PROSPERO EXTENDED THEATRE

Prospero – Extended Theatre gathers 10 partners – 9 theatres and one medium (ARTE), from 9 countries of the Union. The project was built around a new dynamic of collaborations, synergies and relationships between the partners, their respective teams, the artists and the audiences around the redesign of the production and distribution of the shows.

The project has three main goals:

  • To imagine other principles, other developments for a more inclusive, more diversified European theatre creation, more connected to current societal issues;
  • Broaden the dissemination of theatrical works, in theatres and on the digital space, to reach new audiences;
  • Rethink the theatrical journey of audiences, from the initial discovery to the aftermath of the performance.

In this context of repeated crises, which confronts Europe with the need to convince its citizens, the partners intend to show that art and culture are a powerful force capable of stimulating creativity, exchange and cohesion. They believe that theatre, in particular, remains an essential place for dialogue, capable of creating real, direct, human encounters and of increasing our critical sense. Through their work, they wish to participate in the artistic and cultural development of Europe.

Thanks to the support of the Creative Europe programme, the partners, strengthened by their visibility at the European level and their openness to other continents, are able to pursue their research on the issues of theatre, media and creation, more particularly their evolution and modernization.

The partners gathered around this project are :

  1. Théâtre de Liège (lead partner – Belgique) supported by Wallonia-Brussels International
  2. Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione (Modena– Italia)
  3. São Luiz Teatro Municipal (Lisboa – Portugal)
  4. Göteborgs Stadsteater (Göteborg – Sverige)
  5. Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Zagrebu (Zagreb – Hrvatska)
  6. Teatros del Canal – Comunidad de Madrid (España)
  7. Schaubühne Berlin (Deutschland)
  8. Teatr Powszechny (Warszawa – Polska)
  9. Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe (Paris – France)
  10. ARTE

Three research clusters

1 Creation and co-production

– 9 original theatre creations, chosen at unanimity;

– Each one is accompanied by one of the partners;

– Premiere of the show at the partner’s venue, and tour to 2 other cities, for a minimum of 2 performances each time;

– Translation of each show for the surtitling in the 7 other languages of the project + English;

– Recording of each show, provided by the main partner.

Prospero will pay attention to the following criteria when selecting funded and supported performances:

– The talent and high standards of the authors, directors and actors, whether they are experienced or beginners;

-The proposed dramaturgical and/or scenic research (unpublished texts, diversification of creation and rehearsal practices, inclusion of digital technologies, etc.);

– The current relevance of the topics addressed;

– Attention given to contemporary aesthetic issues.

2 Platform and digital content

– Development of a paid content OTT distribution platform – Model to be defined (SVOD, VOD, PVOD);

– Broadcasting of the shows on the platform + surtitling in the 7 other languages of the project + English;

– Creation of additional content linked to the productions (interviews, behind the scenes, trailers, augmented content, etc.).

The audience development is enhanced by the availability of the works on the digital space, where the capacity is no longer limited to that of the theatre. The additional content offers, for example: interviews, documentaries, recordings of rehearsals or the creation of costumes and sets, educational files, video clips produced by actors or spectators, podcasts, etc. It will facilitate the access to new contemporary theatre practices for audiences unfamiliar with this form of expression.

3 Audience development

– Audience research based on customer data analysis (GDPR compliant);

– Development of tools to reach other audiences (workshops, modules, etc.) and methods to include the audience in the creative process to create bonds with the artists and give them feedback.