PCI Research Seminar: Cutting Edge Series - DO IT YOURSELF: Making Political Theatre by Evie Manning

In 2025 Common/Wealth produced their first book, Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre;

written by Co-Artistic Directors Evie Manning and Rhiannon White, alongside Jenny Hughes, Professor of Drama at the University of Manchester. In this seminar. with the School of Performance and Cultural Industies at University of Leeds, Evie will introduce attendees to the book and the work of Common/Wealth.

Based in Bradford and Cardiff, Common/Wealth have spent fifteen years working at the cutting edge of political theatre. Do It Yourself is a vital resource for anyone interested in exploring theatre culture grounded in and produced by working-class communities. Designed for artists, activists and community organisers, the book offers a step-by-step guide to creating political theatre that is relevant, impactful and rooted in the lives of everyday people

Reflecting on the new book, they say:

Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre is a retrospective of our work, it shares our methodology, personal experiences and belief in theatre being a tool for social change. We’re most proud that the largest section of the book is a practical toolkit with input from past and present collaborators, sharing approaches to not only making theatre, but to setting up your own theatre company, making it grow and survive.

Do It Yourself introduces Common/Wealth’s artistic and political ethos, provides unique insights into our most significant performances and offers practical exercises for creating your own work. But this is not just a manual. It is a celebration of culture as a collective endeavour, one that can challenge the status quo and inspire change