A green lit hand claws at goo on a spaceship window. A blue planet is visible outside the window, and there is a backdrop of stars against a dark sky.

Life Out There

A desperate mission. An untested crew. One long shot.
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Life Out There

£11-£13

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Thursday 16 July, 19.30. Part of Jodrell’s Theatre Season programme.

SOLD OUT!

Somewhere far beyond Earth, a barely-functional spacecraft drifts on a mission most people have already written off. The real scientists are doing the real work back home. Sent into the void: whoever’s left. 

Clarke wants to get back. Baby won’t leave the ship. Witney is staying away from their mother. They were never meant to be astronauts. But they are what’s out there. 

When something goes wrong in the silence of space, the crew are forced into a decision far bigger than they’re prepared for; a choice not just about survival, but about what kind of future is worth chasing across the galaxy. 

For one night only, Life Out There is reimagined as a live radio play at Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement. Performed inside the Space Dome beneath immersive star projections, this special performance brings the story to life through voice and cinematic sound design. 

Written by Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Tim Foley, Life Out There is a sharp, funny and quietly haunting sci-fi drama exploring the ethics of space exploration, human selfishness, and the fragile hope that we can still change. 

Written by Tim Foley. 
Created by Ransack Theatre.

Recommended ages 14+. This performance contains frequent strong language, references to violence and themes of grief.
The café will be open for drinks and snacks prior to the show.

After the performance, there will be a Q&A to discuss the making of the show and the current research around the search of extraterrestrial intelligence and the mysteries of the cosmos. The panel will include members of the creative team and local researchers in astronomy and astrophysics.

Tim Foley

Tim Foley is an award-winning writer for theatre and audio drama from Teesside. His work includes: It Walks Around the House at Night (ThickSkin, UK Tour, Southwark Playhouse); Jurassic (Ransack, Soho Theatre); Driftwood (ThickSkin Theatre with Pentabus, UK Tour); Electric Rosary (Royal Exchange Theatre); Astronauts of Hartlepool (VAULT Festival); The Dogs of War (Old Red Lion Theatre). Audio drama credits: Murder On Mars (BBC Radio 4); Doctor Who (Big Finish Productions); North West Footwear Database (BBC Radio 4 Extra). Awards include the Bruntwood Prize Judges’ Award, the VAULT Origins Award, and OffWestEnd’s Most Promising New Playwright.

Alastair Michael

Alastair is one of founding and managing members of Ransack Theatre. Foremost an actor, he has performed in all of Ransack’s productions as well as in a wide variety of small and mid-scale independent theatre productions across the North-West. He has most recently appeared in the BBC radio drama Almonds & Raisins and is best-known for his performance as Velvy Schur in BBC’s Silent Witness.

Louisa Mason

Louisa Mason is a 3rd year PhD student at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics studying radio technosignatures – evidence of intelligent civilisations, in the form of direct signals or indirect leakage. Her work focuses on strategies to expand the parameter space searched such as surveying at unexplored frequencies, utilising simulations to estimate the number of stars captured within observations and considering novel forms of evidence to look for in the cosmos.

ACCLAIM FOR PREVIOUS WORK:

“Foley’s writing is a dotty delight” Guardian (on Jurassic)
“…it’s genius” ★★★★ Theatre&Tonic (on Jurassic)
“a very impressive company.” ★★★★ Manchester Theatre Awards (on Ransack Theatre, for Moth)

Co-commissioned through ThickSkin’s Supported Artist Programme and Made at The Engine Room. Developed with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme, The Lowry’s Artist Development Programme and the Arts Council England.