Past Events
2025
Photo by Alessandro Villa
In the opening months of 2025, Theatre No Theatre focused its activities in Italy, primarily through the “Percorsi Nomadi” series in Milan. This period featured open meetings, closed sessions with the group Laudesi, and a specialized discussion with Jessica Losilla-Hébrail and Hyun Ju Baek on women’s perspectives in theatre research. In March, the team traveled to Bologna University (DAMS Lab) for a workshop and the seminar, "Thomas Richards and Theatre No Theatre: Developing a Legacy," held alongside the European premiere of Han!. The focus on research and dialogue continued in May at the Catholic University of Milan, where the symposium "Ravvivare la ricerca teatrale nel XXI secolo" featured Thomas Richards alongside Eugenio Barba and other scholars and practitioners.
A major highlight of the year followed in June at La Biennale di Venezia. Theatre No Theatre’s Performance Team presented The Inanna Project at the Arsenale; the performance was met with great success and stood as a key artistic achievement for the company within the prestigious context of the Biennale. As part of the Biennale College Teatro 2025, the team conducted the workshop "Body and Voice: A Pathway Towards Creativity," while other engagements in Venice included a screening of the film ACTION in Aya Irini. Thomas Richards was also invited to speak at the Open Meeting, 'BIENNALE ‘75 - ‘25: 50 Years of New Theatre', with Willem DaFoe, Richard Schechner, and others.
The summer found the team in its home base in Pontedera, where they held the intensive workshop, Threads of Creation 2025 with 28 participants from around the world. Simultaneously, Artistic Residencies were held for artists from Italy, Ukraine, and Israel, focusing on the development of new creative works. Throughout the teams’ presence in Italy, Jessica Losilla-Hébrail continued to lead the workshop series "Il canto vivo" in Milan, furthering creative developments within this long-term process.
The year concluded with the second phase of TNT’s three-year project, “Across-Asia: Voices Unveiled,” titled “Confluence of Creativity: Nurturing Artistic Growth.” From November to December, the team toured Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as Taipei, presenting a wide range of works, including The Inanna Project, Han!, and previews of Just a Little Too Much and A Golden Cage, as well as leading workshops. This intensive tour across China and Taiwan successfully wrapped up a new phase in Theatre No Theatre’s recent creative and pedagogic initiative throughout Asia.
2024
Photo by LEIW XUAN HE
Theatre No Theatre began the year in Milan, Italy, with “Percorsi Nomadi,” featuring presentations, closed sessions, workshops, and discussions throughout February and March. Closed sessions with Regula Contra Regulam and notable figures like Marco De Marinis and Eugenio Barba enriched the experience. Additionally, meetings with students and teachers from the Accademia dei Filodrammatici and the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera were held, as well as a Round Table Discussion on "Percorsi Nomadi” which included Thomas Richards and other esteemed guests.
In February and March, in between the two editions of “Percorsi Nomadi,” Theatre No Theatre traveled to Wrocław, Poland for a creative residency which focused on the development of The Inanna Project, holding an Open Rehearsal. Concomitantly, the general public was invited to Open Singing Sessions.
From April to July, the first phase of “Across-Asia: Voices Unveiled” (2024-2026) was completed. This year's segment, “Exploring Artistic Landscapes: Resonant Voices,” was met with enthusiasm, participation, and support. Theatre No Theatre toured Macao (China), Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Kajang (Malaysia), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Taipei (Taiwan), and Seoul/Ansan (South Korea), where artists participated in masterclasses, workshops, and the general public attended presentations of The Inanna Project, Just A Little Too Much (in preview), and Songs.
Upon returning to Pontedera, Italy, in July and August, Threads of Creation, the summer intensive workshop, was held with 30 participants from all over the world.
Throughout the year, Jessica Losilla-Hébrail continued to lead workshops entitled, "Il canto vivo" in Milan – 6 in total! – culminating in an Open Rehearsal showcasing works in progress by participants, which was organised by Zero Teatro at Slap in October.
Throughout the first phase of “Across-Asia: Voices Unveiled,” new partners from various Asian countries emerged, and at the requests of these new partners and other long-standing partners, Theatre No Theatre formed and conducted a spin-off project in Asia, which ran from October to December, and was extended through January of 2025. Han! and The Inanna Project were performed at HKPAX – Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo in Hong Kong and at the Wuzhen Theatre Festival, respectively. The Inanna Project was also presented in Taipei, while Han! was presented in Beijing, Just a Little Too Much in Hong Kong and Beijing, and Songs in Hong Kong. Performances were often accompanied by a talk-back. In Hong Kong, Blank Space Studio organised Open Rehearsals of creative works in progress of artists who are participating in “Across-Asia: Voices Unveiled,” after a series of Theatre No Theatre workshops. All these activities are expected to lay the groundwork for the next phase of “Across-Asia: Voices Unveiled” (2025) entitled, “Confluence of Creativity: Nurturing Artistic Growth.”
2023
In the first months of 2023, Theatre No Theatre toured the USA: Ohio, New Jersey, New York City, and Chicago. The performance Scapegoats was developed in a one-month residency in Akron, Ohio, and Workshops on Songs were held throughout the tour. Han! was performed in Chicago, New Jersey, and its NYC premiere took place at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, receiving positive acclaim and extending its run due to its success. In May, a project in Hong Kong - which included presentations of Songs and a Workshop on Songs of Tradition - led to the ideation of a 3-year initiative, Across Asia-Voices Unveiled, which will kick off in April of 2024. Pontedera, Italy, the home-base of Theatre No Theatre, played host to actors, directors, and writers from various countries for four weeks in July during our summer intensive, Threads of Creation. Participants delved into daily work on songs of tradition, and developed individual material for theatrical creation. Throughout the year, Jessica Losilla-Hébrail led a series of workshops in Milan, and additionally, Artistic Residencies were held, primarily focusing on the development of the new productions, The Inanna Project, and Just a Little Too Much, which had an Open Rehearsal in London in early winter.
2022
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In February of 2022, Theatre No Theatre was founded in Pontedera. During March and April, TNT toured the USA in Akron (OH), Detroit (MI), and Chicago (IL) showcasing Han! and conducting Workshops on Songs. The performance, Songs was also presented in Chicago. During the summer, Alicante and Valencia in Spain hosted separate workshops on songs and theatre craft. In September, the first Threads of Creation was held at TNT's home-base in Pontedera, Italy. Participants engaged in an intensive workshop – led by Mr. Richards and his colleagues – focusing on work on songs of tradition, and crafting diverse material for theatre creation. In 2022, artistic residencies also commenced with selected artists from various countries who came to Pontedera for daily work on songs of tradition, as well as to make initial steps in the creation of sonic compositions for The Inanna Project.
