The Frantic Assembly: Book of Devising Theatre

Acclaimed by audiences and critics for their highly innovative and adventurous theatre, Frantic Assembly have created playful, intelligent and dynamic productions for over fourteen years. Written by artistic directors Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, The Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre is the first book to reflect on the history and practice of this remarkable company, and includes:



practical exercises
essays on film, music and physical theatre
inspiration for devising, writing and choreographing performance
suggestions for scene development
an anthology of Frantic Assembly productions
an eight page colour section, and illustrations throughout.


Accompanied by a companion website featuring clips of rehearsals and performances, this intimate and personal account offers an accessible, educational and indispensable introduction to the evolution and success of Frantic Assembly.

Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett are the artistic directors and co-founders of Frantic Assembly.

Introduction. A Very Brief History of Frantic Assembly. The Book. What Devising Means to Us. Anthology of Work Part 1: Documentation Frantic Essays. Scenes and Their Creation. Playing With Scenes Part 2: Practical Exercises Getting Started. Suggestions for Constructive Warm-ups. Games - A Selection of Crowdpleasers. Choreography. Movement For Non- Dancers/Choreography That Doesn’t Feel Like Dance. New Physical Vocabulary/Restrictions And Freedom. Advanced Exercises - Pushing the Potential. Devising with Words - Devising through Images. Textual Analysis. Getting Scenes on Their Feet. Physical Characters And Relationships. Some Things to Think About. Bibliography of Inspiration