Artistic Policy

Volcano is an original voice in theatre. We provoke and invigorate with performance that is dissenting, unpredictable and robust.

Volcano is radical and contemporary, reflecting and affirming Wales's place at the centre of the new countries that make up modern Europe.

Volcano offers an alternative voice in Welsh theatre, and always questions conventional assumptions of what theatre should be. Our work is disruptive, immoderate, responsible and bold. We want to appeal both to the mind and to the primitive instincts and urges, so we make intelligent theatre that is also visceral. Theatre can represent emotional anarchy and be rigorously questioning at the same time.

Volcano aims to attract a broad range of people to our performances. We insist that theatre matters, that theatre is important, that theatre can be exciting. We never lose sight of the importance of developing, extending and diversifying our audience. We give audiences credit for the intelligence, imagination and broad-mindedness that many of them are bound to possess, and trust that they might value risk, immediacy, exhilaration and engagement over security, familiarity and passivity.

Volcano tests and reshapes the boundaries of theatre practice and art. We use language, choreography, sound, video and a strong visual aesthetic, approaching each new production with a new vision and style. In the theatre we favour the lean, the functional and the contemporary. We are committed to working innovatively and to presenting issues, texts or ideas in a fresh and unusual manner.

Volcano works in both theatres and other locations and is committed to the idea of an artistic collective and a collaborative work ethic and process.

Volcano develops and nurtures young and emerging artists, collaborates with other artists and constantly develops artform practice.