Ground Control for 7–12 year olds at the NT’s Duffield Studio
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
GROUND Control, an interactive space adventure for 7–12 year olds from innovative theatre company non zero one, runs at the National Theatre’s Duffield Studio on August 22, 23, 30 and 31, 2015.
You are Ground Control, and Futuretron is asking for your help to decide the future of a new planet.
Here’s the situation: in 1974, a named mission was sent into space to look for inhabitable planets. Now, in present day the sensors aboard Shuttle X27-40 indicate that it may have found just such a planet. The three astronauts on board are about to be woken from their hypersleep….
They need your help.
Using a giant projection screen and a live, highly intelligent computer (well, Futuretron), you will be part of a team deciding on an identity for the planet, its laws and values.
No adults allowed.
non zero one is formed of five artists, who came together in early 2009 at Royal Holloway, University of London. The company explores ideas of audience responsibility and makes interactive performances that enable participants to have both shared and personal experiences. Their work activates people by exploring the relationships between them and using creative approaches to space and technology.
Using live video, projection, hidden cameras, mp3 players, radio frequency headphones, live sound mixing and the internet, non zero one draw on a wide range of interests and expertise to make each show an immersive experience.
The group’s current work is concerned with how participants and performers – a distinction constantly in question in their work – can be empowered by various technologies in performance. It explores how relationships can be made and broken, how fights can be won and lost, and how experiences can be shared or made deeply personal.
They return to the NT having presented You’ll See Me (Sailing in Antarctica) in 2012.
Ground Control is developed with support from the Unicorn Theatre and originally commissioned by Hijack Children’s Festival.
Tickets: £7 per child – to book, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/ground-control.
Times: 12.30pm, 2 30pm and 4.30pm.
Running Time: 60 minutes.