Pioneer - (Modern Plays) (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

We have all stared up at the stars and desperately tried to put into words what it is that we are feeling.
This mission is an articulation of that wonder.

It's 2029: the first human mission to Mars has disappeared without a trace; a reclusive Indian billionaire has funded Ghara I, a new attempt to achieve this dream; in Siberia, two Russian brothers reconnect by driving a Lada Sputnik 1.3 in search of the birth of space travel; at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Maartje holds on to a secret about her sister;and on Mars, Imke and Oskar, a young Dutch couple, are mysteriously separated.

Pioneer shuttles you from the Garden of Eden to mission control, and on to the surface of Mars.

A sci-fi thriller, this edition was published to coincide with curious directive's national tour, which opened in March 2015.

Review Quotes

"A thoughtful show that moves confidently between the wastelands of Siberia, deep-water research at the bottom of the ocean and into space itself as it celebrates the human hunger for discovery." --Guardian

"We tend not to see much science-fiction on stage. It's a genre more readily associated with literature, film or television, where the available scope is much wider. Curious Directive, however, make a strong case for its theatrical viability in Pioneer, their impressively expansive new look at space exploration and human progress . . . Pioneer has a remarkably well-honed aesthetic. The key to convincing sci-fi on stage, it would seem, is simplicity . . . Both intellectually and theatrically assured." --Whatsonstage

"In a virtual world, what does it take to change the universe? Such dilemmas are put under the microscope in this devised exploration of lives in orbit from the Curious Directive company" --Herald

". . . breathtakingly ambitious new piece. . . . Rather astonishingly, 'Pioneer' works. It tells a complex tale of several different strands which come together in an extraordinary climax. . . . it is an engaging, exciting story and will leave you open mouthed at its audacity." --Time Out London

"It's not hard to see why this ambitious tribute to space exploration won a Fringe First award at last year's Edinburgh Festival. Confidently devised by the Norwich-based ensemble Curious Directive, it's inventive and visually clever in all the ways the Fringe likes . . . Pioneer . . . is an unabashed celebration of exploration for its own sake. . . . the ethical twists and turns of the plot - too good to give away here - are enough to keep Pioneer constantly engaging. . . . if Pioneer is the future, we have reason to be optimistic." --The Times

About the Author

curious directive are a young, award-winning devising theatre ensemble of twenty-nine actors, directors, bio-medical scientists, choreographers, writers, producers, video artists, technicians, composers and designers, founded in 2008. Their work addresses the role that science plays in everyday life. They aim to create accessible and innovative science/theatre experiences which encourage its audiences to be curious about the world, peering through the lens of science.