Super Connected: Reflections After the Show

Artists Tim Arnold and Kate Alderton share a candid conversation on creativity, audience connection, and the surprises of live performance.

After our Super Connected show in Liverpool at The Unity Theatre, Kate and I found ourselves talking — still half in the world of the performance, half back in the world of real life — about what had just unfolded in the space. I just switched on my voice recorder in the car because I like listening back to the notes of each show during rehearsals. This time, I thought I’d share it for those who weren’t able to join us.

Transcript: Post-Show Conversation (Liverpool, Unity Theatre 22nd October, 2025)

Kate:
Behind the three German teachers that had brought all their 18-year-old students with them… I watched these three massive men — first just sitting, and then really smiling — and then they all leaned forward at different points during the show, completely enraptured!

What was amazing about the students, because they were really young, was that they really got the aesthetic of Picture Sounds. I could see it in their faces. They recognised something in the visual film aesthetic of that world.

As soon as it came on, they all went, oh wow. They loved all the Bryanne and Simon scenes — they just got it.

And they were really young! They really stayed afterwards too.
We had loads of amazing chats with the kids afterwards — and their tutors hadn’t told them anything about what they were going to see.

Tim:
Wow.

Kate:
So it was a total surprise. One of the girls said, “We had no idea what we were in for — it blew me away.” It was really amazing.

Tim:
I forgot to take the stage-phone out of my pocket tonight. You know, when I sing “Today’s office, Limited Edition – This!’

Kate:
Yes.

Tim:
The last two shows, I took the phone out behind me to show it, but I didn’t this time because I couldn’t get to it in time. But actually, looking back, there were so many adults trying to get their 15- to 18-year-old kids to understand — it would’ve been too much for them. Too on the nose. So it must have worked because there were a lot of parents with kids at that show and they all said they loved it afterwards.

Kate:
Yeah — fourteen was the youngest, the one you talked to.

Tim:
Yeah. Incredible. He’s a photographer — an amazing young man. I said, “It’s up to you to change everything!” Really sweet boy.

Kate:
And there was one woman that missed the show.

Tim:
Yep, I know — but she was great. She stayed for ages, and I said, “Well, look, this is the purpose of the show — this bit when everyone gets to talk about the issues, but with each other, rather than with each other’s phones.”

Kate:
Yeah. As well as seeing the thing. She’s called KLF.

Tim:
Yeah, it stands for something — can’t remember what — but she was brilliant – full on campaigner. There were all sorts of lyrics I heard differently tonight.

Kate:
You did something different on Everything Entertains — really made me cry. That’s not normally one that gets me.

Tim:
I really acted that one tonight.

Kate:
Yeah, you did — and it was beautiful.

Tim:
Oh, thanks darling.

Kate:
Really amazing.

Tim:
I wish I could remember what I did—

Kate:
Doesn’t matter. What you did was instinctive. You weren’t being technical — you were acting.

Tim:
Yeah. I felt much more with the characters in the film tonight than any other night, I think. And that’s because of the audience’s energy — they were truly taking it all in. There was no sense of distraction. And Sarah’s piano improvisation in the kitchen scene of the film was unbelievable!! Felt like a completely new piece of music.

Kate:
Yeah, totally. And that was the biggest night for pouches too! I literally pouched myself to death! I’ve never met an audience like that. There was one person who didn’t pouch — every single other person wanted to do it straight away.

All the phones — as soon as they walked into the theatre. To the point where the teacher had to help me. He said, “Do you want some assistance?” Because I had like twenty-odd teenagers coming up. And he said to them in German, “This isn’t mandatory — you can if you want.” But they all did it. I was like a pouch ninja!

Tim:
(laughs)

Kate:
He came to help, but everyone did. People were just ready for it — really ready.
And lots of people in the field — that EMF woman’s been doing it for twenty years.

Tim:
Yeah. She was so sweet. I had a good chat with her afterwards. Not at all ‘running away with it” — she really understands the research. It’s interesting how many different types of people come for the same reason but a different angle. For some, it’s about social media problems for young people; for others, it’s health — not just mental but physical too.

Kate:
Totally. You know, I realised that at the end, in the Screenless Social — I really love knitting people together.

Tim:
Yeah.

Kate:
It’s like a party. I met an amazing woman from UCLA and go oooh- you’ve got to meet the woman from Smartphone-Free Childhood, and you’re doing this, let’s weave you together”

Tim: It’s like speed-dating for people who want to change the world. When people ask, “What’s the Screenless Social?” you say, “It’s speed-dating for people who want to change the world but can’t find each other because the algorithm’s online stops them from meeting.”

Kate:
(laughs)

Tim:
So we’ve put this together.

Kate: It was amazing. And Loulou was such a champion.

Tim:
Yeah.

Kate:
When can I tell you some of the things I saw today that I’ve never seen before that you did? You ready for that now?

Tim:
Yeah. I’m just recording what we’re saying — to share – we’ve never done that before, and it’s the last show tomorrow!

Kate:
Okay. So here’s a bit — Everything Entertains really made me cry, which it never does. It’s normally quite detached, but I think it’s because you were acting differently, really connecting to the characters on screen. I really believed you were infusing them with the song, and the staging worked so well because of the way the screen works at Unity- the size of the screen made it feel like you were singing directly to them.

And the bit you’ve never done before was when you sang Focus Focus.

Tim:
Yes.

Kate:
I really believed you — like when someone says, “Oh, f***ing hell, just focus, focus!” That’s how it came out. Like you were trying to make yourself focus — and then you recovered, grabbed the mic, and looked up at us like you’d managed to get your focus back.

Tim:
Oh yes, that’s right! I was in myself and then came out for the next line.

Kate:
That’s amazing — really brilliant discovery.

Tim:
I’ve started doing something this year that I didn’t do last year — singing to myself.

Kate:
Yes.

Tim:
Because normally I’m either thinking of the audience or the film. But this year I’ve started closing my eyes for some lines, because it gives everyone a rest if my eyes are closed — it lets them find their own feelings about it all much more.

Kate:
Yeah. It gives them a break too. They’re not thinking about whether they should be watching you or not. When you close your eyes, it frees them to get more of the story and feel the music.

Tim: That’s standard anyway with music — if you sing with your eyes closed, people connect more with their own relationship to the song.

Kate:
Yeah.

Tim:
You know, not my intention.

Kate:
Yes

Tim:
We’re there. Where are we?

Kate:
That’s it. Home.

Tim:
Everybody online, that’s ten minutes with Tim and Kate. Now we’ve got to go to our digs to have vegetarian chilli and rice before the last Super Connected event!

Super Connected is a multimedia project by musician Tim Arnold that includes a critically acclaimed album, a feature length film drama, and a live theatre show. The project is an exploration of how social media and “big tech” addiction affect families and modern relationships. The live show is a fusion of the film, the album and theatre, developed and directed by Kate Alderton, in which Arnold performs the album as a soundtrack to the film on stage.

Super Connected Official Website
Tim Arnold Official Website
Kate Alderton Official Website