It didn’t happen overnight, but looking back, I can see how Dash Arts’ work has become more and more entwined with academia. What started as the occasional conversation with a scholar has grown into deep, collaborative partnerships that have opened up new dimensions in my own practice as a theatremaker, shaping how I approach storytelling, character, and world-building. These partnerships have helped us push the boundaries of our work, making it more informed, resonant, and collaborative.

I’ve just been back in the rehearsal room for The Reckoning, exploring the different ways we might share the original Ukrainian verbatim text as part of our performance. 

Anastasiia and I read so many extraordinary testimonies over the course of our research. Whilst our play focuses on one interview between a survivor and journalist that we read whilst immersed in The Reckoning Project, we were moved and inspired by many others.