HereNowThis (with Lancaster Arts; Morecambe, UK)

Story

HereNowThis was a This is Nowhere project, co-produced with Lancaster Arts in association with Derelict Arts.

The streets, buildings, public spaces, nooks and crannies of Morecambe were the stage. Guided by a phone app, participants examined the present, considered the past and witnessed a series of encounters evoking possible futures. In the process, they made an aspirational blueprint, unveiled at the culmination of the search.

A scavenger hunt and large-scale undercover performance in secret sites throughout Morecambe, HereNowThis was a version of Zuppa's This is Nowhere created for the town with a group of local collaborators.

HereNowThis was a co-production with Lancaster Arts, in partnership with Derelict, in association with More Music, University of Lancashire, Lancaster University, Good Things Collective, Creative West End, Stanley's Community Centre and Adam + GIllian.

See below for details and photos from the performance.

See the This is Nowhere trailer video here.

See the HereNowThis mini-doc here.

Press

"I spent a fantastic day with HereNowThis in Morecambe, and honestly? It's messed with my head in the best possible way. Not in a 'sit and watch' way - in a 'walk the streets, bump into performances, meet random people doing the same thing, discover your town differently' way. The learning was visceral. Palpable. Real. And that's the thing about presence - you can read about it, talk about it, even coach about it. But until you're IN it - moving through a town, engaging with strangers, being challenged to see differently - it's just theory.

Big appreciation to Lancaster Arts and Zuppa Theatre for this event! You've created something that reminded me why I moved here. This creative, connective community energy - that's the good stuff.

If you missed it - keep your eyes open for what they do next. Worth showing up for."

- Steve Wright, One to 1 Thing Podcast

Company

A Zuppa / Lancaster Arts co-production
In partnership with Derelict Arts
In association with More Music, University of Lancashire, Lancaster University, Good Things Collective, Creative West End, Stanley's Community Centre and Adam + GIllian

Software development by:
Andrew Burke

Featuring writing by:
Kate Cayley
Jim Lupton
Jules Abraham
Alison Fisher
Alex McLean
Anthony Padgett
Adam York Gregory
Gillian Lees

History Consultant:
Elizabeth Ellis

Conceived and Directed by:
Alex McLean
with Stewart Legere, Chris Gilligan, Phil Sykes, Chris Hargreaves, Jules Abraham, Anthony Padgett

Performances by:
Olivia Abbey
Back Chat Brass
Barton Road Community Choir
Amy Brown
Orla Cottingham
Barry Daniels
Zoraya Davenport
Steve Fairclough
Guitar Gav
Jessica George
Kelsie Hefford
Isobel Horton
Susan Kempster
Hazel Lawless
Gillian Lees
Stewart Legere
Charlie Lewis
Max Mitchell
The Mizzen Crew
Emma O'Malley
Malcolm O'Neil
Anthony Padgett
Iona Popa
Jade Strachan
Phil Sykes
Summer Taylor
Adam York Gregory

Producers:
Alice Booth (Lancaster Arts)
Phil Sykes (Derelict)
Alex McLean and Stewart Legere (Zuppa)

Site Managers/Volunteers:
Serena Mansfield
Iain Black
Jack Bond
Meg Bowyer
Miranda Stearn
Jacob Cordingley
Adam Robinson
Brent Lees
John Newman-Holden
Fatima Noor Al Sahar
Nife Buluro
Mia Murphy
Tabitha Probert-Hell
Orla Molloy
Carys English
Sarah Westaway
Yolly Tung
Alana Kramer
James Welsby
Phil Sykes

Site Partners:
Alison Fisher
Bubbles and Steam Launderette
Geraldine Holland
Memorial Hall Morecambe
Morecambe Town Council
More Music
Nick Smith
Rebel Waltz
Saint Barnabas Church
Sefton Road United Reform Church
The Clarendon Hotel
The Big White Shed, Anne Holloway
The Link
The Salty Bean
Your Inner Sense / Sea Studio Yoga

Marketing:
Jack Bond

Executive Producer (Director, Lancaster Arts):
Jocelyn Cunningham

Schedule

October 24, 2025

6:30 pm
The Launch
(wherein there is a test; with the Mizzen Crew, Barton Road Community Choir, snacks, The Clarendon Hotel)

October 25, 2025

2:00 - 5:00 pm
The Hunt
(wherein there were 11 secret sites throughout West End Morecambe; installations, performances, soup)

7:00 pm
The Gathering
(wherein the Morecambe Blueprint was revealed; with Susan Kempster, Back Chat Brass, bubbly, Morecambe Memorial Hall)