On Saturday 10 February 2024, students from secondary schools and colleges across Devon came together to perform at the Devising Discovery Platform. This outreach programme reaches 12 regional schools each year, and all the students who take part in the outreach are invited to bring their original devised work to the Exeter Northcott stage. This year, we were delighted to feature original performance pieces from Paignton Academy, South Dartmoor, ISCA College, Clyst Vale and St Cuthbert Mayne schools. The programme is funded by the University of Exeter Widening Participation programme and by Arts Council England, and is made possible via support from the team at Exeter Northcott Theatre. It’s a partnership project – and such a team effort and a joy each year.
The day begins at Roborough Studios, where all students meet each other for the first time, and warm up together.
We also use this time in the morning to choregraph a full-group movement sequence – this will be used later on in the day as a start-of-show.
Once warm-up is complete, everyone heads to their rehearsal rooms to spend the morning working on their devised pieces.
After lunch, we start heading up the hill to the Exeter Northcott, where technical rehearsals take place across the afternoon. We are supported by the fab professional technicians at the Northcott.