About Us
And here we are, our Ensemble formed – the ideas keep flowing; the enthusiasm and desire still burning strong. On we go…
1001 Stories is a mass-participation project that sits at the heart of Leeds’ 2023 Year of Culture.
A collaboration between The Performance Ensemble, Leeds Playhouse, LEEDS 2023, Leeds Museums and Galleries and Leeds Older People’s Forum, the joint-project puts the voices, histories and stories of older people centre-stage by gathering 1001 stories from those aged 60 and over and creating new artistic work based on these stories.
The Performance Ensemble is an ensemble company of older performers from a range of different performance skills and diverse cultures. The Ensemble occupies the space between professional, amateur and community theatre practice.
We create high quality contemporary performances with people over 60, from their own life experiences, hopes, and fears, for audiences of all ages. We celebrate the fullness of life, exploring vulnerability, resilience, and ageing. We work locally and internationally from our diverse roots in Leeds: the city that celebrates over 140 spoken languages and has pledged to become the ‘best place to grow old in’.
Artistic Director, Alan Lyddiard is an award-winning theatre and film director, producer, and writer working across the UK, Europe and beyond. He is best known as an advocate of the community arts movement, international collaborations, and ensemble theatre practice.