Falmouth University archivists launch This is Kneehigh

Delve into the incredible 40-year history of Cornwall's beloved Kneehigh Theatre Company with This is Kneehigh- an extensive digital archive launched today by Falmouth University archivists.

Following Kneehigh Theatre Company's closure in 2021, a special project was launched to ensure that the internationally renowned company's cultural and educational legacy was preserved for future generations.

Building on the existing collection that Falmouth University's archive team has held since 2010, archivists sought to ensure that key materials and records from Kneehigh were safeguarded and protected as part of a new interactive platform.

Kneehigh's story is not over, and we're delighted to play a role in the next chapter. What a privilege it is to get these wonderful records out of their archive boxes and out into the world.

Made possible by a grant from thespace.org, This is Kneehigh carries a myriad of educational resources, including photographs, programmes, posters, recordings, interviews and study guides, which are now available online for anyone in the world to access.

Sarah Jane, Falmouth University archivist (development lead), said it was important that the new digital home was "an embodiment of Kneehigh's colourful and energetic aesthetic, ethos and impressive cultural legacy".

"We've had a wonderful response so far to this collaboration. This is a valuable resource for students and teachers as well as Kneehigh friends and we're pleased to be able to build on the project to support more teaching, research and practice in the future. Kneehigh's story is not over, and we're delighted to play a role in the next chapter. What a privilege it is to get these wonderful records out of their archive boxes and out into the world."

Kneehigh was an internationally recognised company with global reach. They toured across the world and pushed the boundary of how theatre was devised and performed, developing a multitude of productions and racking up critical acclaim throughout their 40-year history.

Their closure in 2021 sent shockwaves across the theatre community, but Falmouth's archivists were able to step in to ensure that production recordings, interviews, photographs, programmes, evaluation reports and behind the scenes content research and development materials would continue to thrive in a new digital repository.