Tim Etchells - Forced Entertainment (UK)

In conversation with Martin Zierold

Our guest today is Tim Etchells, the artistic director of Forced Entertainment, a group of six artists collaborating to make original theatre and performances since 1984. Forced Entertainment is among the best-known and best-loved performing arts ensembles and has received numerous awards over the decades, amongst them the renowned International Ibsen Award in 2016. Tim also is a visual artist and author, whose work has been shown in institutions including Tate Modern, Hayward Gallery, and Witte de With (Rotterdam), whilst his performances – either solo, with Forced Entertainment, or in collaboration with other artists, choreographers, and musicians – have been presented in venues including the Barbican Centre, Centre Pompidou Paris, Volksbühne Berlin, Tanzquartier Wien (Vienna) and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, to name a few.

In our conversation today, we will focus on his work with Forced Entertainment, who are currently streaming their project „Tabletop Shakespeare At Home“, a brilliant retelling of all of Shakespeare’s 36 plays, each presented with household items in lieu of the different actors in the play. The project will continue until mid-November, with all performances available for streaming and a new play added every Thursday to Sunday. Go check them out if you haven’t so far.

Forced Entertainment Website https://www.forcedentertainment.com

Forced Entertainment Youtube Channel with Tabletop Shakespeare https://www.youtube.com/user/ForcedEntertainment

Tim Etchell's Poetry Recommendations for inspiration Owed by Joshua Bennett

Poems by Joshua Bennett online at the Poetry Foundation

Notebook of a Return to the Native Land by Aimé Césaire