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WE ARE CHRONIC INSANITY

A Nottingham based theatre company that creates and facilitates live events in a variety of traditional, found, and digital spaces. We make work accessibly, affordably, sustainably, and inclusively. We seek to change the definition of what theatre can be by playing with form, genre, medium, and technology. We follow Staging Change guidelines, actively provide opportunities for theatre makers from all backgrounds, and record how each production is made so people can learn from them. We can often be found running the UK's first dedicated digital theatre literary department, managing our cave based arts venue underneath Nottingham, The Void, and staging at least 12 shows every 12 months.

Joe Strickland

DR. JOE STRICKLAND
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT

Joe Strickland is a theatre maker, digital producer, creative technologist and access consultant with great energy and passion. Since 2012 they have been helping to create all manner of theatre and performance in venues across the country.​

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They are the Artistic Director & CEO of Chronic Insanity, Digital Producer at DaDa, Producer for the Chronically Ill Artists Network, and a Trustee of The King's Hall Trust For The Arts. They are also the Dramaturg in Residence with the Virtual Immersive Production Studio at the University of Nottingham.

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They are the Digital Producer for Puncture The Screen, Chronic Insanity's data driven art and performance festival, and the Venue Manager for both Insanity Point, a Nottingham-based pop-up streaming venue for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and The Void, an immersive performance and exhibition space housed in a system of caves in Nottingham.

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They are an artist supported by the Nottingham Playhouse, a studio member with Near Now, and have been a BBC New Creative and an Associate Artist with New Perspectives and Nonsuch Studios.

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They have a PhD in Future Experience Technologies and Storytelling, which was based at the University of Nottingham's Mixed Reality Lab and partnered with the Horizon CDT, University of Nottingham and the BBC. They specialise in using traditional theatre making techniques and applying them to entertainment technology, such as virtual and augmented reality, as well as recreating physical presence using these technologies.

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They are an experienced digital culture and accessibility consultant, having spoken about the subjects internationally and worked with a large range of organisations, including the BFI, Young Vic, AMA, BBC R&D and British Council. They are currently part of the Access Working Group at the Nottingham Playhouse.

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In 2022 they won the Off West End award for Best Audio Production for Red Breast by Lotty Holder. In 2023 they won the Digital Culture Network Award for Digital Transformation, as well as being nominated for the Digital Ambassador award. They were also nominated for the Off West End award for Best Director for their work on 24, 23, 22 by Doug Deans.

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They are also a multi-award winning magician and an accomplished musician.

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Current Projects​​​

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Casino Zero (Bridie Squires) - Gamification Consultant

Mansfield Palace Theatre, Mansfield

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MB Creates (Emma Wass) - Creative Technologist​

Various Locations, Nottingham

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Body or Soul (Laura Turner & Stephen Gillard) - Co-Producer

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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Imprisoned with the Pharaohs (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

Old Red Lion, London

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Allsorts (Chronic Insanity) - Producer

Broadway Cinema, Nottingham​

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24, 23, 22 (Doug Deans) - Director, Composer, Producer

Streaming Services, Online​​​

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2024

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Sluts with Consoles (Alice Flynn) - Co-Producer

Bread & Roses Theatre, London

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Some Other Mirror (Laurie Owen) - Director, Producer

Bread & Roses Theatre, London

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Some Other Mirror (Laurie Owen) - Director, Producer

Philadelphia Fringe, Online

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Myles Away (Tennexa Freeman & Joe Strickland) - Co-director, Co-writer, Designer, Performer, Producer

Philadelphia Fringe, Online

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Red Breast (Charlotte Holder) - Director, Producer, Creative Technologist

Philadelphia Fringe, Online​

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Almost Allsorts (Chronic Insanity) - Producer

The Grove, Nottingham

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Non-Player Character: A Virtual Reality Musical (Brendan Bradley) - Consulting Producer

Imaginex at YOTEL, Edinburgh Fringe

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Bark Bark (Buzzcut) - Supporting Producer

Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe

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Body or Soul (Laura Turner & Stephen Gillard) - Co-Producer

City Theatre, Durham Fringe // Blue Room, Lincoln

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Lying in state - Holographic Byron (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Writer, Creative Technologist

Nottingham Central Library​

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The Waiting Room (One and Three Quarters) - Creative Technologist

Gulbenkian, Canterbury

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All Falls Down (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

Student Fringe Festival, Nottingham

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Sluts with Consoles (Alice Flynn) - Co-Producer

Actor's Theatre, Brighton Fringe

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12, 11, 10 (Doug Deans) - Original Commissioner/Producer

Tortumtheatre, Germany

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Broad Meadow (Sylvia Rimat) - Access Consultant

Mayfest 2024, Bristol

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Chronic Insanity Project Archive (Chronic Insanity) - Curator, Coder

Online

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New Leaf (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Programmer

CAST Theatre, Doncaster

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Matryoshka (Joe Strickland) - Writer, Director, Designer, Producer

Theatre 503, London

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2023

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Puncture The Screen 2023 (Chronic Insanity) - Digital Producer

Nottingham // Norwich // Online

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Fabula: A Hologram Theatre System (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Creative Technologist

The Garage, Norwich // Broadway Cinema, Nottingham

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Stewed (Natalie Patuzzo & Joe Strickland) - Writer, Producer, Sound Designer

Online

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Lifetimes (Lotty Holder) - Director, Creative Technologist

Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham // Online

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The Road To Happiness (Tom Proffitt) - Director, Producer, Designer, Workshop Leader

Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham

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20B Thanet Road (Kathleen O'Dougherty & Doug Deans) - Director

Old Red Lion, London

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BATMAN (aka Naomi's Death Show) (Naomi Westerman) - Co-Producer

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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LIVE Scarborough (Barrel Organ) - Artist Consultant 

Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough // Theatre Deli, Sheffield // Online

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24, 23, 22 (Doug Deans) - Director, DJ, Producer

Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh

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Myles Away (Tennexa Freeman & Joe Strickland) - Co-director, Co-writer, Designer, Performer, Producer

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

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PNOC.io (Joe Strickland) - Playwright, Director, Creative Technologist, Producer

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

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Red Breast (Charlotte Holder) - Director, Producer, Creative Technologist

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

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There's Something Among Us (Joe Strickland) - Director, Performer, Designer

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

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Flavour Text (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Designer, Story Editor

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

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Becca (Emily Holyoake) - Producer, Director, Set Designer

Online // Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham

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i used to know H.I.M (Yasmine Dankwah) - Producer

Online // BBC Radio London

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ONLYCONNECT (Maya Little) - Producer,  Creative Technologist

Online

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Post No Evil (Erinn Dhesi) - Producer, Creative Technologist

Online

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Avoi:Dance/Laban VR (Tom Dale) - Creative Technologist

Various Locations, Nottingham

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Andy's Coming (Joe Strickland) - Game Master, Producer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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PURDAH (Evie Osbon) - Access Consultant

Nonsuch Studio, Nottingham

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20B Thanet Road (Kathleen O'Dougherty & Doug Deans) - Director

Pinch of VAULT, London

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Batman (aka Naomi's Death Show) (Naomi Westerman)- Producer, Creative Technologist

Online

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Joe Drinks Wine And Gives Themsleves A Haircut (Nat Henderson) - Performer

New Art Exchange, Nottingham

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24, 23, 22 (Doug Deans) - Director, Composer, Musician, Producer

Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton // Old Fire Station, Oxford

Hull Truck Theatre, Hull

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Snowflakes (Robert Boulton) - Producer

Park Theatre, London

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Seven Strikes (Chronic Insanity) - Producer, Director, Immersive Designer, Performer

Camden People's Theatre, London

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BATMAN (aka Naomi's Death Show) (Naomi Westerman) - Producer

VAULT Festival, London

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Interdimensional Phishing Scam (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Writer 

LCB Depot, Leicester

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All Falls Down (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

VAULT Festival, London

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Allsorts (Chronic Insanity) - Producer

Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham

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2022​

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LIVE Bradford (Barrel Organ) - Artist Consultant 

Thornbury Centre, Bradford // Online

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BATMAN (aka Naomi's Death Show) (Naomi Westerman) - Producer

Pleasance, London

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Physical Graffiti (Chronic Insanity) - Director

Various Locations, Nottingham

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​See No Hear No Speak No Evil (Chronic Insanity) - Curator

Surface Gallery, Nottingham

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Penumbra (Chronic Insanity) - Writer, Director, Designer

Online // The Void, Nottingham

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Some Other Mirror (Laurie Owen) - Director, Producer

Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham

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24, 23, 22 (Douglas Deans) - Director, Composer, Musician, Producer

Unity Theatre, Liverpool // Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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What Really Happened To Vine? (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Editor

Online // The Void, Nottingham // San Gwann, Malta

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Medusa: Reloaded (Nicki Morley) - Director, Designer

The Void, Nottingham // Online

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All Falls Down: Metaverse (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

Live Xinema IV, Nottingham (Cancelled)

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All Falls Down (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

Robin Hood International Improv Festival, Nottingham

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52 Souls (Chronic Insanity) - Producer, Writer, Performer, Director

ZOO Playground, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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Some Other Mirror (Laurence Owen) - Director, Producer

Pianodrome, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 

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Allsorts (Chronic Insanity) - Producer

Rough Trade, Nottingham // The Chapel, Nottingham // Surface Gallery, Nottingham

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Interdimensional Phishing Scam (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Writer 

Oxford Playhouse, Oxford

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Puncture The Screen 2022 (Chronic Insanity) - Digital Producer

Broadway Cinema, Nottingham // Online

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Is LaMDA Sentient? (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Performer, Creative Technologist

Online

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UPLIFT (Mindout Theatre) - Digital and Access Consultant

Nottingham // Mansfield

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INUNDAME (CASA Festival) - Creative Technologist

Museum's Trust, York

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Joe Drinks Wine And Gives Themsleves A Haircut (Nat Henderson) - Performer, Designer

Nottingham Poetry Festival, Online

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24, 23, 22 (Douglas Deans) - Director, Composer, Musician, Producer

Omnibus Theatre, London

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The Road To Happiness (Tom Proffitt) - Producer, Director

ENTER, London (Read-through)

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All Falls Down (Chronic Insanity) - Game Master, Producer

CRYPT, London

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Secure. Contain. Protect. (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Performer

Camden People's Theatre, London

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Medea (Megan Gates) - Producer

Park Estate, Nottingham (Read-through)

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All The King's Men (Joe Strickland) - Writer, Designer, Producer

Living Record Festival, Online

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24, 23, 22 (Douglas Deans) - Director, Musician, Composer

VAULT Festival, London (Cancelled)

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LIVE Holbeck (Barrel Organ) - Digital Consultant 

The Holbeck, Leeds

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Voice Thief (Limbik Theatre) - Creative Technologist

The Lowry, Salford

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2021​​

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Masque (Kate Webster) - Producer, Performer

Online

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LIVE London (Barrel Organ) - Digital Consultant 

Camden People's Theatre, London

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Pull (Emily Holyoake) - Director, Designer

Theatre Deli, London

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Some People Climb Up (Sylvia Rimat) - Access Consultant 

Leigh Woods, Bristol

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Criminal Intent (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Designer

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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24, 23, 22 (Douglas Deans) - Director, Musician, Composer

Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham

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Define Your Journey (Jo-anne Cox) - Producer

Online

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Joe Drinks Wine and Gives Themsleves a Haircut (Nat Henderson) - Performer, Designer

Online

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52 Souls (Chronic Insanity) - Performer, Producer

Insanity Point, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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The Next Best Thing (Emily Holyoake) - Director, Creative Technologist

Puncture The Screen, Online

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Puncture The Screen 2021 (Chronic Insanity) - Digital Producer

Online

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PNOC.io (Joe Strickland) - Playwright, Director, Creative Technologist

Camden People's Theatre, London

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Red Breast (Charlotte Holder) - Director, Producer, Creative Technologist

Online

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PVC (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Set Designer

Offbeat Festival, Oxford

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​Polly: A Drag Rebellion (Joe Strickland) - Playwright, Performer, Producer

The Warren, Brighton Fringe

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There's Something Among Us (Joe Strickland) - Director, Performer, Designer

Online // The Place Bedford, Bedford // World Wide Virtual Fringe Festival

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Hairy Hands FM (Joe Strickland) - Writer, Director, Designer

BBC New Creatives, South West

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Flavour Text (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Designer, Story Editor

Online

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24, 23, 22 (Douglas Deans) - Director, Performer, Composer

Online

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We Ask These Questions of Everybody (Toria Banks & Amble Skuse) - Producer

Sound Festival, Aberdeen

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Means of Production (Joe Strickland and Rebecca Saw) - Director, Playwright, Producer, Editor

Online // Electric Medway, Chatham

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52 Souls (Chronic Insanity) - Playwright, Director, Programmer, Producer

The Place Bedford, Bedford

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2020

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GUEST (Joe Strickland) - Director, Producer, Playwright

Online

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Stay Safe (New Perspectives) - Creative Technologist, Puppeteer

Signal Fires, UK

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52 Souls (Chronic Insanity) - Playwright, Director, Designer, Producer

Online

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Myles Away (Tennexa Freeman & Joe Strickland) - Co-director, Co-writer, Designer Performer, Producer

Online // The Place Bedford, Bedford

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Conduit (Joe Strickland) - Performer, Director, Playwright, Producer

Online // ZOO TV

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Life_Stream (Joe Strickland) - Director, Producer, Playwright

Online

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Circulation (Nat Henderson) - Director, Producer, Composer

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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Glitch (Krystina Nellis) - Producer

VAULT Festival, London

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PVC (Nat Henderson and Joe Strickland) - Director, Producer, Set Designer

Broadway Cinema, Nottingham // Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

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Polly: A Drag Rebellion (Joe Strickland) - Playwright, Performer, Producer

Angel Microbrewery, Nottingham

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2019

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Edward II (Christopher Marlowe) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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The Wonderful World of Dissocia (Anthony Neilson) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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painstaking. (Nat Henderson) - Producer, Director, Set Designer

Pepper Rocks, Nottingham

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Higher (Tara Anegada) - Producer, Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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Politer Guests (Chronic Insanity) - Director, Producer, Performer

National Justice Museum, Nottingham

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Dark Vanilla Jungle (Philip Ridley) - Director, Producer

Arbour Hill, Nottingham

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Polly: A Drag Rebellion (Joe Strickland) - Playwright, Performer, Producer

Greenside @ Nicholson Square, Edinburgh

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Apollo: Take 111 (Tom Proffitt) - Performer, Co-Director, Producer, Set Designer

ZOO Southside, Edinburgh

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Hard Truths  - Improv Performer

Greenside @ Nicholson Square, Edinburgh

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It Could Only Happen Here (NSDF Company) - Performer, Director, Playwright

Sue Townsend Theatre, Leicester

 

Rat King (Oliver Binns) - Performer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Human Animals (Stef Smith) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Inhabitation (Nah Henderson) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Glassy Ceiling, Concrete Flaw (Rachel Elphick) - Composer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Hard Truths  - Improv Performer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Night of the Soul (David Farr) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

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2018

 

X (Alistair Macdowall) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) - Director

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Creating Rumours (Emma Summerton) - Director, Producer, Performer

Greenside @ Nicholson Square, Edinburgh

 

Strangers: Mindreader (Joe Strickland) - Director, Playwright, Producer, Performer

Greenside @ Nicholson Square, Edinburgh

 

Strangers: Pairs (Joe Strickland) - Director, Playwright, Producer

Greenside @ Nicholson Square, Edinburgh

 

Macbeth (William Shakespeare) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams, James Gross, Arvind Ethan David) - Performer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Fairytaleheart (Philip Ridley) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

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2017

 

A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen/Simon Stephens) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Paper Cranes (Nat Henderson) - Producer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Strangers: A Magic Play II (Joe Strickland) - Director, Playwright, Producer, Performer

theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, Edinburgh

 

Rumours (Emma Summerton) - Performer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Monarch (Tom Heath) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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In a World of Perspectives (TEDxUoN) - Speaker

Keighton Auditorium, Nottingham

 

The Nether (Jennifer Haley) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

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2016

 

Mercury Fur (Philip Ridley) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Strangers: a Magic Play (Joe Strickland) - Director, Playwright, Producer

theSpace @ Jurys Inn, Edinburgh

 

And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie) - Producer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

The Skriker (Caryl Churchill) - Director, Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Oedipus the King (Steven Berkoff) - Performer

Lakeside Arts, Nottingham

 

Skylight (David Hare) - Set Designer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

 

2015

 

The Master and Margarita (Edward Kemp) - Performer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Strangers (Joe Strickland) - Producer, Director, Playwright

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Boat (Kiran Millwood Hargrave) - Producer

The Balham, London 

 

Crushed Shells and Mud (Ben Musgrave) - Producer

Southwark Playhouse, London

 

The Toyland Murders (Ben Hollands) - Executive Producer

Performing Arts Studio, Nottingham

 

Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino/Carn Truscott) - Producer

Bartons PLC, Nottingham

 

Brave New World (Aldous Huxley/Roger Parsley) - Producer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

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2014

 

Our Country’s Good (Timberlake Wertenbaker) - Producer

Nottingham New Theatre, Nottingham

 

Waiting for Godot (Samuel Beckett) - Assistant Producer, Marketing Manager

Burton-Taylor Studio, Oxford

 

R&J (Mary Clapp) - Marketing Manager

Michael Pilch Auditorium, Oxford

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2013

 

Surprise (James P Mannion) - Producer

Keble O’Reilly Theatre, Oxford

 

Esarhaddon: The Substitute King (Selena Wisnom) - Producer

Simpkins Lee Theatre, Oxford

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2012

 

The Man Who Turned Into a Stick (Kobo Abe) - Producer, Director

Burton-Taylor Studio, Oxford

 

Art (Yasmina Reza) - Producer, Director, Actor

Deaton Theatre, London

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Education

 

PhD Future Experience Technologies

University of Nottingham 

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Msc Psychology Research Methods

University of Nottingham

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BA Experimental Psychology

University of Oxford

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A-levels: Chemistry A*; Physics, Biology, Maths A

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GCSEs: 10A*, 1A

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Other experience

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Season Producer of The Immersive Theatre Society (2019-2020)

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Troupe Director of University of Nottingham Improv (2019-2020)

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External Relations Manager of the Nottingham New Theatre (2018-2019)

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President and founder of Tadpole Inc Productions (2013-2016)

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Workshop Manager of the Nottingham New Theatre (2015-2016)

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Treasurer of the Oxford University Psychology Society (2014-2015)

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Treasurer of the Oxford Origami Society (2014-2015)

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President of the Oxford Origami Society (2013-2014)

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Professional magician, winning multiple awards and performing for The Magic Circle, RAG, the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the NHS, and various private events

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Magic consultant for Rough-Hewn Productions, The London Film Academy, and Redbridge Youth Theatre Workshop, and Liam Webber

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