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Time Critical

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  • Time Critical

    • Presented by Stan's Cafe

    Two competing actors, tyrannised by a chess clock, struggle to compress 34 years of global vs personal history (1991 - 2025) into an allocation of just one minute each per year.

    This “hilarious and thought provoking” show bounces between international politics and stories from individuals’ lives. It accelerates through reenactments of landmark moments in recent history and fragments of past Stan’s Cafe productions towards an exhilarating finale against the clock.

    Time Critical is about how we live our lives in relation to the world around us. It gives us a new perspective on the spiralling nature of history.

    “Loved my first Stan’s Cafe show tonight. Learned more in an hour than I did the whole of GCSE history I reckon!”

    Stan’s Cafe is one of this country’s most inventive and playful theatre companies. Founded in 1991, they have toured the world and are now Associate Artists at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre.

    Member Discount

    Members get 40% off tickets for this event.

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    Time Critical

    Thu 16 - Fri 17 October

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    ART31

    ART31 takes its name from Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, which states that ‘Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities’.

    ART31 is a vision created with, by, and for young people in Kent, championing the belief that all children and young people have an entitlement to access high quality arts and culture, to empower them to achieve their creative potential, and to genuinely engage young people as equal partners in any decision making that affects them.

    The ART31 Youth Board is made up of young people from across Kent aged 13-25 who steer its governance, and influence policy and practice across the county and beyond, challenging the creative sector to examine existing ways of working and integrate young people into the core of their practice.

    Our projects with young people

    GENFest Young people posing in a cardboard Instagram frame

    ART31 Generate

    Providing workshops, support, and performance opportunities, Generate is where creativity gives voice to young perspectives whether in theatre making, film media, music, visual arts and more!

    Youth Theatre

    Fantastic and fun sessions for ages 13-18 years, encouraging creativity and theatre-making skills.

    Live Streaming film equipment.

    SCREEN31

    Screen31 is a group for young people aged 15-25 interested in developing their film-making skills.
    TECH31

    TECH31

    TECH31 provides free practical training in technical theatre for ages 13 - 25
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    National Theatre Connections – Gulbenkian Young Company

    NT Connections is the National Theatre’s nationwide youth theatre festival. Each year it offers a unique opportunity for youth theatres and school theatre groups to stage new plays written for young people by some of theatre’s most exciting playwrights, and to perform in leading theatres across the UK.
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    Gulbenkian Uncovered

    Are you enthusiastic, committed and creative? Gulbenkian Uncovered gives University of Kent students the chance to programme films and run events.

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    Square Pegs Arts

    Square Pegs Arts are an award winning charity who provide drama groups, music projects and other accessible Arts opportunities for children and young adults who have learning disabilities and autism, and produce original, inspiring, challenging Theatre. Difference is celebrated and everyone is supported to shine in their own way.
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    KRAN Fam

    KRAN Fam is a drama group in partnership with Kent Refugee Action Network for young refugees and asylum-seekers.

    Accessible Film Club

    Relaxed Screenings

    Monthly film screenings that are open to all, especially those with autism and learning disabilities.

    Young People - Screen31 ARTY31

    ARTY31

    Gulbenkian’s ARTY31 group is for young people aged 8-12 with a wide variety of arts interests.

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