Theatre News

China Plate puts a spin on Pulse 2013

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19 November 2012

As you may already be
aware, the application deadline for participation in the 2013 Pulse
Fringe Festival in Ipswich is 8 January 2013. The festival itself
takes place at a number of venues but centres on the New Wolsey
Theatre and its Studio.

From past experience, these
ten days between 30 May and 8 June will offer a wide range of new
work, some of it still very much at the seedbed stage.
Works-in-progress will be concentrated into the two days 31 May and 1
June. The festival directors this year are China Plate, a partnership
between Ed Collier and Paul Warwick.

China Plate specialises as
a conduit for artistic and creative development and collaboration and
is associate producer at the Warwick Arts Centre, producing the First
Bite and Bite Size festivals, The Darkroom and The Optimists training
programme. Producer Rosie Kelly and associate producer Lucy Moore
are closley involved. Current projects include work with Caroline
Horton, Inspector Sands, Contender Charlie and Action Hero.

Working closely with China
Plate on Pulse will be the New Wolsey’s Laura Norman and David
Watson. Among other innovations for 2013 will be the Suitcase Prize.
This is aimed at encouraging theatre-makers to think in an
environmentally and economically sustainable way. The only
stipulations are that the work must be new and it must be able to
travel on public transport in luggage carried by the people taking
part in the piece.

All artists shortlisted for
the prize will be asked to present a work in progress showing of
their piece on the first Friday of the festival. The prize will be
announced at the end of the day. All shortlisted companies will
receive a small fee for presenting their work. The Suitcase Prize
will be £1,000.

Norman comments: “I
am passionate about Pulse and thrilled to take on the role of
producer. Pulse is both inspiring and fun for participants and
audiences and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to work with
China Plate”. Collier and Warwick confess themselves “absolutely
delighted to be taking up the reins at Pulse. It’s a festival which
we’ve both been coming to over a number of years, as audience members
and as producers. It has a great vibe and a great reputation. It’s
something we’re really excited to be building on”.