A Newcastle University researcher is using theatre to raise awareness of the plight of vulnerable but often-overlooked creatures – insects.
In collaboration with the Cap-a-Pie Theatre and local schoolchildren, Dr Vivek Nityananda has pioneered the cabaret-style show ‘The Vanishing Act’, which illustrates the global decline of insect species by combining the creativity of theatre with cutting-edge science. Read on to find out more about this unique project.
Contents:
- The appeal of theatre
- The science behind the show
- Working with children and animals
- Supporting science with art
- Awareness and impact
The appeal of theatre
When asked why theatre is his vehicle of choice, Vivek explained that theatre can offer something special to a wider audience that traditional lectures often struggle with.
'I’ve been involved in theatre a lot myself,' he says, 'so it was a nice way of bringing together my interests. But also, I’ve been collaborating with Cap-a-Pie for many years now, since I first moved to Newcastle, really.'
‘Too often, as researchers, we stay in our own community, writing papers for each other. There’s a responsibility to make publicly funded research accessible to everyone.’ Dr Vivek Nityananda
‘Obviously, I do some scientific public lectures. But in some ways, theatre attracts different crowds. You might have people who come for the theatre, and then they get involved in the science in a very different way. I think that’s what’s useful.’
The science behind the show
'Part of what the show wants to do is to highlight that insects are cool – to create appreciation and love for insects, which doesn’t always come naturally to us,’ says Vivek.
Research in his lab investigates bumblebees and praying mantises, and how insects process information and make decisions. Some of the research from the lab featured in the play includes how mantises attend to prey, how bees search for rewarding flowers, and whether that is affected by pesticides.
The play also features research about insects from other scientists, including about their fascinating sensory abilities and the reasons why their populations are declining. Some of the factors that have been implicated include habitat loss, climate change, and the use of agrochemicals.
‘It’s a big challenge for scientists to find out why that’s happening and how we can resolve it. But also, I guess, for people to see how they can contribute – or even just to raise awareness that this is happening. It’s an important issue for everyone, not just scientists.’
Dr Vivek Nityananda holding a praying mantis. Credit: Newcastle University.
Working with children and animals
The opinions of children were embedded in the foundation of this project.
'The Vanishing Act' began as a classroom workshop, during which schoolchildren were encouraged to study insect behaviour and environmental challenges, and explore ways of telling stories to illustrate what they learned. The children’s reactions to these challenges helped shape what would become the final performance.
‘The workshops let us take research out of the lab and into the community,’ says Vivek. ‘It was exciting to see the kids acting as praying mantises and bees, imagining how they’d respond to the world around them.’
‘We’d talk about the importance of insects, and then you get these slightly offbeat and unusual responses from the kids. That creativity brought so much to the show.’ Dr Vivek Nityananda
Cap-a-Pie Artistic Director Brad McCormick understands how rewarding it can be to involve children in the creative process: ‘Young people have such amazing imaginations, and their ideas bring the show to life. Their creativity adds so much colour, and it’s great to see their ideas reflected back to them on stage.’
Dr Vivek Natyananda with students from Hotspur Primary School during the workshop for their performance. Credit: Mark Savage.
Supporting science with art
'The Vanishing Act' will also feature an upcoming animation by artist Kate Sweeney, which is more focused on the work in Vivek’s lab. The intention was to have something recorded of the play that could be shared with a wider audience. The project has now expanded into filming sections of the play, including the songs, to continue engaging people beyond the live performance.
Vivek believes that projects like The Vanishing Act offer important lessons for researchers looking to share their work with the public, highlighting ‘just how rewarding it is to actually go out into the community.’
'It’s a big change for us – rather than just focusing on our own conversations, it’s nice to have conversations more broadly. And it’s great knowing that people do engage with the research and know what’s happening.'
Praying mantis in a tube. Credit: Newcastle University.
Awareness and impact
Following the performance, the organisers have planned a panel discussion to answer any questions the audience may have. ‘I’m really excited to see who turns up, what that cross-section of people will be like, and how they’ll receive it,’ says Vivek. ‘I hope audiences gain a deeper appreciation for insects – their complexity and the amazing ways they function in the world. And for researchers, this project is a reminder of the importance of engaging with the public to share the excitement of discovery.’
'Obviously, you never know,' said Vivek when asked about the long-term impact of the project. 'But I hope that having had this experience as children, they might change how they think about things as adults, and how it might influence their choices. Even just how they do things in their own lives. That would be really rewarding.’
‘I think of it as a fun show to learn about something important and discover new, cool, amazing things about insects.’ Dr Vivek Nityananda
You might also like:
- find out more about the performance of 'The Vanishing Act' at Northern Stage
- discover the work of the Cap-a-Pie theatre company and read their blog about the show
- learn more about Dr Vivek Nityananda, David Phillips Research Fellow, and his research:
- A Novel Form of Stereo Vision in the Praying Mantis, Nityananda, Vivek et al., Current Biology, Volume 28, Issue 4, 588 - 593.e4
- Are bees pessimistic?
- Could bees have emotions?
- explore the work of Kate Sweeney, artist and animator
- discover the research from our Biosciences Institute
