Podcast offers audiences a chance to see the city through new eyes Published on: 5 March 2019 A Â鶹´«Ã½ academic has contributed to a free piece of theatre that audiences can experience whenever and wherever they like. Research in the city Working with Dr Matt Davies from Â鶹´«Ã½’s School of Geography, Politics & Sociology, theatre company Cap-a-Pie has created The Other City, a new podcast offering audiences a chance to see the city through new eyes. The Other City looks at how the global and the local come together in urban environments, and builds on Dr Davies’ research exploring the impact that major global events like the World Cup and the Olympics have on local communities. Dr Davies said “When I was working in Rio as the city was preparing to host the Olympics, it was plainly clear that this international mega-event was having very concrete consequences for people’s everyday lives – for better and for worse. Rio taught me this: when the plans or designs of international investors or planners or bureaucrats come into contact with people’s daily lives, these multiplicities play themselves out in the streets, in houses, in kitchens and restaurants, in taxis and offices. And there’s no reason to think that these don’t play out in any other city: research is a matter of walking around attentively.” Thinking differently about cities Podcasts are now more popular than ever; a 2018 Ofcom report shows UK audiences have doubled in the last five years with nearly 6m adults now tuning in each week, but so far very few theatre companies have created podcasts and most have been factual - behind the scenes interviews about the industry. Unlike other site-specific audio shows that follow a set trail or route, The Other City will be available for people to listen to at any time and in any city. It invites audiences to take a self-led journey through their city whilst being guided to look at it in new ways by Isabella - a fictional resident of Rio de Janeiro. Artistic Director Brad McCormick explains: “The aim of this project was for people to think about their own city and how the world outside influences and shapes it. We decided that if we wanted people to think about that, it would be best for them to experience the show while being outside, walking around the city, so we created a free podcast which people can listen to anywhere, at any time. “The Other City offers audiences a different way of thinking about our world and our place in it. At a time of huge national uncertainty (we launch the podcast just days after Britain is due to leave the EU) we hope it will help people to think about what connections we have to the rest of the world - whether it's Rio or Â鶹´«Ã½, or any city - what is similar and what is different.” Bringing research to life In recent years, Cap-a-Pie has worked with academics from Â鶹´«Ã½ and local communities on a wide range of projects. As well as directing the company’s hit children’s show, Six Legs - a collaboration with Â鶹´«Ã½ insect researcher, Dr Vivek Nityananda and hundreds of local families at Ouseburn Farm in Â鶹´«Ã½ - Cap-a-Pie are currently working with Alistair Ford and the School of Engineering at Â鶹´«Ã½ on a new show about climate change. Other previous research projects also include The Town Meeting, a play in which the audience played the role of residents of the fictional town of Little Rikjord. The Other City will be available to download as a free podcast from 2 April, and two free meet the team events will take place at the Alphabetti theatre, St James Boulevard, Â鶹´«Ã½-upon-Tyne at 2pm on Saturday 6 April and Theatre Delicatessen in Sheffield at 2pm on Saturday 13 April. Sign up to be the first to experience The Other City at Cast and creative team Produced by for Cap-a-Pie Directed by Written by Performed by Giselle Nirenburg Audio by Co-created with Dr Matt Davies, Â鶹´«Ã½ Press release adapted with thanks to Cap-a-Pie. Photography by Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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