Founded in 2020 by Jeremy Allen and Lee Woodward, Yonder Cloud is a new Oxfordshire-based theatre company that aims to perform plays based around health or social care issues. Scripts are written after workshops with members of specific health or social care communities so that they reflect accurately their lived experiences.
Yonder Cloud have been inspired by Oxfordshire’s Creation Theatre Company and its pioneering role in programming live Zoom productions. The first performance of Analyse Thou is on Friday 11th June, live on Zoom, followed by a question and answer session.
“We want to give those with mental health issues an authentic voice, a reality, to bring their experiences to life rather than plying them with the public’s perception of mental health. We want to make sure their issues aren’t misrepresented, to find out what’s missing from the conversations around mental health. Shakespeare’s myriad characters provide that link with certain conditions, the possibilities are endless.”
Jeremy Allen, Producer and Lead Writer
The first show will be initially ‘zoomed’ to audiences living in homes managed by Oxfordshire mental health organisations Response and Oxfordshire Mind on Friday June 11, but a ticketed event will be performed online on Saturday 12th June. A live version of the show is programmed at The Old Fire Station next year.
“Our remit is to work with vulnerable people who lack access to theatre – accessibility is our watchword”.
Jeremy Allen, Producer and Lead Writer
Yonder Cloud hopes to tour Analyse Thou to venues across Oxfordshire later in 2021 whilst continuing through Zoom technology to perform to people who are socially isolated due to their health of social care conditions.
For further information, contact Jeremy Allen at [email protected] or on Twitter @CloudYonder