The Other Side of Silence (Open Theatre Practice - Season X)

We are delighted to share our public call out for Open Theatre Project Season X - The Other Side of Silence.

Would you like to be a maker - performer - participant in our next project: The Other Side of Silence (Open Theatre Practice - Season X - 2026/2027) ? ? ? ?

This season's experiment in arts participation and co-creation is to make an experimental Theatre of the Absurd on film, film with artists Michael Higgins (Experimental Filmmaker), James Hosty (WalkingDopeDesigns, movement and sound artist), Maud Hendricks (Participation and Performance artist) supported by Maud Hendricks and Bernie O'Reilly (Creative Production), Fióna Bolger (Language and access artist), Laura Hopes (Dramaturgy).

So far in Season X we have held Open Theatre Practice workshops at The Coombe Hospital and within the embedded old and new communities of Dublin 8, in F2Centre, DCU and NCAD.

As lead artist, Maud has been exploring silence - and what is on the other side of it - with political silence, Theatre of the Absurd and Jungian dreams inside her mindframe. With participants we have explored silence during workshops as a collective experience and through the sharing of individually developed performances.

Our projects are open to anybody who is seriously interested in arts participation as an art form, co-creation and has a passion for performance making in public spaces. Both professional, student and community participants are welcome.

We offer literacy, language and access support for people with learning or other needs that would otherwise prevent them from taking part in performance making projects like this.  

Would you like to be part of the making of a Theatre of the Absurd on film film 2026/2027? If yes, then please send your response to the questions below to info@outlandishtheatre.com  before May 6th or if typing/writing is not an option a voice note to (0871220817) on Whatsapp. 

1. What does co-creation mean to you?
2. Please share a potent or absurd experience of silence.
3. How would you describe yourself as a performer - maker?
4. What's your favourite film and why?
5. Please tell us about your absurd lived experience with Dublin as a place.

Following last year's schedule and format of co-creation for Project Freedom, the schedule for 2026/2027 looks as follows:

One week in July 13th - 17th (10 to 5 pm)

One week in August 17th to the 21st (10 to 5 pm)

Once weekly group and individual workshops/meetings from September to November (during term times TBC)

Filming prep and filming February to April 2027 (TBC)

Launch film in October 2027 (TBC)

Honorarium for 5 selected participants €1750 (+ travel costs if outside of Dublin) for 2026 and €1750 (+ travel costs if outside of Dublin) for completion in 2027

A panel of artists and our dramaturg Laura Hopes will select a minimum of 5 participants to take part in the project and we will announce the participants by May 20th.

This project is kindly supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and DCC Arts Office.

PLEASE SHARE THIS CALL OUT FAR AND WIDE. WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU FOR SUPPORT IN THIS RADICAL INVITATION.