The Space Shed Touring Pack 2021-2023 - Unlimited Theatre

The Space Shed
Touring Pack 2021-2023

Overview
Unlimited Theatre is currently seeking touring opportunities from 2021-2023 for its
specialist outdoor touring experience, the Space Shed.

Founded in Leeds in 1997, Unlimited is a company of artists and producers who specialise
in making and telling inspirational stories for live performance in public spaces – theatres,
festivals, galleries, museums, the streets of your city, on the internet and for broadcast.
While much of our work with scientists is for an adult audience, we have a dedicated
strand for children delivered through the Unlimited Space Agency (UNSA). UNSA’s
patron is the British astronaut Tim Peake and our partners in our mission to “inspire the
next generation of poet-scientists and space explorers” include the Science Museum, the
Royal Observatory, the Met Office, the British Science Association and the European Space
Agency.

The Space Shed is UNSA's mobile headquarters. It has previously toured to music, science
and arts festivals across the UK and recently won the Unique Shed of the Year award from
Readers Sheds. The Space Shed is fully mobile, weather resistant and can be installed
indoors or outdoors. It has been touring consistently over the past 5 years and since 2018
it has hosted 100 events, including 45 talks with climate change activists, scientists and
thought leaders. The Space Shed has been seen by over 50,000 people.

The Space Shed
The Space Shed appeals to contemporary theatre and family audiences, science enthusiasts,
comedy/storytelling fans and festival-goers. We have performed at the country’s leading
music, science and arts festivals – Latitude, Blue Dot and New Scientist Live in 2019.

How I Hacked My Way Into Space

How I Hacked My Way Into Space tells the (frankly, bizarre) inspirational story of a 42 year
old man’s (midlife crisis) creative adventure to hack his way into space from his garden shed in
St Albans, via the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, to Johnson Space Centre in
Houston Texas and a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

How I Hacked… is a show about technology and art coming together, the power of stories
to create new realities and the thin lines between obsession and madness. It’s about the
glorious possibilities for scientists and artists to work together and how even the smallest
person can make a difference and achieve their seemingly impossible dreams..

How To Save The Planet

Nearly every astronaut who’s ever been into space returns a committed environmentalist -
seeing the Earth’s thin atmosphere, no borders, our pale blue - Spaceship Earth.

“If I could get every Earthling to do one circle of the Earth, I think things would run a little
differently.” Karen Nyberg, NASA astronaut

In 2019, as the world finally wakes up to the reality of a global climate emergency, we’re
trying to work out how to “be more astronaut” and what we can do to help save the planet.
Join UNSA’s Director of Human Spaceflight Jon Spooner and UNSA’s first (actual) astronaut
Mini Jon as they work out how to stop feeling hopeless and instead, get active!

Live From The Space Shed

As well as the shows, one of the Space Shed’s most popular features are our interviews
with leading scientists and researchers. Working with our producing partners to curate a
line-up that best suits each event, and hosted by UNSA’s Director of Human Spaceflight Jon
Spooner, the interviews are fun-and-informal but in-depth conversations with some of the
world’s leading scientists and researchers.

Think… The Graham Norton Show meets the Broom Cupboard. With scientists. And
occasional popstars.

These conversations have been recorded and released as episodes of our podcast Live
From The Space Shed. They have also taken place as a series of live broadcasts during
lockdown, hosted on UNSA’s YouTube channel.

Covid Secure

In July 2020, we worked on adapting the Space Shed for a covid-secure outdoor
performance in Leeds. Strict social distancing measures were put in place for staff and
audiences including the use of masks and sanitation stations. If you would like further
details or a copy of our specialised risk assessment, please feel free to get in touch using the
contact details at the end of this document.

We enjoy working closely with our partners on the ground to develop the event that works
for everyone. This includes the curation of the programme, whether we’re with you for a day
or across a weekend. Here’s a look at what a weekend with the Space Shed can look like.

                                                        The Space Shed
                                               Friday
                                                   3pm Q+A J Willgoose Esq. from Public
                                                   Service Broadcasting
                                                   4pm Q+A Tony Padilla
                                                   8pm Space Shed DJs

                                               Saturday
                                                  12 noon Q+A Philip Moriarty
                                                  2pm SHOW How I Hacked My Way
                                                  Into Space
                                                  4pm Q+A Sally Cooper
                                                  6pm Q+A Josh Hayes
                                                  8pm Space Shed DJs

                                               Sunday
                                                  11am Q+A Clare Burrage
                                                  12:30pm SHOW How I Hacked My Way
                                                  Into Space
                                                  2pm Q+A Rene Breton
                                                  3:30pm Q+A Anna Scaife
                                                  8pm Space Shed DJs

If it is not possible to do a fully live programme, we can work with you on a digital
programme that includes livestreams of Q&As and other elements. A live digital version of
How I Hacked… is currently in development.

Touring information
The shed can be booked for 1, 2 or 3 days at a time.

Length: The show runs for approximately 40 minutes (with no interval)

Age: The show is suitable for age 7+

FOH: The company tours with 2 x audience facilitator volunteers to manage the audience.
Unless where the festival or venue can provide FOH staff for the show.

Shed: The ‘Space Shed’ is a weather resistant mobile shed mounted on trailer chasse, that
‘opens up’ and is used as a stage to perform from.

Cast & Crew: The company consists of one performer, one company technical stage
manager, one producer and two audience engagement volunteers.

Content: The show does not contain nudity or strong language. It does contain: haze, loud
music, minimal pyrotechnics.

Technical information
Sound & LX: The space shed is fully self-contained with all the sound and LX equipment
to run the show. This includes subs, speakers, handheld and radio mics, and lighting.

Electronics: The shed ‘opens’ up using hydraulics which will all be IP rated and
weatherproof. There is a flat screen TV within the shed which has been made weather
resistant.

Power: We will require 2 x 16A power sources from the morning of getting onto site and
throughout the day.

Playing space: The full desired playing space including shed and audience space is 10m
wide and 15m deep. The dimensions of the shed are 5.5m wide, 2.5m deep and 4.65m
height. We require flat stable ground for the shed and the audience seating area.

Security: When not in use, the shed will be locked and secure. However, because of the
valuable nature of the structure and the equipment inside, 24-hour security needs to be
provided by the venue or festival.

Weather: The shed is weather resistant. The performance cannot happen in high winds
or heavy rain.

Credits
For How I Hacked… and How To Save The Planet:

Written and Performed by Jon Spooner
Designed by Rhys Jarman
Sound Design by Elena Pena with support from Dan Balfour and Richard Bell
Lighting & Video Design by Joshua Pharo and Sarah Readman

An Unlimited Theatre production
Commissioned by The Civic, Barnsley; Lincoln Performing Arts Centre & Without Walls.
Supported by Arts Council England

Marketing
We are active across social media. Our handles for Unlimited Theatre are: @untheatre on
Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/untheatre. Our handles for UNSA are:
@unspaceagency on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/unspaceagency.

A trailer for How I Hacked… is available here. A trailer for How To Save The Planet is available
here.

Photos of our previous journeys out with the Space Shed can be found on our Flickr.

Press and audience quotes:

“A brilliantly funny, real life tale of one man’s quest to achieve the seemingly impossibly…
captivated both children and adults”
review of Just So Festival on childrenstheatrereviews.com

“Brilliant! A hilarious true story… Jon shared his genuine joy of space exploration and told his
delightful story to an enthralled audience.”
review of Latitude Festival 2017 on exciting-stuff.co.uk

“It was amazing, brilliantly educational. It brought a tear to my eye.”
Mum with four children at Blue Dot Festival

Contact
For further information and queries, please contact:
Javairya Khan, Assistant Producer – javairya@unlimited.earth
Alice Massey, Executive Producer – alice@unlimited.earth