More than a decade ago, experimental performance artists Blast Theory created a stir when they handed audience members paintball guns and invited them to ‘shoot’ at members of the cast. The group has since moved on to award-winning online gaming pursuits, but other companies are taking their place. Earlier this year, theatrical company Shunt continued to intrigue critics with their Time Out Live Award-winning show Dance Bear Dance, in which audience members became conspirators in a plot.
Only a smattering of critics give these performances the attention they deserve. Therefore, it’s understandable if you have not yet heard of 1157 performance group – another company that has emerged over the past eight years with the desire to push the boundaries of what theatre can be and in particular, making the audience active participants. The company was established in 1995 by co-founders Matthew Scott and Jo Dagless, two actors who felt restricted by the frameworks of film and mainstream theatre, in which they had previously worked.
