Telephone

Have you ever dialled a wrong number…

…picked up an unexpected call, or received one that changed the course of your life?

2020 – 2024

About the project

Telephone was a gently interactive performance that brought strangers together to connect – first during lockdown, and then beyond. Blending story and play, it invited audiences to dial in and experience a short (and mostly true) history of telecommunications, exploring the wonder, fragility, and potential of our everyday devices. 📞

How much potential do these simple tools – our telephones – hold? What can they reveal about our relationships, the distances between us, and the connections that pull us close?

No two audiences were ever the same – and so, no two performances were either. Telephone became a space for miraculous moments of connection across cities, countries, and hemispheres.

Created by Coney, Telephone has been performed over 40 times since 2020, including as part of Electric Dreams Festival, Voila Festival, and in partnership with Oxford Playhouse, Hampshire Cultural Trust, and Royal Holloway University.

“An entrancing combination of storytelling and shared conversation”
★★★★ The Guardian

Project legacy

Telephone is available to book for online performances via Tassos Stevens.

“Not only thematically eloquent in the way it is exploring fragility, connection and distance, but […] also asking questions about what it means to be in a room and play together on Zoom. Coney are pushing at the boundaries of theatre and of technology.”

Lyn Gardner, Stagedoor

“A wonderful example of how technology like Zoom can be reimagined and used creatively […] Felt properly energised afterwards.”

Audience member

“Food for the soul.”

Audience member

Related blogs

Screenshot of a zoom call between two users, 'Coney' and 'You'.

Magical Moments in our Online Programme

Two shows that have offered some particularly magical moments throughout lockdown are Telephone and Escape Zoom – read on to find out our favourite stories and moments.

Read more

Credits

Creators Coney & Tassos Stevens

Coney
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