The Justice Syndicate

A top surgeon accused of a serious crime. Conviction would mean planned operations will not go ahead – and the evidence is far from conclusive.

The Justice Syndicate is a piece of playable theatre drawing on a jury format. It asks how we fill in the gaps, how we deal with our preconceptions, and how being part of a group can affect all this.

Power and privilege; trust and technology; thought and action.

How will you vote?

The Justice Syndicate is a collaboration with neuroscientist Dr Kris De Meyer and computational artist Joe McAlister. There is a film we made about documenting audience-centric performance, using The Justice Syndicate as a case study, here. You can read about The Justice Syndicate’s environmental impact here.

Upcoming shows:

Will be announced soon…

Past outings:

Tuesday 17 - Friday 20 September 2019, 17.00 & 20.00 @ TOMtech, Brighton

Friday 13 - Sunday 15 September 2019, 12.00, 15.00 & 18.00 @ Dublin Fringe

Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 June 2019, 12.00, 14.45 & 17.30 @ Sheffield Doc/ Fest

Sunday 14 April 2019, 11.00, 14.00 & 17.00 @ EdSciFest, The Pleasance, Edinburgh

Monday 11 - Saturday 23 February 2019, various times @ Battersea Arts Centre, London

Saturday 9 February 2019, 11.00 & 14.00 @ The National Justice Museum, Nottingham

Saturday 17 - Sunday 18 November 2018, 12.00 & 14.00 @ Ludic Rooms' Random String, Coventry

Saturday 10 - Sunday 11 November 2018, 11.00 & 13.30 @ National Theatre of Scotland and GalinskyWorks’ Citizen of Nowhere

Tuesday 2 October 2018, 17.00 & 19.30 @ York Mediale

Critical coverage and reviews:

“We all cling to beliefs despite the evidence. Immersive theatre experience The Justice Syndicate aims to show why.” The Observer, no star rating

“Compulsory for anyone who fancies themselves as Henry Fonda in Twelve Angry Men.” The Sunday Times, no star rating

"Enthralling courtroom simulation which cuts to the heart of what it is to be an informed voter." The Stage, 5*

"An enthralling and highly engaging experience which still plays on the mind." The Londonist, 5*

"An innovative, incisive, and much-needed scrutiny of our attitudes” [contains spoilers], Felix Online, 4.5*

“UK company Fanshen’s absorbing piece of interactive theatre” [contains spoilers], The Irish Times, 4*

“a remarkably astute, eye-opening piece of theatre that delicately and profoundly highlights the importance of taking a different approach.” Miro Magazine, 4*

“as much a study of the interplay of individual personality and group dynamics as it is an enquiry into social and class prejudice and the inadequacies of the justice system.” No More Work Horse, no star rating

"I’m not sure whether this is a play, event, experiment, or interactive performance. Whichever of these, it doesn’t really matter and certainly presents an interesting future for theatre.” The Play’s The Thing, no star rating