During the week of 23 July, the last week of the summer term, Nonsuch Studios took a brand-new piece of theatre on tour to three Nottingham schools. Reaching over 100 students the work toured to Bilborough College, Sutton Community Academy and Nottingham Girls Academy.
Enough was devised and directed by Nonsuch's Creative Director, Edward Boott, alongside Movement Director, choreographer and performer Cat Giles, and Spanish actor and musician Carlos Mendoza de Hevia.
Inspired by workshops delivered in schools throughout 2025, our artists started with one simple question: "What does it mean to have enough?"
What began as a light-hearted game of Would You Rather? soon evolved into something much deeper. As conversations unfolded, students explored the choices we make, the systems we live within, and the politics that shape our everyday lives.
Working alongside Young Persons' Director and facilitator Dan McVey and Syania Shaharuddin students devised their own original pieces inspired by the ideas and discussions that emerged during the workshops. With guidance and feedback from the creative team, they developed their performances, experimenting with different ways to bring their ideas to life and make each piece stand out.
The finished works tackled a wide range of thought-provoking themes, including social class, capitalism, workers' rights, racism, women's rights, war and conflict and the role of the family unit. Each piece offered a unique perspective, demonstrating the students' creativity, curiosity, and willingness to engage with big questions in bold and imaginative ways.
From there, the cast and creative team behind Enough took the students' ideas and transformed them into the production that would eventually tour. Drawing on the themes, stories, and questions explored during the workshops, they shaped a powerful new piece that kept young people's voices at its heart.
Enough draws on the theatrical styles of bouffon, mime and clowning with a strong influence of the work of Jacque Lecoq. Created in just two weeks, the piece explores the moments when everyday frustrations reach boiling point, and the consequences that follow. Enough is presented in 4 episodes, exploring the lives and worlds of people who don’t have enough, have had enough or can’t get enough. A couple who miss their chance to win big, an ICE Agent who faces a tragedy of his own, someone in a love affair with their own reflection and an ‘apology’ from corporate business owners who really are very sorry. Enough is gut-wrenching (literally), powerful, explosive, shocking, heartbreaking and very funny.
The production visited Bilborough College, Sutton Community Academy and Nottingham Girls' Academy. Students watched the performance and were then invited to take part in a Q&A, followed by four practical workshops led by the creative team.
Each workshop offered a different way of exploring the work on a deeper level.
Our Community Engagement Producer, Caroline, led REACT! a workshop that gave students the chance to reflect on the performance through discussion, questions and creative exploration. Working in groups, they then created and performed their own two-minute version of Enough.
Cat Giles led a movement workshop, where students learnt choreography from a section of the performance and explored how to embody a character through movement. The energy throughout this workshop was fantastic. The students really enjoyed experimenting with the characters, exploring how they would move while maintaining their musicality and remembering the movement they were taught.
Edward's devising workshop encouraged students to create their own Enough scene, experimenting with character and theatrical storytelling.
Finally, Carlos introduced students to the techniques and methods of renowned French theatre practitioner Jacques Lecoq, exploring the fundamentals of physical theatre and mime through a series of fun tasks exercises that enabled students to discover new characters through physicality.
Enough, is a production inspired by the creativity, honesty, and imagination of the students.
Each of the shows ran smoothly and was met with a brilliant response from every venue. The students brought amazing energy, creativity, and enthusiasm to all of the workshops, making each session fun, inspiring, and full of memorable moments. We’re incredibly proud of everything they achieved and the positive spirit they brought throughout the week.
A huge thank you goes to our NTU intern Tristan McNube, Stage Manager Ali Bakewell and Projects Assistant Laura Savage-Weeden for their hard work, support, and dedication behind the scenes. Their contributions helped make the whole week such a success!
What’s next for the show?
Following on from the successful early development of ENOUGH as part of Centre Stage, we’re really looking forward to developing the show into a full-scale new Nonsuch Studios’ production that will tour to audiences across the UK and beyond in 2027/28. To find out more about our productions and those in development, click here.
