FoolishPeople is a British theatre and production collective specialising in original site-specific and immersive theatre, as well as independent film and books. The collective was founded in 1989 by John Harrigan, who developed the theatre practice Theatre of Manifestation. Combining ritual, mythology, shamanism, drama therapy, strategic forecasting and open source collaboration in the creation of FoolishPeople's work. Each project takes form by merging text, performance, sound, art, light and the building itself to create dreamlike worlds that living characters inhabit. FoolishPeople were one of the early pioneers of immersive theatre in the UK and have utilised transmedia within their work since their inception in 1989.
FoolishPeople consists of a core creative team which is enhanced by different actors and artists in various productions and projects. They have toured internationally, performing in the United States and the Netherlands, and have worked in partnership with the BBC, the Arcola Theatre, The Horse Hospital, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Conway Hall Ethical Society, which is thought to be the oldest surviving freethought organisation in the world.
FoolishPeople launched their small press publisher Weaponized Imprint in 2010 and released their first feature film Strange Factories in October 2013.
Founder
The founder and artistic director of FoolishPeople is John Harrigan, British film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and occultist. Harrigan also founded Weaponized Imprint.
Harrigan's work centres around the creation of film, ritual theatre and immersive events. He founded FoolishPeople in 1989, taking its name from The Fool Major Arcana of the tarot.
In January 2006, Harrigan was the first person to be presented with the "Magi of Trygonia" Award for FoolishPeople's Dark Nights of the Soul, Anthology of plays which were performed during a thirteen-month residency at The Horse Hospital, awarded by the Dionysian Underground.
Harrigan received the Best Director Award for his second feature film Armageddon Gospels at Brighton Rocks Film Festival in 2018.
To date, Harrigan is the writer and director of all FoolishPeople projects and productions. His scripts have been commissioned and presented at such venues as the Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Horse Hospital, the Arcola Theatre.
Productions
Film
2021 Lightships - Feature Film - Writer and Director John Harrigan - in co-production with GHRL Ltd 2019 Armageddon Gospels - Feature Film - Writer and Director John Harrigan 2013 Strange Factories – Feature Film - Writer and Director John Harrigan
Theatre Productions
2018 The Lying Field - Writer and Director John Harrigan - 24–26 August 2018 Byline Festival, Pippingford Park, Nutley UK
2017 British Enough? - Writer and Director John Harrigan, in collaboration with artist and filmmaker Kristina Cranfeld, exploring the physical and imagined spaces conjured by Brexit in the borderlands of Britain’s future outside of the EU - 6–8 July 2017 BE FESTIVAL, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham UK
2016 Borderland, Sex Angel - anthology of immersive theatre, episodical events at secret locations - Writer and Director John Harrigan
2015 The Woods Trapped at the Edge of Midnight - Writer and Director John Harrigan - 6–9 August 2015 Wilderness Festival, Cornbury Park, UK - Headlining Act - Theatre and Performance.
2014 Strange Factories: Remade - Writer and Director John Harrigan - 13 September 2014 Scalarama at the Curzon Community Cinema, Clevedon UK; 24 September 2014, Making Waves Film Festival at the Kings Theatre, Southsea Portsmouth UK; 17 October 2014, at the Ultimate Picture Palace Oxford UK; 1 November 2014 at The Magic Lantern Cinema Tywyn UK.
2013 Strange Factories: The Imaginari - Writers John Harrigan and Craig Slee, Director John Harrigan - 26 October - 9 November 2013 at the Cinema Museum (London); 10 November 2013 at the Duke of York's Picture House, Brighton; 15–16 November 2013 with Sundown Cinema at Cadwell Farm, Hitchin and 18 November 2013 at Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth.
2012 Virulent Experience – Writer and Director John Harrigan - in partnership with Conway Hall Ethical Society
2010 The Basement - Ward 12 – Co-Writer and Director John Harrigan - in partnership with Secret Cinema
2010 The Providence Experiments – co-produced with Mythos Media
2010 A Red Threatening Sky – Writer and Director John Harrigan
2009 The Abattoir Pages – Writer and Director John Harrigan - presented with Guerilla Zoo