Shed Stories (2025) - Casson & Friends

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Casson & Friends
People Powered Performance
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Shed Stories

NEW FOR 2025

NEW FOR 2025

 

Performer: Matthew Winston (Image Credit: Alisa Boanta taken at Sunnyside Men’s Shed, London)

Supported by

theatre, documentary & dance combine to celebrate men’s sheds and the communities around them.

Shed Stories is a new performance from Casson & Friends, inspired by interviews with Shedders of all ages. The show will combine compelling movement with human, humorous and heartwarming tales of making sawdust, friends, and cups of tea!

WHAT are 'MEN’S SHEDS’?

Men’s Sheds are community spaces where men can pursue practical skills including making and mending, but crucially offering a social space for men with similar interests to be together - rather than alone. These spaces not only offer somewhere to develop and share skills, but build vital social connections and friendships that can improve mental health and reduce the risk of loneliness & isolation.

ABOUT THE production

Shed Stories is a 60 minute full-length duet for 2 male performers, that has a self sufficient technical setup, allowing us to bring high quality performances to rural, community and unusual spaces - even to Men’s Sheds.

Using Casson & Friends’ unique approach of turning ‘conversation into choreography’, the performance has been created through a series of visits, workshops & residencies at Sheds, Arts and Community Spaces in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and North Yorkshire throughout late 2024/early 2025.

Interviewing & co-creating with shedders, shed organisers and other experts, we have created a performance that is authentic, celebratory and helps to raise awareness of the importance of these spaces - even generating new shed members! 

The show follows on from The Allotment Project and PREPPERS, and is the next in a series of co-created performances that shine a light on the importance of community in the face of an increasingly isolated society.

timeline

  • August to December 2024: Visits to Sheds & Interviews with Shedders

  • January to March 2025: Creation Residencies & Rehearsals

  • April 2025: Preview Performances & World Premiere

  • May 2025: Lincolnshire Tour with Lincoln Arts Centre

  • Autumn 2025 onwards: Further Touring & Activity

technical information

  • 60 min Full Length or short Extract performances available

  • Presented ‘in the round’ with an approx 3x5m performance area

  • Can be presented in theatres, village halls, community spaces and unusual spaces

  • Touring Team: 2 performers + 1 crew

  • Same day get-in (approx 3h)

  • Contact us for more detailed information or a full technical specification

what audiences are saying

  • “Real voices & experiences transformed into a beautiful peek inside the world of Men’s Sheds”

  • “Light hearted, joyful & tackles sensitive subjects with grace & humour”

  • “Entertaining & informative, I didn’t know much about Men’s Sheds but I do now! And the dancing was amazing!”

LONGER TERM PLANS

We anticipate that the process of creating the performance will also uncover potential for further engagement, health & wellbeing, and performance opportunities developed in consultation with shed organisers, shedders and creative partners locally and nationally.

Working with our partners including Applause as part of the creation of this performance, will act as a ‘pilot’ programme that aims to look at how the Men’s Sheds network can be used in future to engage communities with the arts in unexpected, joyful and meaningful ways.

get involved

Are you a shed, rural touring scheme, community or arts organisation interested in the project? Get in touch using the button below!

World premiere

2025 tour dates

our partners & collaborators

  • Choreographed by Tim Casson in collaboration with the performers

  • Created & Devised with Matthew Winston & Deepraj Singh

  • Original Music by Paul Rogerson

  • Production Design by Alan Casson

  • Production Fabrication by Harlow Hill Men’s Shed and Long Sutton Youth Shed

  • Production Support & Captioning by Samuel Parker

  • Company Producer Nick Sweeting

  • Commissioned by Lincoln Arts Centre & Applause Rural Touring

  • Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

  • Created with additional support from: UK Men’s Sheds Association, Metal Southend, Peterborough Presents, Metal Peterborough, The Key Theatre, Made With Many, Harrogate Theatre, Rural Arts, Black Country Touring, Old Diorama Arts Centre, Sadler’s Wells, Theatreship and Transported

  • Sheds we have visited include: 

    • The Shed @ Collingham

    • The Beacon Shed (Benfleet)

    • Thundersley Men’s Shed (Benfleet)

    • KHL Community Workshop (Corby)

    • Sunnyside Men’s Shed (London)

    • Long Sutton Men’s Shed

    • Long Sutton Youth Shed

    • Men’s Shed at Green Back Yard (Peterborough)

    • Yaxley & Farcett Men’s Shed

    • Ripon Men’s Shed

    • Harlow Hill Men’s Shed (Harrogate)

    • Garon Park Men’s Shed (Southend)

    • Diamond Creek Men’s Shed (Australia)

who are casson & friends

Casson & Friends have been running since 2012 and are well known for making small scale professional performances that tour to theatres and community spaces, with an emphasis on reaching people who wouldn’t usually see performance - especially not dance!