Third Angel presents 600 People
Written & Performed by Alexander Kelly
Inspired by conversations with Dr Simon Goodwin
Directed by Rachael Walton
“We step out of our solar system, into the universe, seeking only peace and friendship…”
So says the message from the human race on the Voyager spacecraft. But is there, y’know, anyone out there? I really wanted to know, so I went to speak to an astrophysicist to find out. This is what I found out: Stellar Wobble. The Mirror Test. The Drake Equation. Fermi’s Paradox. The Enhanced Human and murderous dolphins.
Somewhere between stand-up comedy and an astrophysics lecture, Third Angel brings you a simple show about huge ideas: the story of how a three-hour conversation with an astrophysicist changed the way Alex understands the way the Universe works. 600 People explores how we think about evolution and intelligence, belief and invention, communication and space travel. A show that that explores the stories we tell in order to understand our place in the cosmos. A show that asks if there are extra terrestrials in our galaxy. A show that asks what it means to be human.
We said they were big ideas…
Alexander Kelly is Co-Artistic Director of the Sheffield-based theatre company Third Angel, with whom he devises, directs, writes, designs and performs. The company makes a range of work connecting the territories of theatre, live art, installation, film, video, photography and digital & online media, which tours throughout Britain, mainland Europe and beyond. Current projects include the shows 600 People, Partus, The Paradise Project (with mala voadora), The Life & Loves of a Nobody (with Sheffield Theatres), Cape Wrath, The Machine (from the radio play by Georges Perec) and What I Heard About the World (a co-production with mala voadora, Sheffield Theatres and Teatro Maria Matos) and the durational performances Story Map (with mala voadora) and Inspiration Exchange.
Other recent work includes writing O Grande Livro dos Pequeno Detalhes (The Great Book of Tiny Details) with/for Ma Criaçao (Rio de Janeiro 2015, Lisbon & Porto 2016), writing and performing Playing Detective for Slung Low’s 15 Minutes Live (Leeds 2013), and co-devising Learning To Swim with Ma Criaçao (Lisbon 2010).
Alex has recently published writing and drawing about Third Angel’s work in the Contemporary Theatre Review, DIY: Do It Yourself, Performance Research journal volumes On Value (2013) and On Foot (2012), the Forest Fringe Zine, The Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, and the SIBMAS Conference Proceedings as well as co-creating the artists’ book The Dust Archive with Annie Lloyd.
Originally commissioned for Northern Elements, a development programme funded by Arts Council England and managed by ARC, Stockton Arts Centre.
Third Angel is a Resident Company at Sheffield Theatres.