December 2008 | The Difference Engine Lab

for Creative Partnerships, Manchester

This Lab kicked off the collaboration process between arts practitioners from Walk the Plank Theatre Company and Thingamajig Theatre and teachers. Together they explored themes of the performance 'The Difference Engine", to develop ideas for associated projects to be tried out in schools.

Creative Partnerships Manchester had been asked to produce a new learning experience and resource based around the Walk the Plank “Difference Engine” performance, which premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 followed by a week long residency at the Manchester Science Museum in November 2009. Each of the six schools taking part in the collaboration designed and tested a creative learning project based on the themes of the performance and linked to the Science, Technology and Maths curricula. These case studies,  packaged along with a DVD of the performance and advice, support and resources to enable teachers to run their own projects, were launched in November 2009.

“I’d lost something and now I’ve found it again. The Lab changed me as a person - ethically and philosophically. It has re-sourced me”. Teacher

Lab Co-directors
Cathy Bereznicki
Helen Clare

Lab participants
Nancy Barratt — Creative Partnerships
Zoe Bates - teacher
Janet Chapman - teacher
Tim Greaves — theatrical craftsman
Paul Hine — actor / community arts practitioner
Fran Kern - writer
Andrew Kim — puppeteer / writer / director, Walk the Plank
Devina Kumar - Manchester International Festival
Jon Large — designer and inventor
Lesley Martin — visual artist
Paul Mayers — community arts practitioner
Ruth Nutton - teacher
Stuart Owen - teacher
Liz Pugh — co-Founder, Walk the Plank
Rivca Rubin — Lab co-ordinator
Jodie Thomas - teacher
Ben Turner — community arts practitioner
Zandra Wilkinson - teacher

Funded by
Creative Partnerships Manchester