Suppose that f is a projective birational morphism with at most one-dimensional fibres between d-dimensional varieties X and Y, satisfying ${\bf R}f_* \mathcal{O}_X = \mathcal{O}_Y$. Consider the locus L in Y over which f is not an isomorphism. Taking the scheme-theoretic fibre C over any closed point of L, we construct algebras $A_{fib}$ and $A_{con}$ which prorepresent the functors of commutative deformations of C, and noncommutative deformations of the reduced fibre, respectively. Our main theorem is that the algebras $A_{con}$ recover L, and in general the commutative deformations of neither C nor the reduced fibre can do this. As the d=3 special case, this proves the following contraction theorem: in a neighbourhood of the point, the morphism f contracts a curve without contracting a divisor if and only if the functor of noncommutative deformations of the reduced fibre is representable.

Minor changes following referee comments. 22 pages