The Paper Birds Theatre Company

The Paper Birds Devising Theatre Company: An Introduction and Workshop Plan

The Paper Birds Devising Theatre Company: An Introduction and Workshop Plan
A detailed overview of the British theatre company, Paper Birds, covering their history, their use of political theatre, verbatim theatre, and movement in their devised productions. Also discussed is their methodology, their accepted terminology for how they create their work, and practitioners and influences on their company, Instructions for four workshop devising exercises are also included.

Devising in the Style of The Paper Birds: Method and Approach

Devising in the Style of The Paper Birds: Method and Approach
A step-by-step explanation of how to devise a theatre piece in the style of The Paper Birds, from choosing an "umbrella" theme to considering what you want the audience to think and feel about your chosen theme.

Ask Me Anything (Production) - Digital Theatre+

Ask Me Anything (Production) - Digital Theatre+
(81 minutes) Inspired by agony aunts from the ‘90s and ‘00s, Ask Me Anything is the response to over 100 real-life letters addressing the worries and hopes of today’s youth.

Captured live in 2020 at the Live Theatre, The Paper Birds' devised production uses original live music and unique interactions with technology to explore how different generations can learn from each other.

Mobile (Production) - Digital Theatre+

Mobile (Production) - Digital Theatre+
(44 minutes) Set in a caravan in which inanimate objects come to life and memories are projected onto the walls, Mobile explores how our past shapes our future.

Captured live in a space outside the Harrogate Theatre in 2017, this intimate and interactive show, devised in response to interviews conducted in British communities, was performed to eight audience members at a time.

Broke Presented by The Paper Birds

(1:59) Based on interviews taken across the UK in 2014, multi-award-winners The Paper Birds explore, with real-life stories from the front line of poverty and debt, what it means to be broke in this visually stunning new production. A heartfelt and urgent look at the debt of a Nation from displaced families and gambling addictions to beans on toast.

The Paper Birds: QUICK-CLIPS - Choreo-Cues in 'Thirsty' (2018)

(1:19) Here, the two performers, Josie and Georgie, depict how their relationship has become distant - their stylized movement choreographed to text represents how their lives have grown apart. This extract was filmed of the 2018 revival of 'Thirsty' for UK schools ' tour.

THIRSTY - Based on the UK's love affair with alcohol, Thirsty weaves together real booze-based confessions collected from a ‘drunken hotline’ and hundreds of questionnaires answered by young and old. From nightclubs to working men’s clubs, from house parties to dinner parties; Thirsty relays tales from the happy hours to the early hours.

Fusing live music, verbatim text, and stunning physical theatre, The Paper Birds examines binge drinking culture in the UK: lost memories, gained traumas, tales of bruised knees, uncontrollable laughter, urine-stained beds, and sore heads. A dynamic theatrical exploration delving beyond statistics, facts, and figures, Thirsty looks to the faces and the voices of everyone who likes a drink and asks why, as a Nation, we are so thirsty. Premiered at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Pleasance Courtyard, 2011.

The Paper Birds: QUICK-CLIPS - Verbatim opinions: 'In a Thousand Pieces'

(1:48) The performers mime to the real verbatim audio of the people we interviewed about their opinions on a local brothel. 'In a Thousand Pieces' explored sex trafficking and was the first verbatim show from The Paper Birds.

Extract filmed of the revival of In a Thousand Pieces for Schools' tour 2017.

The Paper Birds: Who Are We? (Interview) - Digital Theatre+

The Paper Birds: Who Are We? (Interview) - Digital Theatre+
(7 minutes) In this episode of the Devising with The Paper Birds series, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors Jemma McDonnell and Kylie Perry introduce you to who they are and what they do.

The Paper Birds: Verbatim (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+

The Paper Birds: Verbatim (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+
(12 minutes) This episode of Devising with The Paper Birds series focuses on verbatim with examples from productions such as Ask Me Anything and Mobile and includes a practical exercise which explores using verbatim in theatre.

The Paper Birds: Movement & Motif (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+

The Paper Birds: Movement & Motif (Workshop)- Digital Theatre+
(9 minutes) This episode of the Devising with The Paper Birds series focuses on movement and motif with examples from productions such as Thirsty and In a Thousand Pieces and includes a practical exercise which explores ways to physicalize emotion.

The Paper Birds: Character & Narrative (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+

The Paper Birds: Character & Narrative (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+
(9 minutes) This episode of the Devising with The Paper Birds series focuses on character and narrative, with examples from productions such as On the One Hand and Broke, and includes a practical exercise which explores larger-than-life characters and multi-roling.

The Paper Birds: Exposing the Method (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+

The Paper Birds: Exposing the Method (Workshop) - Digital Theatre+
(9 minutes) This episode of the Devising with The Paper Birds series focuses on when to remind the audience they are watching a play with examples from productions such as Ask Me Anything and Thirsty, and includes a practical exercise that explores ways to expose the method.

The Paper Birds: QUICK-CLIPS - Playing the Same Character: 'In a Thousand Pieces'

(1:44) Simple choreography here denotes each of the performers playing the same character before they slowly start to 'fall out' from the loop. They are searching for a passport. Jemma breaks the fourth wall and begins to address the audience.

Extract filmed of revival of In a Thousand Pieces for residency at Bismarck State College in 2013.

IB Theatre - Collaborative Project (first assessment 2024): The Paper Birds Theatre Company