About us

Positive Stories for Negative Times is produced by Wonder Fools in association with the Traverse Theatre.

 

Wonder Fools

“One of the most vibrant young companies to emerge onto to the
Scottish theatre scene in recent years”

The Scotsman

Wonder Fools SCIO (SC047673) are a registered charity and arts organisation.

Established in 2017: our work takes many forms, shapes, and sizes; whichever is most suited to the stories we are telling. We have produced audio plays, short films, interactive installations, and an international participatory project, as well as touring productions performed in rural town halls and on Scotland’s most famous stages reaching over 60,000 people in 18 countries across 5 continents.

All our work is made with the communities in which we perform, ensuring that it is relevant, authentic, and accessible to them, whilst amplifying their voices through telling their stories to new audiences. We believe in young people, and all of our work comes with accompanying creative engagement programmes to engage new audiences and empower them to tell their own stories too.

Wonder Fools have created 7 productions working with a range of communities. Our main methods of working are co-creation and co-design involving participants, including young people, group leaders, and community members, in the development of our projects. This approach allows us to tailor our work to their needs, interests, and preferences, ensuring that our programs are both relevant and engaging.

Our evolving model of practice is continually shaped by the participants we work with, which helps us stay responsive to their evolving needs and interests. We offer career development opportunities to young people from across Scotland including paid apprenticeships, workshops, and have a youth board made up of 26 young people who guide our work from idea to final performance.

For more information please visit: www.wonderfools.org

The Team

Jack Nurse (he/him) – Artistic Lead

Jack is a director and theatre-maker. He co-founded Glasgow-based theatre company Wonder Fools in 2014.

Jack was recently an Origins Artist with Headlong (2021-2) and is currently Creative Engagement Director at the Ayr Gaiety, Artist in Residence (Creative Development) at the Traverse Theatre and artistic lead of the international participatory project Positive Stories for Negative Times.

Training: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the National Theatre Studio Directors’ Course.

As Director/Writer:
549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War, The Coolidge Effect (Wonder Fools); When the Sun Meets the Sky (Traverse Theatre/Capital Theatres)

As Director:
And Then Come the Nightjars (Wonder Fools); Lampedusa (Citizens Theatre/Wonder Fools); Meet Jan Black (Wonder Fools/Ayr Gaiety); The Essence of the Job is Speed (Almeida Theatre); Larchview (National Theatre of Scotland); The Lost Elves (Citizens Theatre/RCS); The Mack, The Storm (Play, Pie, Pint/Traverse Theatre).

As Associate/Assistant Director:
Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland/HOME); The Broons (Sell A Door); Dr Dolittle (Music & Lyrics); Oresteia: This Restless House (Citizens Theatre/National Theatre of Scotland), Blackbird (Citizens Theatre); The Winter’s Tale (Royal Lyceum); Hay Fever (Royal Lyceum/Citizens Theatre).

www.jacknurse.com

Robbie Gordon (he/him) – Artistic Lead

Robbie Gordon is a theatre-maker born in Prestonpans specialising in making work with and for communities. He trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduating in 2016 with the Drama in Education Award.

He is the co-founder of the critically acclaimed “fiercely curious” (The Herald) Wonder Fools, Creative Engagement Director at the Gaiety Theatre and a Creative Development Producer for the Traverse Theatre.

Selected credits include: Producer of Class Act (Traverse Theatre); writer and movement director of 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War (Wonder Fools in association with the Citizens Theatre); writer and movement director of The Coolidge Effect (Wonder Fools); writer and director of McNeill of Tranent: Fastest Man in the World (Wonder Fools); writer of When the Sun Meets The Sky (Traverse Theatre and Capital Theatres); creator of Open Your Lugs (Ayr Gaiety); associate director of Square Go (Francesca Moody Productions); lead artist (Ayrshire) on Danny Boyle’s Pages of the Sea (National Theatre of Scotland).
www.robbiegordon.org

 

Serden Salih (he/him) – Head of Marketing & Communications

Serden is a freelance Marketing Manager with 10 years experience in theatre, film and events. He works with companies and artists to help deliver and manage marketing campaigns for projects across the UK.

Serden works with his clients to manage the full marketing mix of their projects from strategic campaign management, developing new/current audiences, liaising with venues, management of social media channels, content creation for both digital and physical media, budgeting marketing spend and grass roots marketing outreach.

He has a background in the creative arts and graduated with an MA in Film, Television and Screen Media from Birkbeck, University of London, this led him to work as a Distribution Manager handling press/marketing for one of the UK’s most recognised LGBT film distributors, Peccadillo Pictures. Projects he has worked on have been seen at various festivals across the UK and Internationally including the Berlin International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh Film Festival.

He has a strong understanding of the Scottish theatre landscape and the range of different audiences and how to engage them effectively. He also has experience with Creative Scotland’s touring fund and have successfully toured multiple theatre shows across the country.

Theatre
Battery Park, To Save The Sea (Sleeping Warrior Theatre), Blood Harmony, Peak Stuff (ThickSkin), And Then Come The Nightjars, 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War, Positive Stories for Negative Times Seasons 1-4, Òran, The Bunker, The Events, A Christmas Carol, The Kelton Hill Fair (Wonder Fools), Penguin (Hamzeh Al Hussien and Amy Golding), WILF, Adults, The Grand Old Opera House Hotel, Bloody Elle, Last Chance To Save The Planet, Same Team, December Sessions ’24 (Traverse Theatre).

http://www.serdensalih.com
 

Jennifer Galt (she/her) – Producer

Jen is a producer from Glasgow who is passionate about new work and the development of early-career talent. She has most recently been in post as Theatre Royal Plymouth’s Stage One Producer, working on the world premiere of McOnie Company’s The Artist.

Jennifer was previously the Creative Engagement Producing Assistant at Traverse Theatre, producing projects and performances for young people, children and early-career artists. She has also been the Creative Producer of Framework Theatre, creating opportunities for emerging artists across Scotland, and in a freelance capacity has worked with The Old Vic, Scottish Youth Theatre, National Youth Theatre, Just Add Milk Productions as well as developing individual artists under her company JGProducing.
 

Annabel Lunney (she/her) – Assistant Producer

Annabel Lunney is a theatremaker and producer from Aberdeen interested in new Scottish writing, socially engaged theatre and how community co-design projects can encourage new faces both onstage and in audiences. Her producing and facilitation practice focuses on stories and artists from outwith the central belt, and how opportunity can be distributed more widely across Scotland.

Annabel currently produces with Wonder Fools and Dogstar Theatre Company, and is an associate artist with Ten Feet Tall. Her recent work includes Assistant Producer on Light the Blue Festival 2024, and freelance projects with Traverse Theatre, Scottish Youth Theatre, Aberdeen Performing Arts, WayWORD Festival and We Care Aberdeenshire.