On this page

• Project Lead
• Aim and Approach
• Practical Details
• Key Partnerships
• Activity and Outcomes
• Support
• Impact

Project lead

BrisSynBio, 'Invincible' Immersive Theatre, 2017-2018

Aim and approach

Synthetic Biology research in the redesign and engineering of biological systems has novel, but potentially controversial, applications in technology health, and agriculture.

BrisSynBio researchers worked with Kilter Theatre and the Public Engagement team to create a play based on a future scenario, allowing audiences to learn more about synthetic biology research and discuss its possible impacts and ethical issues.

Practical details

The play was developed over 18 months as part of Synenergene, a large EU-funded project.

Development and staging cost around £45K for two performance runs.

Over 500 people of all ages attended 33 shows in 2017 & 2018, including mental health practitioners, policy makers, teachers and students.

Key partnerships

Kilter Theatre Company is a Bath-based arts organisation specialising in creating collaborative and immersive theatre pieces which encourage audiences to think about ethics, society, our environment, and the future.

Activity and outcomes

From a first meeting where researchers explained their research and Kilter their creative approach, the group iteratively developed a script together, ensuring the science was communicated in an accurate and credible narrative.

The finished play, Invincible, explored an imagined future where synthetic biology-based treatments were common. Researchers had supporting roles and took part in post-performance discussions with the audience.

The production was thought-provoking for audiences (PDF, 415kB), but just as significantly, provided BrisSynBio researchers with a unique opportunity for deep reflection.

The development phase enabled in-depth and nuanced conversations between researchers, theatre makers and cast about the societal implications of synthetic biology.

The process provided a new space for genuine dialogue, intellectual exchange, sharing diverse perspectives and confronting challenging questions.

Support

A Public Engagement Associate was funded through Synenergene to support this project.

The team have extensive expertise assisting academics to develop engaged practice and embed Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in their work.

We provide training, a Researchers' RRI Toolkit and broker connections with creative practitioners.

Our RRI Residentials give researchers time, space, and guidance to develop skills and thinking around ethics and responsible research.

Impact

'Responsible research' is often perceived as a theoretical concept but working with creative professionals who have different viewpoints is a concrete way of putting it into practice.

By creating something thought-provoking and challenging together, both parties learn from each other.

As one researcher said:

“Other experts exist in society. By working with them we develop better research because it is informed by lots of different areas of expertise.”

BrisSynBio has continued to value and encourage participation in engagement activities which explore different dimensions of RRI, as the Director explains:

“We started with simple ‘information-sharing’ forms of public engagement, but are moving much more towards listening, involving and including external people in the research process at all stages, even co-producing research with the public.”