Frantic Assembly Celebrates 21st Anniversary Year

With preparations for the company's 21st Anniversary year underway, Frantic Assembly's commitment to creating training opportunities for people of all levels and experiences continues with a varied programme of educational initiatives. The company's Ignition programme will see its 10th group of young men devising and performing new work in October, following a nationwide selection process. On Tuesday 10th November, Artistic Director Scott Graham will lead a panel discussion event at the British Library as the company's production footage archive is made available to the public. Meanwhile, graduates from across the country are applying for Frantic Assembly and Coventry University's MA Collaborative Theatre Making degree course, Britain's first ever Master's degree in association with a professional theatre company.

Scott Graham, Artistic Director of Frantic Assembly, said, "It is so important to unearth new talent and help nurture the artistic and personal growth of people of all levels of experience. This mission has always been at the heart of our company, and I am thrilled and immensely proud that Frantic Assembly continues to offer accessible training and inspiration to people across the UK and beyond.

It is timely to reflect back on the last 21 years and realise that some of our proudest achievements as a company have been the impact of our methodology on actors, writers, teachers and students. Looking forward, we continue to prioritise the development of artists and individuals; whether you are a post-graduate participating in a brand new MA programme or a young person from a part of the UK with low arts engagement - Frantic Assembly has something for you."

Ignition

Frantic Assembly's 10th Ignition programme is underway, following a UK-wide search for the 12 brightest and bravest young men to form this year's Ignition physical theatre company.

Free taster workshops were held across the country to give all young men aged 16-20 the opportunity to try out Frantic Assembly's fast, risk-taking style of physical theatre.

Trial sessions will be held in major cities across Britain throughout October and 12 young men will be selected to join in an intensive, week-long devising process with Frantic Assembly in London. The week will culminate in a public showcase performance at Stratford Circus Arts Centre on Wednesday 28th October 2015.

The content of the performance will arise from collaboration between the young men selected as they spend a week working with the Frantic Method, led by Artistic Director Scott Graham and Associate Director Neil Bettles. Previous Ignition productions have centred on the themes of identity, self worth and the challenges of being a young man in the modern age.

Frantic Assembly has been delivering Ignition for eight years. Over 1,397 young men have participated since the project began in 2008 and last year over 51% of participants were from areas of highest deprivation in the UK. 92% of young men in Ignition companies between 2012 - 2014 reported increased aspirations and personal confidence after the programme.

To date, 10 Ignition companies have performed for audiences in London, Corby, Brighton and Plymouth. To celebrate this landmark achievement, Frantic Assembly has invited past graduates of the scheme to perform in a one-off performance alongside the 2015 Ignition company.

For more information visit: franticassembly.co.uk/ignition/

Since 2012, Ignition has been supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

British Library Opening

To mark the opening of Frantic Assembly's production footage archive at the British Library, Artistic Director Scott Graham will lead a panel discussion event on the impact of the company's work on the teaching of drama and theatre practice. The event will take place at the British Library's Eliot Room on Tuesday 10th November 2015 at 5:45pm.

Representing 21 years of Frantic Assembly's work, this archive will continue to grow as the company's work develops. Hosted by Frantic Assembly, the panel discussion will be led by Artistic Director Scott Graham and Associate Dean at Coventry University, Mark Evans.

Aimed at teachers, academics, educationalists, students and theatre enthusiasts, the event will take the form of a two part conversation featuring guests from the academic world and practicing artists.

For more information visit: bl.uk/events/frantic-assembly-devising-and-physicality-in-theatre

Coventry University MA in Collaborative Theatre Making

Applications for Frantic Assembly and Coventry University's Master's degree course, Britain's first in association with a professional theatre company, are now open. The first group of students will commence in 2016/17, studying in both Coventry and London. No other British university currently offers an MA in association with a professional theatre company.

Dr Natalie Garrett Brown, Principal Lecturer in Dance at Coventry University said, "Coventry University is very excited to be soon welcoming the first group of students to this new MA. We are busy preparing for the launch of this innovative course and look forward to working with Frantic to deliver excellence in contemporary theatre education."

Titled MA Collaborative Theatre Making, the degree will offer professional level training for contemporary artists from all disciplines, working in a global context.

Both Frantic Assembly and Coventry University seek to push the boundaries of what is possible within contemporary arts today, with the aim of creating a highly skilled creative workforce of adventurous and innovative performers and makers.

Coventry University has offered bursaries of up to £3,000 to students joining the new postgraduate course. Students from the UK and overseas have been invited to apply for bursaries for the course, which take the form of a fee waiver, and are awarded based on the students' ability to demonstrate excellence in their academic achievements and performance practice.

For more information visit: coventry.ac.uk/collabtheatre-ma