Nicholas Saunderson
Until now, Saunderson has been a forgotten man.
A yellowing bust of him can be found, if you search hard enough, at the disused outdoor swimming pool at Christ’s College Cambridge. Other than that, he has largely been airbrushed from history. And yet his tale is an astonishing one of triumph over adversity.
As a blind man from a tiny rural village, in an era before Braille, (legend has it he taught himself to read by running his fingers over the gravestones in the local church yard) his life should have been mundane. It was, in fact, quite the opposite. In his day, he consorted with kings and queens and had a reputation which spread across Europe. He ultimately scaled the heights of academia and was elected to the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Christ’s College Cambridge – the most pre-eminent position in the land; a post inhabited before him by Isaac Newton and subsequently, Charles Babbage and Stephen Hawking amongst many others. At Christ’s, the charismatic Saunderson was embraced. At a time when the quality of teaching at Cambridge was at something of a low point, his lectures were packed with students from across the University.
He was one of the truly great blind achievers and there is now a strong body of support to suggest that he discovered Bayes (fundamental to much of today’s mathematical thinking) some time before Bayes himself. Saunderson subsequently became a member of the Royal Society.
In characteristic Yorkshire fashion, Saunderson didn’t suffer fools gladly, making his opinions known in a forthright and honest manner. In addition to his mathematical genius, he was a skilled flute player and an able hunter. He was totally dedicated to the art of educating and was highly influential in this respect.
No Horizon celebrates the human story behind this unique individual who re-wrote the rules about what was possible for a blind man in his day.
A yellowing bust of him can be found, if you search hard enough, at the disused outdoor swimming pool at Christ’s College Cambridge. Other than that, he has largely been airbrushed from history. And yet his tale is an astonishing one of triumph over adversity.
As a blind man from a tiny rural village, in an era before Braille, (legend has it he taught himself to read by running his fingers over the gravestones in the local church yard) his life should have been mundane. It was, in fact, quite the opposite. In his day, he consorted with kings and queens and had a reputation which spread across Europe. He ultimately scaled the heights of academia and was elected to the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Christ’s College Cambridge – the most pre-eminent position in the land; a post inhabited before him by Isaac Newton and subsequently, Charles Babbage and Stephen Hawking amongst many others. At Christ’s, the charismatic Saunderson was embraced. At a time when the quality of teaching at Cambridge was at something of a low point, his lectures were packed with students from across the University.
He was one of the truly great blind achievers and there is now a strong body of support to suggest that he discovered Bayes (fundamental to much of today’s mathematical thinking) some time before Bayes himself. Saunderson subsequently became a member of the Royal Society.
In characteristic Yorkshire fashion, Saunderson didn’t suffer fools gladly, making his opinions known in a forthright and honest manner. In addition to his mathematical genius, he was a skilled flute player and an able hunter. He was totally dedicated to the art of educating and was highly influential in this respect.
No Horizon celebrates the human story behind this unique individual who re-wrote the rules about what was possible for a blind man in his day.
The production team for R & D Project 2017/18
Andy Platt - Writer and Co-producer was until recently a Headteacher working for twenty years in education and specialising in music and drama. He has now left that role to concentrate on his love of creating music and drama. Andy has produced shows and works in an educational context at venues including Barnsley’s Lamproom Theatre, the Royal Armouries, Leeds Town Hall and Penistone’s unique, period Paramount Theatre.
Max Reid - Co-producer and Marketing Manager Max is a true entrepreneur. A qualified accountant himself, he left private practice several years ago to set up what turned into a hugely successful Leasing Company. Max went on to incorporate the music recording and publishing company, Beat Crazy.
Helen Reid - Production Manager - Helen was the Production Manager during the Edinburgh run of No Horizon, with overall responsibility for all logistical aspects of the show. She has subsequently worked as Co-producer with Right Hand Theatre with a view to developing and producing new works for professional touring.
Andrew Loretto - Director – Previously Director of the Arts Council funded Right Up Our Street in Doncaster, Andrew is now Artistic Director of Winchester's Hat Fest. He directed The Wakefield Mysteries in 2016 for Theatre Royal Wakefield. Andrew was Creative Producer for Sheffield Theatres where he established Sheffield Peoples Theatre and was Director of Opera North youth company.
Richard Hurford - Dramaturg - http://www.richardhurford.co.uk – Richard is an award winning theatre, radio and multi-media performance playwright and dramaturg whose work has been produced throughout the UK and Europe. Current Writer-in-Residence: York Theatre Royal and National Railway Museum. Switch On Project: Opera North
Sally Egan - Musical/ Voice director – Sally is Vocal Director with In Harmony Opera North and Choral Director at Leeds Cathedral Choir School. Credits include live broadcasts on BBC R4 and BBC TV. Sally is also Workshop Leader/Choral Animateur at Opera North. She is a former Singing Teacher to the Choristers of Westminster Cathedral and Choral Director for Leeds Sing Up!
Balbir Singh - Movement Director - Balbir Singh Dance Company has a huge reputation for creative dance. It was commissioned by imove, Yorkshire’s cultural programme for London 2012, to produce a major dance initiative for the Olympics' year. The company’s performance programme includes an appearance at British Dance Edition, and a partnership with Dance Across the North – a project which will see over 10,000 people across the North of England experience world class dance and music within their local communities. In addition to being a performer and choreographer Balbir Singh has worked extensively as a movement director/choreographer on numerous large-scale high profile productions, and in collaboration with other companies.
Robert Cooper - Additional Musical Services Robert graduated from the University of Manchester in July 2015, achieving First Class Honours degree in Music. Hailing from Penistone, he is establishing himself as a Composer and Arranger and has just achieved his Master's degree in Composition.
Max Reid - Co-producer and Marketing Manager Max is a true entrepreneur. A qualified accountant himself, he left private practice several years ago to set up what turned into a hugely successful Leasing Company. Max went on to incorporate the music recording and publishing company, Beat Crazy.
Helen Reid - Production Manager - Helen was the Production Manager during the Edinburgh run of No Horizon, with overall responsibility for all logistical aspects of the show. She has subsequently worked as Co-producer with Right Hand Theatre with a view to developing and producing new works for professional touring.
Andrew Loretto - Director – Previously Director of the Arts Council funded Right Up Our Street in Doncaster, Andrew is now Artistic Director of Winchester's Hat Fest. He directed The Wakefield Mysteries in 2016 for Theatre Royal Wakefield. Andrew was Creative Producer for Sheffield Theatres where he established Sheffield Peoples Theatre and was Director of Opera North youth company.
Richard Hurford - Dramaturg - http://www.richardhurford.co.uk – Richard is an award winning theatre, radio and multi-media performance playwright and dramaturg whose work has been produced throughout the UK and Europe. Current Writer-in-Residence: York Theatre Royal and National Railway Museum. Switch On Project: Opera North
Sally Egan - Musical/ Voice director – Sally is Vocal Director with In Harmony Opera North and Choral Director at Leeds Cathedral Choir School. Credits include live broadcasts on BBC R4 and BBC TV. Sally is also Workshop Leader/Choral Animateur at Opera North. She is a former Singing Teacher to the Choristers of Westminster Cathedral and Choral Director for Leeds Sing Up!
Balbir Singh - Movement Director - Balbir Singh Dance Company has a huge reputation for creative dance. It was commissioned by imove, Yorkshire’s cultural programme for London 2012, to produce a major dance initiative for the Olympics' year. The company’s performance programme includes an appearance at British Dance Edition, and a partnership with Dance Across the North – a project which will see over 10,000 people across the North of England experience world class dance and music within their local communities. In addition to being a performer and choreographer Balbir Singh has worked extensively as a movement director/choreographer on numerous large-scale high profile productions, and in collaboration with other companies.
Robert Cooper - Additional Musical Services Robert graduated from the University of Manchester in July 2015, achieving First Class Honours degree in Music. Hailing from Penistone, he is establishing himself as a Composer and Arranger and has just achieved his Master's degree in Composition.
