Nuffield Theatre Launches Inaugural FULCRUM SOUTHAMPTON Festival Today

Following on from the hugely successful production of Caryl Churchill's A Number, Nuffield continues its season of work exploring the interaction between the arts and science by launching the inaugural Fulcrum Southampton festival. Over three days, Nuffield will curate a mini festival of debates, performances and panel discussions between cultural figures, social commentators and world class scientists with work from two of the UK's most innovative theatre companies.

The mini festival will culminate in a collaboration with the University of Southampton to present TEDx SouthamptonUniversity at the Nuffield Theatre for the first time, an afternoon of talks and performances exploring and investigating how we can flourish in the 21st century, based on the globally successful TEDx programme.

The festival will look at topics ranging from the vast health inequalities in Southampton, to the ageing process and its effects on performers and the commercialisation of medicine and the ethical and moral issues surrounding this. Nuffield is fortunate to sit on the University of Southampton's Highfield campus surrounded by world-leading research centres in electronics & computer science, sound & vibration, developmental origins of health and disease and epigenetics, many of which were pioneered at Southampton. Scientists from the University will play a key part in the debates and headline talks.

At Fulcrum Southampton, Nuffield will also present the result of its In Theatre pilot scheme, a work in progress created by writer Ella Hickson and choreographer Ben Duke. These two artists shadowed Dr Helen Roberts, a clinician specialising in geriatric medicine, and Tim Underwood, a clinician and stomach and throat cancer surgeon, spending time in their clinics, laboratories and with patients exploring the human and social consequences of disease and ageing. In the spirit of Fulcrum Southampton, In Theatre is designed to find a meeting point between the artists and scientists, giving them equal voice in that meeting and free reign to develop big ideas.

Fulcrum highlights include:

TEDx SouthamptonUniversity - based on the globally successful TEDx programme, this afternoon of events is designed to give communities, organisations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences. In partnership with the University of Southampton, Nuffield will curate an afternoon of talks and debates exploring the ageing process and what we can do to sustain ourselves and flourish in the 21st Century.

Robin Ince, Sony Gold Award winning comedian and co-host of BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage, discusses 100 years of psychiatry, psychology and skewiff brain dabblings in his new stand up show In and Out of his Mind.

Dialogue chaired by Robin Ince asking questions about the commercialisation of medicine with Ben Goldacre, broadcaster, campaigner and medical doctor, specialising in unpicking the misuse of science and statistics.

Performances from acclaimed theatre companies: How to be Immortal by The Penny Dreadfuls, the story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman who died in 1951 but whose cells are still alive, and Going Dark by Sound&Fury, which uses their innovative techniques, immersing the audience in sound, total darkness and imaginative lighting.

Presentation of the In Theatre work in progress created by Ella Hickson and Ben Duke.

Priority booking for Nuffield Friends opens Wednesday 19 February. Booking for general public opens Friday 21 February. See individual events for prices. There will be a Festival multi buy discount: Attend 2 events = 10% off tickets, Attend 3 events = 15% off tickets. Not all events are included in the festival discount, please see event listing for details. Discount applies to full priced tickets only; not available retrospectively.

Nuffield is Southampton's leading professional theatre company based at the Nuffield Theatre at the heart of the Highfield campus of the University of Southampton. Nuffield celebrates its 50th birthday in 2014.

The Company is led by Sam Hodges, supported by a new team of associates: directors Blanche McIntyre, Natalie Abrahami and Michael Longhurst, designer Tom Scutt and playwright Adam Brace, and develops and produces work with some of the UK's most exciting and dynamic theatre companies including Headlong and English Touring Theatre.

Nuffield Youth Theatre engages 200 young people between the ages of 13 and 21. In the first half of 2014, Nuffield Youth Theatre performed a brand new version of Philip Ridley's Feathers in the Snow (16-18 January) and will perform Tectonic Theater's The Laramie Project Cycle (10-12 April). Nuffield Youth Theatre is taking part in National Theatre Connections and is performing The Wardrobe (21-22 February) as their entry to the festival. Nuffield also continues to host the prestigious Hampshire Youth Theatre annually.

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