Stuff, but not nonsense at the New Theatre Festival
What was the inspiration behind STUFF Festival?
STUFF began last year as an expression of all of the creative talent and drive that is bred within our theatre. This year we have refined STUFF's marketability by relaunching it as an Edinburgh Fringe preview opportunity, both for other student theatres, as well as local and emerging theatre companies.
What type of things can audiences look forward to?
This year we are excited to have a whole range of performances; from improv and sketch comedies to an adaptation of The Great Gatsby and external companies such as Joue le Genre with their production of 'To She Or Not To She'. Set in the beautiful University Park campus, it is also the ideal location for a relaxed day with a picnic in (fingers crossed!) the sunshine.
How are you planning to bring the spirit of Fringe to Nottingham?
We are hoping to make the festival very fun and social media friendly to encourage visitors to share their experience. With two bars and post-it note reviews each day, it will be very interactive and hopefully a chilled and social atmosphere. With our own building we are able to adapt the space to suit all our needs, regardless of the weather!
How has it been planning for this event?
As the only completely student-run theatre in the country, it is often hard to keep on top of everything from building maintenance to putting on nationally-recognised productions, all whilst keeping on top of our studies. To combat this, as a team of five, we have been working on STUFF since November, both for this year, but also laying groundwork and putting a framework in place to ensures its longevity for future committees who may not have as much time as we have had this year. It has been such a rewarding process though, and I cannot wait to see it all come to fruition over the next couple of days.
What are your hopes for the future of Stuff after this year's event?
We hope it will develop to become a expression of the developing theatre in the East Midlands, as well as highlighting the many opportunities provided at the New Theatre to any of its members, be they students or associate members from the local community. We already have companies excited for next year who were unable to attend in 2016, so, even if you cannot make it to STUFF this year, next year is already shaping up to be a good one!
Stuff Festival is at the New Theatre on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 June 2016. Please see website for listings and times.
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