Associate Company Told by an Idiot started with two performers who had an idea for a show. When it came to thinking of a director, Hayley and Paul (co-founders), approached their mentor and teacher John Wright and this proved to be a formative relationship. "We learned an enormous amount from John and we provoked each other. It was the beginning of our journey as a company and it has stayed with us for the past thirty years. It now informs our drive to support theatre makers, particularly those who are setting out on their own journeys" Paul Hunter, Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Told by an Idiot. We would like to offer a similar opportunity to a group of theatre makers in developing a comedic response to the climate emergency. Why Comedy? Because we know comedy, and in particularly physical comedy, can be highly effective in sharing important information. It can communicate the most profound and complex of ideas in the lightest most subversive of ways. It can incite change and hold the powerful to account. It cuts through cant and intellectual posturing, it can undermine authority and unite all ages in a single experience. It can create extraordinary moments of delight and celebrates the performer like no other form. It equires immense skill but needs to look effortless. Comedy explores the human condition, and embraces our capacity to mess up, slip on life's banana skin and continue to get up. It reveals ourselves and our humanity, but most of all it makes us laugh. We can think of no better way to be serious about climate change! What’s in it for the Associate Company Told by an Idiot will financially and creatively support a research and development week to explore the company's idea. Following the R&D, Told by an Idiot will submit an Arts Council Touring Grant and (if successful), produce and manage a tour of the production in Feb/March 2025 as part of Told by an Idiot’s core programme of work. We will also support the company, over the entire associate period 2024 - 2025, with free office space, venue and creative partnership introductions and anything else that may be useful. This is the chance to be mentored by Artistic Director Paul Hunter and work closely with the wider Told by an Idiot team, create an exciting, new show in response to the climate crisis, and to take a risk, knowing that whatever happens, no one has ever told this story before. Applications are now closed and we are thrilled to announce our shortlist: Pointy Finger Bric a Brac Bearded Child The Duncan Brothers Longlisted Companies were: Jacks Lantern Productions Split Ink Theatre Messy Kind Bearded Child Logistical Nightmare Artistic Rebellion Bric à Brac Theatre The Duncan Brothers Voloz Collective Hoo Ha House Productions Seemia Theatre Sisu Theatre Jabby Jay Productions Pointy Finger Jennifer Jackson with Farrell Cox and Jimena Larraguivel RAWD Homing Bird Theatre Company