News & Opportunities

A look back at Extant’s last 20 years

Posted on: 7 Jul 2020

Formed in 1997, Extant was the inspired name chosen by a group of professional visually impaired artists, for the emergence of a new dynamic space, intended to redress our invisibility as artists and explore new creative territories. Over the past two decades, we have produced groundbreaking theatre by and for visually impaired performers and audiences, […]

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A composite image of twelve screen grabs from a Zoom meeting, in a three by four rectangular grid formation. Each screenshot contains a close-up profile of an individual Eye Say Eye Say Eye Say comedian in their respective homes, smiling towards the camera.

Eye Say, Eye Say, Eye Say

Posted on: 7 Jul 2020

Eye Say, what do you get when over a dozen visually impaired comedians come together? Eye Say, Eye Say, Eye Say! On Monday 1 June we held a comedy night via Zoom to launch over a dozen visually impaired comedians aching to spin their take on life under lockdown, Black Lives Matter, the tyranny of […]

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A mixed group of male and female actors stand on stage in a cluster. They are all looking off to their right, leaning in that direction.

Job Opportunity: Freelance Pathways Evaluator (October 2020 – March 2023)

Posted on: 3 Jul 2020

Pathways is a four-year programme, funded by Arts Council England. We have also received funding from Ulverscroft, and The Leathersellers Company. Pathways is a tailor-made professional development training programme for visually impaired theatre practitioners. Extant wants to nurture and develop this talent, in order for visually impaired artists (actors, directors, writers and backstage technicians) to […]

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A group of eight workshop participants sitting in a circle on stage in a black box theatre. A man is sitting with legs crossed in the back with his hands in a 'what if' pose while the others sit crosslegged or on chairs with their attention to him

Pathways Directors Summer Online Masterclasses

Posted on: 8 Apr 2020

These three summer online workshops will offer our Pathways Directors the chance to explore stimuli, research accompanying themes – and build ideas for our proposed face-to-face masterclass intensive in the Autumn. Tim Etchell’s work has spanned 36 years with Forced Entertainment; as well as his independent work as a visual artist, writer and performance maker. […]

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A white woman sits downstage right watching a 14 ft projection of an East Asian man playing the viola

Digital Flight Paths Progress…

Posted on: 8 Apr 2020

Ai  Takita-Lucas joins Artistic Director Maria Oshodi, editor and producer Nic Sandiland, animator Dave Packer, and designer Tim Jukes on the exciting, unique and accessible creative development for the Digital Flight Paths interactive online experience. View Ai’s work – https://dokoteiinko.wixsite.com/inkoredible View Dave’s work – https://sheepfilms.co.uk/ We’ll be sharing more fascinating updates on Digital Flight Paths  over the […]

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A black and white wide landscape shot of two white women on aerial silks mid-fall

Up, up and away with Digital Flight Paths

Posted on: 24 Feb 2020

We are thrilled to have received a commission from The Space to create a new and innovative online reworking of our acclaimed 2019 touring production Flight Paths! Combined movement, music, narrative and creative audio description using new sound technology, Flight Paths is inspired by the Goze of medieval Japan – blind itinerant female storytellers who journeyed around the […]

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A black woman conversing to a group of seven others who are laughing at what she is saying.

Duck Duck Goose Improv Jam

Posted on: 22 Jan 2020

Our blind and visually impaired No Dramas! workshop participants had a ball of a time at the Duck Duck Goose improv jam in Brixton last month! If you’re looking for more improvised fun, head along to their weekly events, held every Monday 8 – 10.30pm at Effra Social, Brixton. For more information, visit their website […]

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Two white women in blond curly hair pieces perch on a table full of cables entwined with musical instruments and microphones

Review: She Goat’s ‘The Undefineable’

Posted on: 17 Jan 2020

Review by Stephen Portlock Camden Peoples Theatre10th – 21st December 2019 She Goat’s The Undefineable to me suggested horror a la John Carpenter’s The Thing, and while I had been disavowed of this assumption by the publicity blurb, I still expected something if not gothic then at least a little decadent.  That was unfortunate because there was much to enjoy […]

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A close crop of someone writing in a notebook at a table, taken from the perspective of someone standing behind their shoulder.

Job Opportunity: Bookkeeper

Posted on: 18 Dec 2019

Extant is seeking an experienced bookkeeper to support the financial processes of our theatre company in an exciting period of transition. The responsibilities of the role include:  Maintaining financial records and data within agreed systems Entering all transactions on our accounting software Quickbooks  Accounts receivable, including preparing and distributing invoices and monitoring debtors Accounts payable, […]

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A black woman with short dark, hair, holding a microphone in her left hand and a glass of wine in her right, wearing a red blouse, light blue denim jeans and white boots.

Clare Perkins – our new patron!

Posted on: 4 Oct 2019

“Perkins’ final monologue is incredibly motivational and emotionally charged. Leaving the audience feeling so empowered after a performance is a daunting prospect, but together Perkins and Malcolm obtain this with ease” Johnathon Penney, Miro Magazine on ‘Emilia’ “Perkins as Cynthia…is the show’s beating heart.” Time Out on ‘Sweat’ Actor Clare Perkins has developed a strong reputation […]

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A tall white man with dark hair and a beard, a black woman with long curled hair, a white man with red curly hair and a white man with a buzz cut stand or crouch in a circle. Everyone is intently focusing on their hands, which hold chopsticks balanced on fingertips

Extant launches Pathways VI-TAP

Posted on: 4 Oct 2019

Training trainers to facilitate practitioner’s awareness As part of our Pathways programme we are extending our series of visually impaired awareness training sessions for theatre practitioners, to tutors and directors. So far we have delivered this training for the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, The Actors Centre and the Young Vic. A wide range of theatre industry […]

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The pathways actors stand together in a line, they stand in an array of poses, arms folded, reaching out, hands on hips and pointing guns fashioned from their hands.

Pathways Actors 1 year on!

Posted on: 4 Oct 2019

Reflecting on the first year of Pathways, we are proud of all the achievements that our Pathways actors have made since their performances at RADA in April. These include filming their first audition self-tapes for TV roles both in the UK and abroad, and auditioning for roles at the London Fringe and the National Theatre. As […]

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