates celery, having to write her own bio in 3rd person and deadlines in increasing amounts respectively.
Follow @luwa_adebanjo_creates on Instagram!
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Jay Lafayette Valentine
Performer / Theatre Maker
Jay Lafayette Valentine is a multi-disciplinary performer and theatre maker with a love and focus on movement from South London.
Jay's journey into movement storytelling began as a toddler when they would use a strip of fabric as a tail and crawl around the house pretending to be a tiger, add several years of more formal training and here we are!
Jay has always drawn inspiration from fiction in their art, be it video games, novels or religious imagery (despite a lack of real religious belief).
Follow @laffytaffyette on Instagram!
Rhys Cook
Performer / Theatre Maker
Rhys Cook is a performance maker, music producer and sound designer, as well as a cabaret performer & host. Under the name Oberon White, they show work in venues for performance & music in the UK and abroad. As a cabaret and drag performer they are a fixture of London’s queer performance scene.
Their solo show winegod was developed with the support of Arts Council England and Roundhouse and was presented to audiences across the UK. Their composition and sound design work includes projects for the Royal Ballet, Duckie, SPILL Festival, and The Pleasance. Recent acting credits include creating the role ‘And’ in the play ‘On Railton Road.’
Rhys Cook is a graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire, former Roundhouse Resident Artist and recent recipient of the Help Musicians Transmission Fund.
Follow @oberonwhite on Twitter!
Kathrine Payne
Performer / Theatre Maker
Kathrine Payne (they/them) is an actor and theatre-maker from Stockport, who trained at LAMDA. They recently played Rosencrantz in the National Theatre's production of Hamlet. Kathrine likes to make theatre that is weird, funny, queer and political. They are a part of Sweet Beef Collective, an Pleasance Associate Artist company, whose debut show I Hate It Here toured the U.K.
Follow @kathrine_payne on Twitter!
Vanessa Ndema
Performer / Theatre Maker
Vanessa (She/Her) is an actor, theatre maker, writer and poet. Graduating from Bath Spa University in 2020. She is the co-founder of From Rags To Witches, an all female theatre company created with her two best friends. Though she loves TV and Film, Theatre will always be her first love.
Follow @VeeNdeema on Twitter!