13 August 2026
On the 11th of August 2026, we held our first Theatre Lab at the LTB Showrooms in the Priory Visitor Centre, Coventry. The session is an experiment, a test to see if it’s something useful, interesting or fun to do. We invited some people along to play some games and spend some time experimenting with theatre and performance.
Connor’s Thoughts:To my embarrassment, I hadn’t had the time to visit the LTB showrooms before the session. I had been along to many of the LTB’s sessions while they were still at the Litten Tree building but somehow had never managed to see the new space, which is wonderful. Partitions of painted chip board have been erected within the glass filled space to hang and house a range of local artists’ work. Paints, photography and sculptures wrapped the space with a bar nestled among dozens of house plants. Alan Denyer and his team have constructed a really magical, grassroots space for people to come, experience and showcase artworks of all mediums simply for the pleasure of it and for us to hold our first Theatre Lab.
As we welcomed our participants, we began by discussing the drive behind the Lab. For a long time I’ve been thinking about a space that can act as a home for our work and for other companies that I work with. A place for rehearsal, and shows, and coming together, and sharing of ideas, and sharing skills, and sharing problems, and experimenting, and trying, and failing and potential, and storage. But that’s also a big process to undertake which we may not be able to fully do yet. But, perhaps, before we find that space with bricks and motar we can build a space with people. A nomadic space, that can pop-up when people summon it and vanish when it’s not needed. An empty space that responds to its people. A playful space that is there because it can be.
Who knows what future ones might look like, but in this session we started to explore play and the pleasure in doing things for the sake of it.
We ran, jumped, played with sticks and swords (our arms) and slapped each other(‘s hands). The little moments when we all were in it, all focused on the game, playing it with our hearts fully while listening to everyone else became magical. We saw so much when a pair, just gently swayed on the spot while staring into each other’s eyes, one poised to unleash a slap, the other poised to retreat their hands. Are they in love? In conflict? About to leave? We don’t know yet, but we want to! These tiny details spoke so loudly when we did them whole heartedly.
It was a session which prompted us to consider ourselves, the tension in our bodies and lives, and how we might do something just for the pleasure of doing it. The session didn’t answer many questions, but did raise some more, one of which being “when’s the next one?”.
A brick laid.
These are a list of some things we looked at, they might be of interest. If you play them, do so with care and sensitivity.
Move around the space, when you make eye contact with someone, either wink, clap hands or share a bum-bump with them.
In pairs, a camel and a camel trainer. The trainer places their finger under the camel’s chin (tip of finger pointing to one side of the face, knuckle to the other). The trainer must lead the blindfolded camels around the space using only the touch of the finger. As you get more comfortable you can run and jump, start and stop and see how much control you can exert. Unbeknownst to the camels at some point the trainer may swap camels trying to be as seamless as possible. (A game learnt from John Wright)
Players enter a circle of people and are blindfolded, then rearranged in the room to disorientate them. The game begins and the players take turns to take a single step and then a single SLOW confident strike (all called by someone in charge). If a player is hit by the strike they are eliminated. Play until a winner. (a game learnt from Ecole Philippe Gaulier)
Development 1
If a player who is on (samurai) touches another player while taking their step, then that stepping samurai is eliminated.
In a circle, you throw the stick to a partner across the circle. The stick should stay vertical as it travels rather than horizontal to become a javelin.
Development 1
Further sticks are added
Development 2
Move around the space passing sticks as seamlessly as you can
Simple game of slaps, in pairs one person hold their hands below the other palm up, the other above palm down. The person below has to slap the top of the other person’s hands before they move them away. You must keep eye contact the whole time.
Development 1
The slapper can lead the other person by moving their hands and the other person follows. Music is played, performers can move in response to the music. The music would stop and that is when the slapper would strike.
Learn more about or join our next Theatre Lab, or sign up to our newsletter here. to get updates about our workshops, shows and future Labs..