Devoted and Disgruntled 4

Devoted and Disgruntled 4, Improbable's annual open space event for the theatre and performance community will be on 10/11/12 January 2009 at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

Everyone is welcome - it's an opportunity to meet up with other artists and arts professionals to chat, plot and dream around the issues that are relevant to you.

We hope that you will find this site a useful tool that will allow you to continue your Devoted and Disgruntled discussions further, start new topics and keep in touch with other members.

Explore this site to find out more about Devoted and Disgruntled 4, Open Space Technology and our 'little sister' D&D events which is held on the first Wednesday of every month. If you have any queries or suggestions for the site please feel free to drop Melanie a line on her profile page or email her: melanie@improbable.co.uk

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INVITATION TO DEVOTED AND DISGRUNTLED 4
Do you love theatre?
Do you find it frustrating?
Do you wish it were different?
Do you feel like an outsider in your own profession?
Have you just started out and need support?
Have you been in the profession for years and feel jaded?
Is your sector always left out of the discussions?
Are you looking for a sense of: community, eldership, mentorship?
Are you looking to change things?

DEVOTED AND DISGRUNTLED 4: What are we doing about theatre?

Dear friend

Four years ago I sent Improbable’s first invitation to what has now become an extraordinary annual event. It's known as Devoted and Disgruntled because it grew out of my passions and frustrations with theatre, about how I love theatre but still felt frustrated with how it happened sometimes.

Out of that first event an amazing number of initiatives have quietly and forcefully blossomed. Some of them are obvious, others, equally important, are more subtle and tangential. Whatever they are, from new theatre companies to individual projects, from pressure groups to artist’s salons, D&D has helped bring them to fruition.

Just as important as all the initiatives and projects to have come out of D&D is the way in which, over the last 4 years, we have been slowly building a genuine sense of community.
Devoted and Disgruntled is an opportunity for the theatre and performing community to gather in Open Space and work on what could be improved; the things that we are passionate about and the things we wish were different.

As in past years I’m sure we’ll have new issues to work on as well as old issues that are more urgent and pressing than ever. And when D&D 4 is over, the work doesn’t have to stop as Improbable host an evening of Open Space at Shunt, on the first Wednesday of every month, keeping the conversations going throughout the year.

So if there are things you are passionate about or things you are pissed off about, projects or proposals you need support on, or if you just want to connect with your community, all are possible because in Open Space you set the agenda.

On past experience of D&D, the more diverse our group, the more creative and exciting the work has been. All sectors and genres of the performing community are invited.

If you feel like this event might not be for you then that is a sure sign we need your input! If you feel that the issues that affect you or your sector never get discussed so what’s the point of turning up? This is the event for you!

In it’s fourth year we have no idea or plan for where D&D is headed, but I am passionate about opening the space again, to continue building on the work we have begun and generate new initiatives, to answer pressing and urgent issues with action and renewed energy, not cynicism and lethargy.

Please join us on this journey.

Phelim

Phelim McDermott Co-Artistic Director, Improbable