What's on Past Events D&D Roadshow Liverpool 2 October 2012 D&D Roadshow Liverpool Unity Theatre, Liverpool 10am-7pm Do you love theatre? Do you find it frustrating? Do you feel audiences don't get a voice? Do you feel like an outsider in your own profession? Have you just started out and need support? Been in the profession for years and feel jaded? Is your region always left out of the discussions? Do you usually dread discussions and meetings? Are you looking to change things? In 2012 for the first time ever, you have the opportunity to take part in a unique nationwide conversation. In 2006 I wrote a heartfelt invitation and the first ”Devoted & Disgruntled: What are we going to do about theatre?” took place. This was an open and collaborative conference, a chance to check in with the theatre community, share the news about what we were doing well, talk about what we could be doing better and take action on how to improve things. Devoted & Disgruntled has subsequently become an inspiring annual three day event and since then there have been over 100 offshoot D&D events. Some have been monthly themed satellites, some have been regionally based like D&D Scotland and D&D North East, some have been international events like D&D New York and Vancouver. These conferences have kept the important conversations alive and have lead to companies being formed, venues being opened, festivals started, shows created, and many other projects and initiatives. The Devoted and Disgruntled Roadshow has come about in response to numerous requests for these conversations to reach beyond London, and engage with all parts of the UK. So as part of the Cultural Olympiad we are going on the road, holding D&Ds in twenty different locations round the country, and we are going online, launching a new interactive D&D website, which will record and connect all the D&D events. In theatre, as in so many things, it can feel like the agenda is set, and the decisions are made by a faceless, unreachable "them". We wait for "them" to talk about what we think needs talking about and for "them" to solve our problems. Guess what? "They" aren't going to do it. But you can, and D&D is the place to start - so if there are questions that you think should be asked, projects you want support on, things you want changed, join Improbable this summer on the Devoted & Disgruntled 2012 Roadshow in a conversation that could reshape the theatre landscape. This is a unique chance for your voice to be heard and for us to listen to each other, face to face and online, locally and nationally. Join us and let’s work together towards making theatre better and making better theatre. Phelim McDermott and Improbable ANNIE FITZMAURICE'S INVITATION If you are in any way connected to theatre then this event is for you. D&D is a brilliant kind of open session for anyone and everyone who loves theatre and has frustrations with any aspect of theatre in the region, the country or the world. Anyone who wants to can call a “session” about ANYTHING. You can join in any of these discussions or you can walk away and join another one or you can just hang round the tea/coffee bar (my favourite bit) talking to people or ear wigging, talk, listen, agree, disagree, find things out, discover other ways of doing things, have ideas, lie down, vent, be silent or just be there to hang out and connect with the rest of YOUR theatre community, you might be surprised at who turns up. If you’re into theatre this is for you…whether you work in theatre, go to the theatre, talk about theatre, want to be in theatre, don’t want to be in theatre any more, all of you, please go to Liverpool for this extraordinary event. Sometimes the benefit of attending can come much later - the connections you make, the solutions you find, the feeling you get from talking about what matters to you to people who get it, or to listen to and be a part of something that could be really revolutionary. I’ve been going to the big annual D&D in London for three years running now. It took me ages to go because I thought it wasn’t my kind of thing… but then Lisa Hammond told me, “If you think it’s not for you, then you should go, to find out…” and FFS she was right. If you are in the North West and you care about, think about, are something to do with Theatre I urge you to GO! See you there :-) Booking for this event has now closed.