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Casson & Friends
People Powered Performance
C&F ARCADE 1 (Credit - Malachy Luckie) LQ.jpg

ARCADE

Documentary meets dance in this thought provoking, timely and intimate new duet performance that asks: are we truly prepared?

BOOKING FOR 2025

BOOKING FOR 2025

CELEBRATING OUR 100th PERFORMANCE

NOMINATED FOR ‘OUTSTANDING ALTERNATIVE SPACE PRODUCTION’ AT THE 26TH HONG KONG DANCE AWARDS

joyful dance games for everyone to play in public spaces!

ARCADE is an interactive performance with dance ‘games’, that animate public spaces - encouraging playful participation to connect people of all ages with the childlike joy of play - and each other!

Each performance ‘set’ lasts approximately 30 minutes and contains six unique games - each announced by The Gamesmaster. 

With a fun and bouncy electronic soundtrack, these spontaneous choreographic games are elegantly played and facilitated by our friendly team of highly skilled performers - some games are mesmerising & fun to watch, others invite gentle playful participation.

Suitable for a range of public spaces from parks to high streets, ARCADE offers a joyful & accessible way to connect communities - bringing spaces to life with movement & play!

In October 2024, ARCADE celebrated it’s 100th performance with our first international show in Hong Kong at British Council’s SPARK Festival in collaboration with Unlock Dancing Plaza.

credits

  • Devised by Tim Casson in collaboration with the performers

  • Developed with Matthew Winston, Bethany Edwards, Harry Foster, Richard Pye, Jordan Sheard, Harshil Chauhan, Kaia Goodenough, Ella Fleetwood, Lucy Starkey, Tom O’Gorman, Sebastien Kapps, Alice Shepperson, Caldy Walton, KJ Mortimer, Kaajel Patel, Hannah Rotchell, Cat Butler, Chloe Mead & Kimberley Harvey

  • Set Design & Fabrication by Samuel Parker

  • Music includes tracks by 2xAA

    (Latest Album ‘Alescere’ available on Bandcamp)

  • Thanks to International Quarter London, Ugly Duck & 101

  • Includes elements inspired by Tassos Stevens, Karl Rohnke & Augusto Boal

tour dates 2025

We now have 3 different versions of ARCADE!

  • ARCADE
    The original version suitable for larger scale festivals and events

  • ARCADE Mini
    The scalable version for rural touring (developed with Applause rural Touring), and suitable for smaller scale festivals and events

  • ARCADE: Science Edition
    Our scalable science focussed version suitable for science festivals and events

ARCADE

ARCADE Mini

  • 3rd May - TILBURY - Beach of Dreams Launch Event (part of Let’s Play Thurrock)

  • 18th May - PETERBOROUGH - Peterborough Celebrates Festival

  • 14th June - GRAYS - Thurrock Pride (part of Let’s Play Thurrock)

  • 14th June - GRAVESEND - Gravesend Pier (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 21st June - ROBERTSBRIDGE - Robertsbridge 800 (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 25th June - NEWBURY - National Rural Touring Forum Conference

  • 5th July - CAPEL - Capel Fete (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 19th July - GRIMSBY - Perfect Day Festival

  • 20th July - EBBSFLEET - Ebbsfleet Summer Fair (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 23rd July - TIPTON - “Go Play” Event (with Black Country Touring)

  • 2nd August - HARLOW - (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 6th August - WIGAN - National Play Day Event (with Groundwork)

  • 20th August - BROADSTAIRS - Pierremont Hall (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 27th August - BOGNOR REGIS - Hotham Park (with Applause Rural Touring)

  • 30th August - SMETHWICK - *** - (with Black Country Touring)

  • 6th September - TENDRING - Fresh Air Festival (with Applause Rural Touring)

ARCADE: Science Edition

(New for 2025: Our science inspired version commissioned by Imperial College London)

past tour dates

tour dates 2024

ARCADE

ARCADE Mini
(New for 2024: Our scalable version for Rural Touring commissioned by Applause Rural Touring)

tour dates 2023

Programming Information

ARCADE is designed for public space (parks, squares, festivals) and is suitable for all surfaces (grass, concrete etc.) with no technical requirements from presenters. The show is scalable with a min 6x6m performance area. No participant sign-up is required, games are ‘turn up & play’, simple and easy to engage with.

Games have a focus on play rather than competition and are suitable to be joined by the public for anything from 30 seconds in passing to a full round of a few minutes - and can be left at any time. We strive to make ARCADE as inclusive as possible and our teams are trained in access support to enable the widest possible participation!

access

more in this context

video

“absolute genius - whether you watch or participate, it can’t fail to make you smile!”
— Bradley Hemmings - Artistic Director, Festival.org
“‘These games are so easy to take home and play again, they’ve reminded me about the joy of just moving and having fun!”
— Audience Member

images

ARCADE at Greenwich + Docklands International Festival / Dancing City
Image by Michaela West
Performers: Caldy Walton, Chloe Mead, KJ Mortimer, Tim Casson, Matthew Winston, Harshil Chauhan, Richard Pye & Bethany Edwards

ARCADE at Summer by the River & SO Festival
Images by Alisa Boanta & Malachy Luckie
Performers: Caldy Walton, Alice Shepperson, Matthew Winston, Kaajel Patel, Harshil Chauhan, Harry Theadora Foster & Bethany Edwards