Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
On November 21st in the year of our lord 1783, Jacques and Joseph Montgolfier watched a creation that was lighter than air soar away from them, in an effort to touch the face of God. Intentionally or not, this single action, this untethering of our collective dreams, led to us taking flight, in constant pursuit of the unattainable, and the unknown.
This isn’t a period drama. This isn’t made for the stage of the Olivier. This isn’t a play for dusty old men in frock coats.
BoxLess takes the story of the creation of the hot air balloon, and melds it with their signature physical theatre, original music and spoken word poetry, performed by the ensemble. This story could be dry. This story could be dusty. We promise it won’t be.
The human race is taking flight. Untethered.
A carnival of creativity, a celebration of what mankind can achieve, told by two female performers playing the Montgolfier brothers, with live original music and musicians, physical theatre and balloons. A celebration of liveness, aliveness and live theatre. A cloud in a paper bag.
It is possible.
Selected as part of New Wimbledon Theatre’s Premieres Season of New Writing, going from page to stage for the first time.
Cast & Creatives
Performed by: Freya Sharp, Zöe Grain, James Demaine
Written & Directed by Alexander Knott
Movement Direction & Additional Devising by the Company
Original Music Written & Performed by James Demaine
Additional Music & Sound Design by Samuel Heron
BoxLess Theatre
A critically acclaimed and Off West End Award winning ensemble, BoxLess was formed in 2016 to give a platform to underrepresented movers, dancers and physical theatre artists. We work as a company to fuse together original writing with dance and physical theatre, creating an exciting new way of seeing both.
To be BoxLess is to think outside the box, to go beyond what is thought doable. We transcend ideas of what is achievable in theatre, and subvert expectations with dynamic, physically charged productions.
Our projects include: Loop (Theatre N16, Theatre Royal Stratford East, tour & Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Hedgehog (Platform Southwark & The Lion & Unicorn Theatre), A Triptych of Plays including Nuclear War by Simon Stephens/Buried by David Spencer/Graceland by Max Saunders-Singer (Old Red Lion Theatre) & Private Peaceful (BarnFest ,The Barn Theatre, Bristol Old Vic).
In 2022, BoxLess won the Off West End Award for Theatre for Young People, Families and People with Special Needs.
We fuse original new writing with dance and physical theatre, creating an exciting new way of seeing both.
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre is our black box theatre with up to 66 seats, where amazing development work from new writers, comedians, directors and producers brings our former ballroom to life.
Home of the #FromTheFringe season in June and our autumn Premieres season of new writing.
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
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