Finding Force: Forced Entertainment's Non-Conforming Interpretation of the Systems, Conventions and Orders within Theatre

Abstract

Sheffield-based ensemble Forced Entertainment is celebrating their 40th birthday as a company this year. The same core six of the company are constant throughout; Tim Etchells, Robin Arthur, Richard Lowdon, Claire Marshall, Cathy Naden and Terry O’Connor. Over this period, they have created over sixty theatrical productions with their other practices extending to book production, gallery installations and bus tours. Winning the International Ibsen Award in 2016, they cemented themselves as trailblazers of British theatre in modern times. From performing the entire works of Shakespeare solely with kitchen supplies to this year’s touring piece ‘Signal to Noise’ which utilises AI to help perform the text, their work is often unconventional. I had the pleasure of chatting with Artistic Director Tim Etchells, to dive into Forced Entertainment’s 40-year boundary breaking, extending, mocking and ignoring ethos.