TimeChange

Billed as "A unique theatrical experience" TimeChange was a fascinating experiment in inter generational storytelling using live drama and digital storytelling in the same performance.

The programme began in September 2006 and concluded with two performances in November and December. It was a collboration between Paul Birch, the Education Officer of Riding Lights Theatre Company, and Barrie Stephenson of digistories. The project was funded by Action for All

Two groups of people came together. The residents of a retirement community in York called Hartrigg Oaks, and the sixth form drama students of Joseph Rowntree School. The two establishments are on opposite sides of the same road in New Earswick.

To create the digital stories, the older people wrote the scripts out of their own memories and the younger people processed those stories in a series of production workshops. The two groups exchanged ideas but the storytellers retained the final say on the content of their film.

The storycircles were recorded and transcribed to provide source material for the TimeChange script that would be performed on stage. Stories from the young people were added at this stage.

Digital stories by Paul Birch and Barrie Stephenson were also created for the show and included in the perfomance.

The audiences at The Friargate Theatre and a week later at Hartrigg Oaks were very warm with their comments about the show.