Creating the Debate 21 years on…

To celebrate the company's 21st anniversary we have kicked off a process of reflecting on our work. All our activities involve many different partners and audiences. So we want to include as many voices as possible in this process. We have asked a wide range of people to participate in the discussion and their perspectives will appear on this site in the form of short essays or films. Views might come from scientists, artists, educators, journalists, students or others. The contributions will discuss some the issues raised when theatre encounters complex social, ethical or technical themes.

If you would like to take part in the discussion, you can post a comment or question after any of the postings. You may have seen the company's work and have your own opinions to add or you may want to agree or disagree with the views of the contributors. Whatever the case, we hope the site gives you a further insight into how and why we do what we do.

So are you really a theatre company then? By Tony Jackson

In this essay Emeritus Professor of Educational Theatre, Tony Jackson, contextualises Y Touring's work in the wider movement of participatory theatre, and traces the origins of our work back to the Theatre in Education movement which began in the mid 60's.

Open publication - Free publishing - More tony jackson

Derek Barnes

In this interview Derek Barnes, who has cast shows for Y Touring and is a member of Y Touring’s advisory board talks about his involvement with the company.
He discusses how he first got involved and why he feels the company is important both educationally and artistically. He also talks about why he feels working with the company is an enriching experience for actors.

Iddo Goldberg, Actor

In this interview Iddo Goldberg talks about acting in the Y Touring production Pig in the Middle. He talks about what he learned through working with Y Touring and how he found the experience

Claudia, Student, Westgate School

In this interview Westgate student, Claudia talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she learned and what stuck in her mind about the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Professor Sir Iain Chalmers, James Lind Initiative

In this interview Professor Sir Iain Chalmers talks about his involvement with the Y Touring production Starfish. He discusses the development process of Starfish with reference to how accuracy of information issues within the play were addressed through the drafting process.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Hival, Student, George Green School

In this interview Hival, a student from George Green School talks about watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He discusses what he learned from watching the production and recalls what was memorable for him about it.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Simon Vinnicombe, Playwright

In this interview playwright Simon Vinnicombe talks about the play Ceremony which he wrote for Y Touring as part of the project with King's College. He discusses why he felt it was important to have young people involved in the play development process.

Dickon Tolson, Actor

In this interview Dickon Tolson talks about acting in the Y Touring production The Inner Circle. He recalls his first audition for Y Touring and what he gained from working with Y Touring.

Sue Nott, BBC

In this interview Sue Nott from the BBC talks about how she first got involved with Y Touring. She talks about her favourite productions and her involvement in the BBC filming of the Y Touring production of Sweet as You Are.

Mrs Mutumba, Teacher, Maria Fidelis School

In this interview Mrs Mutumba a teacher from Maria Fidelis School talks about the Y Touring production Nobody Lives Forever. She discusses what she felt the students got out of the production.

Nourham, Student, George Green School

In this interview Nourham a student from George Green School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Laura Grant

In this interview Dr. Laura Grant talks about her involvement in the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses the work she did as part of the evaluation of the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Hannah, Student, Westgate School

In this interview Westgate student, Hannah talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She talks about what she gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Lesley Paterson, The Royal Academy of Engineering

In this interview Lesley Paterson, Head of Public Engagement, The Royal Academy of Engineering talks about her involvement with Y Touring on various projects including Breathing Country and The Projectionist.
She discusses why she got involved with Y Touring and why she feels the work of Y Touring is important.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of The Projectionist here

Val, Teacher, Treloar College

In this interview Val, a Teaching Assistant form Treloar college talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses what she thinks the students gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

James, Student, Westgate School

In this interview Westgate student, James talks about his experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He discusses what he learned from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Jenny Harris

In this interview Jenny Harris talks about her involvement with various Y Touring projects. She discusses the collaboration between The National Theatre and Y Touring on the Theatre of Debate project.

Rosa, Student, Westgate School

In this interview Rosa, a student from Westgate school talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she enjoyed about the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Abi Bown, Playwright

Playwright Abi Bown talks about her experience of writing the Y Touring play Mind the Gap. She talks about the process of writing the play and how she felt about working with Scientists and experts.

Steven Helliwell, Actor

In this interview Steven Helliwell talks about acting in the Y Touring productions Starfish and Cracked.
He discusses why he became an actor and his experience working with Y Touring.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Dr. Trevor Yellon

In this interview GP Dr. Trevor Yellon talks about his involvement with the Y Touring production Breathing Country. He talks about the value of engaging people in debate over Electronic Patient Records.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Breathing Country: By Dr Martyn Thomas

Eminent software engineer Dr Martyn Thomas, a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, writes an essay describing his experiences as a member of the project advisory group for Breathing Country a Theatre of Debate® project exploring the use of electronic patient records in medical research. He outlines the issues raised by the introduction of electronic patient records and writes in depth about his experience of participating in the project workshop day. He describes his emotions as he found himself, a 62-year-old expert used to delivering lectures to professional and academic conferences, journalists and TV cameras, participating in ‘drama’ activities with a group of teenage students and other experts.

Open publication - Free publishing - More raeng

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Karifa, Student, Acland Burghley School

Karifa, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He discusses why he got involved in the project and what he got out of it

Jenny and Lynn, Teachers, Treloar College

In these interviews Jenny and Lynn, teachers from Treloar talk about their experience of watching Y Touring’s production Breathing Country. They discuss what they felt their students gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Jenny, Student, George Green School

In this interview Jenny, a student from George Green School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses what she gained from the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Zarine, Student, George Green School

In this interview Zarine, a student from George Green School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses what she gained from watching the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Professor Max Parmar, Director, Medical Research Council's Clinical Trials Unit

In this interview Professor Max Parmar talks about his involvement with Y Touring production Starfish.
He talks about why he felt Starfish was successful and what will be the important future issues for public engagement.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Max Saunders-Singer, Actor

In this interview Max Saunders-Singer talks about acting in the Y Touring production Starfish. He talks about what he gained as an actor through working with Y Touring.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Science Education, Theatre and Y Touring: By Professor Michael Reiss, Institute of Education, University of London

The interviews with teachers and students published on this site give a sense of the different ways that Y Touring's performances and debates have contributed to science education in the UK. Imelda, a student at Maria Fidelis School, in her interview comments on how attending a performance differed from conventional science lessons making her feel more "active" and rendering the experience more "memorable". Over the last 21 years school science education has been contested terrain. The apparent decline in students' engagement with science as they progress through secondary school has provoked debate about appropriate curriculum content and teaching approaches. In his essay, leading science educator Professor Michael Reiss sets Y Touring's work within this context and argues passionately for theatre's place within his vision for science education.

Open publication - Free publishing - More michael reiss

Louise, Student, Maria Fidelis School

In this interview Louise, a student from Maria Fidelis School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She talks about what she gained from watching the production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Rachel Board, Teacher, Acland Burghley School

In this interview drama teacher Rachel Board from Acland Burghley School talks about her school’s involvement in the Y Touring project Ceremony.
She discusses how she felt about working with Y Touring and what she thought the students got out of the project.

Peter Finegold, Isinglass Consultancy

In this interview Peter Finegold talks about his work with Y Touring on various productions including; Cracked, Pig in the Middle and The Gift. Click Genetic futures for more information
He discusses his first experience of watching a Y Touring production as a teacher and his later involvement developing plays with Y Touring, while he was working for Wellcome Trust.

Imelda, Student, Maria Fidelis School

In this interview Imelda, a student from Maria Fidelis School talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country.
She discusses her memory of the production and what she gained from it.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Krupa Pattani, Actress

In this interview Krupa Pattani talks about acting in the Y Touring productions Starfish and Nobody Lives Forever.
She discusses the value she places on giving young people the opportunity to see the human story behind a scientific issue explored within Y Touring’s productions.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Rhiannon Tise, Playwright

In this interview Rhiannon Tise talks about writing various plays for Y Touring. Including; The Silencer, Playing God, Wasted, Photograph 51 and Headstone.
She talks about her favourite plays she has written for Y Touring and how plays and writers are selected by the company.

Marlene Winfield, NHS

Marlene Winfield, from NHS Connecting for Health, talks about her involvement with the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses the importance of having a public debate around Electronic Patient Records and what Y Touring’s production Breathing Country contributed to that debate.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Breathing Country: A Breath of Fresh Air, by Marlene Winfield

The introduction of electronic patient records is not a subject that automatically sets pulses racing. However it raises complex and important questions for health services about patient care and privacy. Marlene Winfield as Director for Patients and Public at NHS Connecting for Health has to deal with such questions in her daily work. In her essay she reflects from her perspective as an expert advisor on the production Breathing Country on both the rewards and the difficulties of using theatre to engage young people and                                                      other audiences in discussing these issues.

Open publication - Free publishing - More y touring

Rab Christie, Actor

In this interview Rab Christie talks about acting in the Y Touring production The Inner Circle. He talks about how he found being on tour and what he felt the young people watching the show got out of it

Demilola, Student, Maria Fidelis

In this interview Demilola, a student from Maria Fidelis School, talks about her experience of watching a Y Touring production Breathing Country and participating in a Y Touring workshop about body image. She discusses what she remembers about Breathing Country and how she feels about electronic patient records as a result of experiencing this production.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Read Y Touring's blog about body image here

Professor Simon Wessely, Kings College London

Professor Simon Wessely talks about his involvement with the Y Touring productions Starfish and Breathing Country.
He talks about the importance of narrative stories to engage the public with complicated issues and how Y Touring’s work is an important part of this.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Nicola Goddard, Teacher, Queen's College

Science teacher, Nicola Goddard, from Queen’s College, talks about why her school has invited Y Touring back several times to perform. She discusses the educational impact of Y Touring on her students

Gus Hosein, Privacy International

In this interview Gus Hosein talks about his involvement with the Y Touring productions The Projectionist and Breathing Country. He describes how he found the production development process and why both productions were important to him professionally and personally.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of The Projectionist here

Emma, Student, Treloar College

Emma, a student from Treloar College in Hampshire, talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring production Breathing Country. She discusses what she enjoyed about the production and what she gained form it educationally.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Tara Shaw, Actress

In this interview actress Tara Shaw talks about acting in various Y Touring productions including Every Breath and Cracked.
She talks about the importance of the creative process in developing plays with Y Touring.

Download an audio version of Every Breath here

Be careful what you wish for: An evaluator’s perspective on Y Touring by Dr Suzanne King and Mark Dyball, People science and Policy

Suzannne King and Mark Dyball of People Science and Policy, describe their experience of Y Touring’s work. They write in depth about an evaluation led by People, Science and Policy on Mind the Gap, a Theatre of Debate project exploring the ethical issues raised by advances in neuroscience . They outline the project development process and reference other Y Touring works including, The Silencer and Upfront. In doing so, they emphasise the power of the medium and the methodology, and at the same time raise the debate that, ‘this powerful medium can stimulate changes of attitude that might be considered ‘undesirable’ as well as those that might be seen as more ‘positive’.

Open publication - Free publishing - More y touring

Peter Hollins, Chief Executive, British Heart Foundation

In this interview Chief Executive of British Heart Foundation, Peter Hollins, talks about his involvement with Y Touring production Every Breath.
He reflects on why the project was important for young people and his charity.

Download an audio version of Every Breath here

Rachel Lewis, Actress

In this interview Rachel Lewis talks about acting in various productions for Y Touring including: The Inner Circle, Connected and The Gift.
She discusses what she learned through acting in Y Touring productions and why the company is important for actors.

Adam, Student, Acland Burghley

Adam, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He talks about what he gained as a result of being part of this project.

Susan Elkin, Journalist

In this interview journalist Susan Elkin talks about Y Touring productions she has seen and discusses her perspective on the work of Y Touring and why it stands out as being important.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Nicola Baldwin, Playwright

In this interview Nicola Baldwin talks about her experience of writing various plays for Y Touring including; The Gift, Cracked, Wicked Problems, Leap of Faith and Bloods. She talks about the process of writing plays for Y Touring and the importance of Y Touring for playwrights.

Read about cracked here

Miranda, Student, Acland Burghley

Miranda, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about her experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. She discusses why she got involved in the project and how she felt about the process.

Charlyne Francis, Actress

In this interview Charlyne Francis talks about acting in the Y Touring production Nobody Lives Forever. She talks about the challenges of having to understand the scientific content required to play her character in the performance and subsequent debate.

Dr. Penny Hawkins, RSPCA

In this interview Dr. Penny Hawkins from the RSPCA talks about her involvement with the Y Touring production Every Breath. She contemplates how she felt that the play represented all sides of the argument around the use of animals in medical research.

Download an audio version of Every Breath here

Science and the Public: by Professor Lewis Wolpert

Eminent scientist, and no stranger to controversy, Professor Lewis Wolpert gives his views on why Y Touring's work is important in the context of public engagement. He writes about the importance of science; how the idea that scientific knowledge is dangerous is deeply embedded in our culture; how western literature has been 'unkind' to science; and how the media contributes to the public’s misunderstanding of science as a dangerous idea. Provocative as ever he introduces the idea of biological pornography....

Open publication - Free publishing - More y touring

Claire Gordon, Head of Expressive Arts, George Green School

Claire Gordon, Head of Expressive Arts at George Green School, talks about the impact Y Touring’s production Breathing Country had on her students.
She reflects on why she would invite Y Touring back to her school and why productions coming into her school are important for her students’ learning.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Aaron, Student, Acland Burghley School

Aaron, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He talks about the impact of the final performance on the audience.

Dr. Simon Parry, Manchester University

In this interview Dr. Simon Parry, Teaching Fellow, Arts Management,
Policy and Practice, University of Manchester talks about his involvement with Y Touring on various projects. He reflects on the impact and importance of the work of Y Touring.

Solom, Student, Acland Burghley School

Solom, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He talks about why he felt it was important to explore the issues raised as part of the project.

Dawn Perllman, Actress

In this interview Dawn Perllman talks about acting in the Y Touring production Nobody Lives Forever. She reflects on what she learned as actress from the challenges of performing in a school environment.

Tuguy, Student, Acland Burghley School

Tuguy, a student from Acland Burghley School, talks about his experience of participating in a Y Touring project, Ceremony. He talks about why he got involved in the project and what he got out of it.

Bridging Gaps: by Susan Elkin

This week, The Stage’s Education Editor and former secondary school teacher, Susan Elkin, who has followed Y Touring’s work from the very early days, shares a very personal story to illustrate the resonance that the company’s work has for her. She also discusses the issue of ‘issue’ based theatre, how Y Touring’s work goes beyond that and the company’s place in British Theatre as a vibrant part of the trend to produce theatre for young audiences.

Open publication - Free publishing - More the stage

Dr Martyn Thomas CBE FREng, Director and Principal Consultant, Martyn Thomas Associates

In this interview Dr Martyn Thomas talks about his involvement as part of the advisory group with Y Touring productions The Projectionist and Breathing Country. He reflects on how he found the process of working with other experts and young people in the development of the productions.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of The Projectionist here

Vinay Sharma, Science Faculty Leader, Westgate School

Westgate School’s Science Faculty Leader, Vinay Sharma, talks about the Y Touring productions he has seen and why he continues to invite Y Touring back to his school. He reflects on what he feels students get out of experiencing Y Touring productions.

Tania, Student, Queen's College

Tania, a student from Queen’s College, talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring productions, Breathing Country and Starfish. She talks about her memories of the productions and their interactive nature.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Debra Cougill, Deputy Head of Learning and Participation, Royal Albert Hall

In this interview Debra Cougill talks about her involvement with Y Touring originally as a Company Manager and now as a partner working for the Royal Albert Hall, Learning and Participation Department. She reflects on the importance of Y Touring’s work.

Miranda, Student, Queen's College

Miranda, a student from Queen’s College, talks about her experience of watching the Y Touring productions, Breathing Country and Starfish. She talks about her memories of the productions and what she learned from them.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country Here

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Jonathan Hall, Playwright

In this interview Jonathan Hall talks about the various plays he has written for Y Touring including the, Fringe First award winning Sweet As You Are.
He reflects on the importance of trying to come up with good stories that engage young people with complex issues.

Simon Roberts, Actor

In this interview Simon Roberts talks about acting in Y Touring productions, Breathing Country and Learning to Love the Grey. He reflects on what he learned as an actor through working for the company and what he feels audiences gained from the productions.

Download an audio version of Breathing Country here

Y Touring: a dramatic antidote to apathy: by Dr. Sophie Petit-Zeman

This week Dr Sophie Petit-Zeman, Head of External Relations at the Association of Medical Research Charities picks up the conversation with A Dramatic Antidote to Apathy, her reflection on a 15 year relationship with the company as a scientific adviser. She discusses how Y Touring have resisted producing propaganda pieces and negotiated such tricky territory as the use of animals in medical research.
Dr. Simon Parry

Open publication - Free publishing - More y touring

Lester Firkins

In this interview Lester Firkins talks about his involvement in the Y Touring production Starfish as a member of the advisory board for the project. He discusses the importance of the project on both a professional and personal level.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Marborak, Student, Sutton Grammar School

Marborak, a student from Sutton Grammar School, talks about his experience of watching the Y Touring production, Starfish. He discusses what he learned as a result of watching it and how this differs from traditional classroom learning.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Adam Deacon, Actor

In this interview Adam Deacon talks about acting in various Y Touring productions. He also discusses the importance of theatre to engage with young people in a meaningful way.

Josephine Quintavalle, Co-founder of Comment on Reproductive Ethics

In this interview Josephine Quintavalle, the co-founder of Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE), talks about her involvement with different Y Touring projects including Learning to Love the Grey and Nobody Lives Forever.

Jack and Chris, Students, Sutton Grammar School

Jack and Chris, two students from Sutton Grammar School, talk about their experience of watching the Y Touring production, Starfish. They discuss what they learned as a result of watching it and how this differs from traditional classroom learning.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Judith Johnson, Playwright

Judith Johnson talks about the large body of plays she has written for Y Touring. She reminisces about her favourite productions and what interests her about writing plays about science.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Download an audio version of Every Breath here

Andrew Hobday, Actor

In this interview Andrew Hobday talks about acting in the Y Touring productions Starfish and Cracked. He also discusses the importance of making live theatre accessible to young people in schools.

Download an audio version of Starfish here

Betty McBride, Director of Policy and Communications, British Heart Foundation

In this interview Betty McBride, Director of Policy and Communications from the British Heart Foundation, talks about her involvement with Y Touring with particular reference to the production Every Breath, which explored the use of animals in medical research.

Download an audio version of Every Breath here

Bringing science to life: Y Touring, drama and the Wellcome Trust

The medical research charity, The Wellcome Trust, has been a major funder of Y Touring's work. In the second essay of our series, the director of the charity Sir Mark Walport along with the science writer and communicator Ian Jones discuss why an organisation committed to scientific research should invest in drama. The authors explain how innovating in public engagement through such means as drama has become a crucial dimension of the charity’s activities and is seen as of increasing importance to how science
                                                    and scientists interact with society.
                                                    Dr Simon Parry

Open publication - Free publishing - More y touring

Bring science to life: Y Touring, drama and the Wellcome Trust