The Island We Share

The Island We Share is a participatory cultural and educational project initiated and organised by the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre in partnership with Oracle Cultural Network. Developed through the involvement of Oracle member Marta Nowicka, the collaboration connects the theatre with international cultural practitioners who contribute their expertise and creative approaches to working with local communities.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the project explores community-building, cooperation and shared cultural experiences through workshops involving children, families, educators and participants from different backgrounds.

In 2025, Oracle members and collaborators contributed a range of approaches, from immersive role-playing and social theatre to drama pedagogy, ecological learning and collaborative storytelling. The workshops brought together children, families, educators and participants from different backgrounds, creating opportunities to experiment, learn and build connections through shared experiences.

The 2025 edition was co-funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, through the SYNERGIE grant programme.

WORKSHOPS 2025

Robert Alagjozovski – Building a New Society

In a three-day immersive workshop, participants entered a post-apocalyptic scenario in which they had to build a new society without access to modern comforts, phones or the internet. Through role-playing and collective tasks, they explored cooperation, social values, decision-making and the challenges of creating a community from scratch.

Dr. Suncica Milosavljevic – Drama Pedagogy and Sustainable Education

This three-day workshop brought together teachers, educators and facilitators to explore how drama, movement and embodied learning can support ecological awareness, empathy and social responsibility. Participants experimented with creative methods for engaging young people and strengthening cooperation through educational practice.

Philip Parr (Parrabbola) – The Island: Social Theatre with RPG Elements

Over four days, participants of different ages and backgrounds entered an immersive theatrical experience inspired by The Tempest. Working with fictional characters, unexpected tasks and evolving relationships, they collectively shaped a story without a predetermined script. The process explored trust, social roles, relationships and the emergence of community through shared action.

Jindřich Krippner and Jan Horký (DidaDiv Theatre, Czech Republic) – Cardboard Theatre and Collective Storytelling

Children and families created miniature theatrical performances using cardboard stages, handmade characters and sets. Drawing inspiration from The Tempest, everyday life and ecological themes, participants developed their own stories through imagination, design and collaborative play.