ABOUT

This work cut through the usual theatrical / arts communication by being bold and ambitious. It asked people to not only watch the plays, but take part in the debates that followed -highlighting the issues that affect each and everyone of us around the world.

Vast inequalities in healthcare standards for childbirth exist around the world.
How do we draw meaningful attention to one of the key issues of our time and provoke debate on a global scale?

We teamed up with The Royal Exchange Manchester to develop a theatrical festival to reach audiences worldwide.

Birth is a unique global initiative that combines the arts and science to raise debate and question existing inequalities surrounding childbirth across the world.

The festival brought together academics, artists, scientists, charities, experts and the public to discuss the themes tackled by the plays.

Each day ended with debates hosted by leading experts in the field, later compiled online to create a rich resource available to everyone, creating a legacy that can be used for educational purposes the world over.

We commissioned seven leading female playwrights from Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Syria, UK and USA, to explore their country's attitude towards childbirth.

Academic debate and Q&A with expert speakers followed each play and were streamed online and later compiled to create an online educational resource.

A thought-provoking brand identity was created. Replacing the i in Birth with striking, play specific imagery that contrasts the idea of Birth turned the idea into a striking and memorable campaign.

We then took thousands of postnatal wristbands to create a typographic stunt that was hard to miss. Each band bore a baby's name and together they formed the number 3254: the annual number of stillborn deaths in the UK.

In addition, a film was created to raise awareness. A playful soundtrack set against unsettling footage served as a poignant indication of the global problem.

The festival started a global debate and the conversation continues.

The project was a resounding success, sell-out performances for each play saw a 300% increase in ticket sales for the theatre. Nearly 5000 viewers from 13 different countries have watched the plays and debates online. On social media it has received over 3.5 million impressions, including coverage from leading news outlets including The Guardian and The New York Times.
Birth brought a human inequality to a global stage, all from a local one in Manchester