WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.680 Hi, my name is Jordan. I am a special education 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:06.160 teacher from the UK. I share my passion for everything 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.119 communication, sensory regulation and fun lesson 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.660 ideas for my classroom of disabled pupils aged 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:15.300 4 to 11. Each week I am joined by experts in 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:17.640 the field answering your questions and sharing 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:19.559 our knowledge and experience working alongside 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.539 our beautiful young people. Let's get started. 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:27.640 Hello everybody and welcome to the Sensory Classroom 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:30.600 podcast. Today I am joined by Frozen Light Theatre, 00:00:30.859 --> 00:00:33.600 a wonderful and accessible theatre company aimed 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:37.700 at adults with PMLD. Hello. Hello. Thank you 00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:41.679 so much for being here. We're super excited to 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.539 be here today. So pleased. I've often just speak 00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:46.060 to speech and language therapists or creational 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:48.359 therapist teachers, but oh my goodness, I came 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:51.359 across your account and it's so exciting to me. 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:53.119 And I just think everybody has to hear about 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.340 this. And there's so much we can learn from you. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.600 So I'm really appreciative of you being here 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.219 today. Thanks for having us. So I've explained 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:02.079 a little bit, a really little bit about what 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:04.599 you do, but in your own words, what is it that 00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:07.090 you do and what makes you? different from other 00:01:07.090 --> 00:01:09.969 theatre companies? So we make what we describe 00:01:09.969 --> 00:01:12.390 as sensory theatre and as you said for adult 00:01:12.390 --> 00:01:14.790 audiences with profound and multiple learning 00:01:14.790 --> 00:01:18.950 disabilities and we're really excited about transporting 00:01:18.950 --> 00:01:24.049 audiences to new worlds and have new experiences 00:01:24.049 --> 00:01:26.670 but making sure that's accessible. Every part 00:01:26.670 --> 00:01:29.370 of our show has a sensory element. goes with 00:01:29.370 --> 00:01:31.689 it. So say, for example, we're in the desert, 00:01:31.810 --> 00:01:34.209 then we'll have a bowl of potentially like warm 00:01:34.209 --> 00:01:36.430 sand that gets taken to the audience. And it 00:01:36.430 --> 00:01:39.269 serves the purpose of showing the audience where 00:01:39.269 --> 00:01:41.849 we are on a sensory level, but also allowing 00:01:41.849 --> 00:01:45.329 our performers to have a kind of nonverbal communication 00:01:45.329 --> 00:01:48.909 with our audience member and bring that prop 00:01:48.909 --> 00:01:50.590 and go, I've got this cool thing. Do you want 00:01:50.590 --> 00:01:52.870 to show me what we want to do with it? And have 00:01:52.870 --> 00:01:55.209 this kind of conversation and really see the 00:01:55.209 --> 00:01:57.049 people that are in the audience. So the audience 00:01:57.049 --> 00:02:01.219 are very much. a part of the production. And 00:02:01.219 --> 00:02:05.180 we take those shows and we tour them to 60 venues 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:08.159 across the country. We specifically tour art 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:12.039 centres and theatre venues across the UK. And 00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:14.860 both of us come from a background of touring 00:02:14.860 --> 00:02:17.919 SCN schools. And when we started Frozen Light, 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:21.199 we made a very specific decision to say, OK, 00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:23.960 no, we want to take our shows outside of kind 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:25.800 of settings and take them into theatre spaces. 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:29.639 And part of that was around creating really high 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:33.819 quality theatre events and with huge theatre 00:02:33.819 --> 00:02:37.879 sets and theatre lighting and theatre sound to 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.000 make it a really high quality piece of theatre. 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:44.419 And I'm assuming because you're taking it outside 00:02:44.419 --> 00:02:48.259 of these settings that are built for people with 00:02:48.259 --> 00:02:49.900 profound and multiple learning disabilities, 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:53.139 that you're also... being faced with the same 00:02:53.139 --> 00:02:55.819 barriers in the local community that they're 00:02:55.819 --> 00:02:58.240 facing every day so can you talk to me a little 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:01.460 bit about those barriers and how you as a theatre 00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:03.099 company are kind of overcoming that because I 00:03:03.099 --> 00:03:04.800 think that would help everybody in the local 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:08.560 community as well. So we're you know we're very 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:11.439 passionate about taking the work out to theatres 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.419 and I think it came from a space where when we 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:16.699 were performing in special schools kind of We 00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:19.180 were going in when the rest of the school had 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:21.599 gone to the Panto and those guys with the most 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:23.400 complex needs, with the most profound learning 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:25.580 disabilities couldn't go to the Panto because 00:03:25.580 --> 00:03:27.800 it wasn't accessible. And so we really wanted 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.039 to fill that gap. But we knew that in doing that, 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:33.599 we would need to do a lot of work with those 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:36.060 theatre venues so that they had everything in 00:03:36.060 --> 00:03:38.319 place that was needed to ensure that they were 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:41.889 welcoming and open. to our audiences what does 00:03:41.889 --> 00:03:44.150 that yeah what does that look like what like 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:46.789 because i suppose it's physical things like ramps 00:03:46.789 --> 00:03:51.110 and toilets and seating space but is it also 00:03:51.110 --> 00:03:53.210 is there other elements to consider as well making 00:03:53.210 --> 00:03:56.610 your space accessible so firstly our shows are 00:03:56.610 --> 00:03:58.789 for an audience of six people with profound learning 00:03:58.789 --> 00:04:01.430 disabilities and their carers so okay a really 00:04:01.430 --> 00:04:04.030 small audience so that there is time for that 00:04:04.030 --> 00:04:06.569 one -to -one interaction that means that the 00:04:06.569 --> 00:04:09.300 audience who are often six wheelchair users, 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.139 will be on stage with us and our set. So we need 00:04:13.139 --> 00:04:15.240 quite a large space. We can't perform in like 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:18.220 a tiny, a tiny little theatre. And it needs to 00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:20.399 be a large open space, like a black theatre, 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:23.879 black box with removable seats. It's kind of 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:27.600 our ideal space. It needs to be kind of eight 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.860 metres by eight metres at a minimum. So we're 00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:32.079 already looking for theatres that have this kind 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.379 of very accessible space that is accessible for 00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:39.839 an all wheelchair using audience. And then we 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:41.939 also want to ensure that the audience can always 00:04:41.939 --> 00:04:43.579 come through the front door of the theatre. That's 00:04:43.579 --> 00:04:45.360 really important for us. So sometimes we might 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:47.079 speak to a venue that go, OK, yeah, but there 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:49.079 is an accessible route through the back of the 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:52.639 car park. And we go, no, no, no, we really we 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:55.019 we won't come unless the audience is coming in 00:04:55.019 --> 00:04:57.220 through the same entrance as everyone else. So 00:04:57.220 --> 00:05:00.519 that is kind of like an absolute basic. But at 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:02.600 the same time, we are aware that we are touring 00:05:02.600 --> 00:05:05.720 to venues that were built a long time ago. And 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:09.300 there's all sorts of. historical you know what 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:11.560 do they call them when they're when they're historical 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:15.540 when you like a grade one listed building or 00:05:15.540 --> 00:05:17.660 grade two listed building it's a can actually 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:20.420 physically change yes there's a grade one listed 00:05:20.420 --> 00:05:22.439 building so so there are certain things that 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:24.319 we say the audience have to be able to do but 00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:26.040 there are other things that we try and make it 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:28.680 work um one for example is you mentioned toilets 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:31.459 we're extremely passionate about changing places 00:05:31.459 --> 00:05:35.259 toilets um and we love touring to venues with 00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:38.060 the changing places toilets but we cannot tour 00:05:38.060 --> 00:05:40.939 to 60 venues with a Changing Places toilet because 00:05:40.939 --> 00:05:43.279 they don't exist. So it's about trying to get 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.420 to all the venues with Changing Places toilets, 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.360 but then also knowing that that doesn't happen 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.759 everywhere. So we often say to venues we're going 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:53.360 to, could you let audiences know where the closest 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.379 Changing Places toilet is just so they've thought 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:58.420 about it? And also to say to venues, you know, 00:05:58.420 --> 00:06:00.680 tell audiences what your accessible toilet is 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.220 like. Is it big? Is it small? Do you know the 00:06:03.220 --> 00:06:05.740 measurements so that audiences know what to expect 00:06:05.740 --> 00:06:08.459 from a venue? And one really exciting thing that 00:06:08.459 --> 00:06:10.360 has happened is when we first started touring 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:13.459 12 years ago, I think about five venues we toured 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:16.180 to had a changing places and now about 12 do. 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:19.040 So to have been on the road for 12 years and 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:21.399 to have seen that actual change in buildings 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:23.879 and building planning has been really amazing. 00:06:23.899 --> 00:06:26.459 And obviously we hope in the future that every 00:06:26.459 --> 00:06:28.459 venue will eventually have a changing places 00:06:28.459 --> 00:06:31.430 tour. And I suppose you're... proving to these 00:06:31.430 --> 00:06:34.629 theatre companies that these people exist and 00:06:34.629 --> 00:06:37.509 are visible and are worthy of theatre and you 00:06:37.509 --> 00:06:39.829 know all of these things that seem obvious when 00:06:39.829 --> 00:06:41.550 you're in the bubble I know you're in my bubble 00:06:41.550 --> 00:06:45.110 too we know this stuff but sometimes our bubble 00:06:45.110 --> 00:06:46.810 bursts doesn't it and we realise that actually 00:06:46.810 --> 00:06:48.790 not everybody does think that way or know that 00:06:48.790 --> 00:06:51.670 way through ignorance through lack of understanding 00:06:51.670 --> 00:06:54.970 through lack of experience whatever it is they 00:06:54.970 --> 00:06:57.930 don't realise that they're not actually accessible 00:06:57.930 --> 00:07:01.189 at all even though they might have some access, 00:07:01.290 --> 00:07:04.410 they might not be fully accessible. So by seeing 00:07:04.410 --> 00:07:06.910 your theatre and by seeing your audience and 00:07:06.910 --> 00:07:10.430 seeing how it works, I hope that the theatre 00:07:10.430 --> 00:07:13.529 are also left with questions and how they can 00:07:13.529 --> 00:07:16.269 improve. And that was one of the reasons we wanted 00:07:16.269 --> 00:07:18.149 to tour to theatre venues, because I have a really 00:07:18.149 --> 00:07:21.110 strong belief that only when people are visible 00:07:21.110 --> 00:07:23.910 is the world going to get better, you know, and 00:07:23.910 --> 00:07:28.250 if it's, unfortunately, society is so challenging. 00:07:28.889 --> 00:07:31.149 often that people do just stay home or stay in 00:07:31.149 --> 00:07:33.470 their institutions and so we wanted to do this 00:07:33.470 --> 00:07:36.589 to be like let's let this group of people through 00:07:36.589 --> 00:07:38.990 the door and see what they can bring to your 00:07:38.990 --> 00:07:42.029 organization and that extends to the fact that 00:07:42.029 --> 00:07:43.790 you know we're very clear with theater venues 00:07:43.790 --> 00:07:47.509 we will be in the brochure. And no, we won't 00:07:47.509 --> 00:07:50.569 be a small bit at the back. We will be on the 00:07:50.569 --> 00:07:54.050 next page next to the Rombert or Stadler's World, 00:07:54.110 --> 00:07:56.329 whatever, you know, we want to be there because 00:07:56.329 --> 00:07:58.889 you should be shouting about this audience that 00:07:58.889 --> 00:08:01.170 exists within your community and shouting about 00:08:01.170 --> 00:08:03.930 what you're doing to enable them to come through 00:08:03.930 --> 00:08:06.930 your doors. Yeah, and to make it feel more accessible 00:08:06.930 --> 00:08:08.569 to other people in the community that might be 00:08:08.569 --> 00:08:11.089 really fearful or had a really traumatic or bad 00:08:11.089 --> 00:08:14.569 experience in the past to maybe try again because 00:08:14.569 --> 00:08:16.290 it might be different this time I suppose that 00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:18.250 you're trying to have that conversation aren't 00:08:18.250 --> 00:08:21.069 you yeah and when you talk about different sorts 00:08:21.069 --> 00:08:23.629 of barriers that audiences face some of those 00:08:23.629 --> 00:08:27.449 barriers are attitudinal so we provide training 00:08:27.449 --> 00:08:30.430 to every venue we go to we used to do that in 00:08:30.430 --> 00:08:32.429 person we used to go to every venue and kind 00:08:32.429 --> 00:08:34.970 of provide training on who the audience are what 00:08:34.970 --> 00:08:36.870 to expect but then we realized that actually 00:08:36.870 --> 00:08:40.029 a lot of venues have quite fast staff turnovers 00:08:40.029 --> 00:08:42.250 so we would do the training and then by the time 00:08:42.250 --> 00:08:44.909 it would get round to it the staff have moved 00:08:44.909 --> 00:08:47.470 on so we now have an online training platform 00:08:47.470 --> 00:08:50.490 so every venue that we tour to are expected to 00:08:50.490 --> 00:08:52.669 take part in the online training platform and 00:08:52.669 --> 00:08:55.809 that has been specifically curated to theatre 00:08:55.809 --> 00:08:58.230 technicians to theatre programmers to theatre 00:08:58.230 --> 00:09:00.470 front of house and it's a different journey you 00:09:00.470 --> 00:09:02.090 go on through the training depending on what 00:09:02.090 --> 00:09:05.799 your role is And the idea of that is that everyone 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:07.679 who has anything to do with our show will take 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:09.639 part in the training. It only takes half an hour. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.279 And that is all just about welcoming an audience's 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:14.019 profound learning abilities and making people 00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:16.580 feel welcome because it isn't just about our 00:09:16.580 --> 00:09:18.379 show. We've obviously spent a really long time 00:09:18.379 --> 00:09:21.440 making sure our sensory show is the best possible 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:23.220 thing they can be. But we want to make sure that 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:26.759 the audience's entire day out is fantastic, not 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:29.730 just the hour of our show. And we've had a really 00:09:29.730 --> 00:09:31.730 positive response from that online training. 00:09:31.809 --> 00:09:34.570 And our hope is that a venue would then go on 00:09:34.570 --> 00:09:36.850 to look at other accessible opportunities within 00:09:36.850 --> 00:09:39.350 their local communities. So that's great that 00:09:39.350 --> 00:09:41.309 they've had Frozen Light, but is there also an 00:09:41.309 --> 00:09:43.809 accessible music event that could happen? Is 00:09:43.809 --> 00:09:45.850 there other accessible theatre companies that 00:09:45.850 --> 00:09:47.990 could be programmed? And hopefully through having 00:09:47.990 --> 00:09:50.330 Frozen Light, that will then make the venue more 00:09:50.330 --> 00:09:52.809 accessible by programming other people as well. 00:09:53.210 --> 00:09:56.009 absolutely and it's so needed it's so important 00:09:56.009 --> 00:09:59.590 i feel like lots of the support systems and just 00:09:59.590 --> 00:10:02.690 stuff on offer kind of falls off for adults um 00:10:02.690 --> 00:10:04.990 i mean schools especially special schools are 00:10:04.990 --> 00:10:07.750 incredibly good and proud of inclusive practices 00:10:07.750 --> 00:10:10.429 and events and you know holding all these workshops 00:10:10.429 --> 00:10:13.169 and things and then colleges sometimes but it 00:10:13.169 --> 00:10:15.730 kind of just falls off like it just seems to 00:10:15.730 --> 00:10:18.110 be this abyss of nothing and that's so wrong 00:10:18.110 --> 00:10:20.710 and i'm really pleased that that is your focus 00:10:20.710 --> 00:10:23.019 in particular i do think it really sparks a really 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:25.539 important conversation so you said you had training 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:27.519 for the theatre I'm assuming as a company as 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:31.019 well you also keep your actors and everybody 00:10:31.019 --> 00:10:33.419 that you bring along on tour up to date with 00:10:33.419 --> 00:10:35.659 training as well what does that look like is 00:10:35.659 --> 00:10:37.419 it something that you continue to do is something 00:10:37.419 --> 00:10:39.919 you do in -house and what is important to include 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:43.700 within that so for for a lot of years myself 00:10:43.700 --> 00:10:47.299 and Amber um were in the shows and we said had 00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:49.610 a background um working in special schools but 00:10:49.610 --> 00:10:52.289 also I worked in adult social care for a lot 00:10:52.289 --> 00:10:54.990 of years which was kind of all the passion of 00:10:54.990 --> 00:10:57.250 working for adults and seeing that lack of accessible 00:10:57.250 --> 00:11:00.389 opportunities working in a day centre and so 00:11:00.389 --> 00:11:02.889 we performed in it and just kind of did it when 00:11:02.889 --> 00:11:04.950 we've taken ourselves out of the shows because 00:11:04.950 --> 00:11:07.289 our tours have got so massive we've spent a long 00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:10.350 while developing a kind of training program with 00:11:10.350 --> 00:11:13.779 the actors and We've done various things and 00:11:13.779 --> 00:11:17.080 it's ever evolving. But with the cast that's 00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:18.399 on the road at the minute with our show, The 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.100 Ancient Oak of Baldor, we delivered a really 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:23.700 practical kind of actor training that is absolutely 00:11:23.700 --> 00:11:27.299 based on connection. And that's what you need 00:11:27.299 --> 00:11:30.019 to be able to do. So when we cast, we're looking 00:11:30.019 --> 00:11:33.659 for actors who are able to be open, who are able 00:11:33.659 --> 00:11:36.100 to improvise, who are able to take off their 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:39.080 mask, who are able to kind of access interactions 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:43.009 on a very human level. And then the training 00:11:43.009 --> 00:11:45.330 that we did is about holding that connection, 00:11:45.470 --> 00:11:48.669 about being open, about playing. And as performers, 00:11:48.870 --> 00:11:50.669 as actors, you know, they're the skills that 00:11:50.669 --> 00:11:53.809 we have. That's the gift that we have is inherently 00:11:53.809 --> 00:11:56.669 we're good at playing and have gone into adulthood 00:11:56.669 --> 00:11:59.289 and people have allowed us to carry on playing. 00:11:59.509 --> 00:12:02.149 What a gift. And so to be able to bring that. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.899 to the audience and not every actor can do it 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:06.700 you know it's difficult you know if you're an 00:12:06.700 --> 00:12:08.500 actor that wants to say your lines in the same 00:12:08.500 --> 00:12:10.059 place every night that's not going to happen 00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:13.379 in our shows but you may say your line but you 00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:15.620 may be being hugged by someone at the same time 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:19.179 that's fine and so giving giving the actors those 00:12:19.179 --> 00:12:22.059 skills and confidence to be able to improvise 00:12:22.059 --> 00:12:25.059 and to be able to kind of do whatever the audience 00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:28.519 needs from you everything we do is about saying 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.019 yes to a group of people who often said no to 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:34.539 so we kind of create this safe space and where 00:12:34.539 --> 00:12:37.299 we can go yeah you want to throw that on my head 00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:40.659 let's see what happens because I've got budget 00:12:40.659 --> 00:12:45.080 to to um replace that and I can um I can up and 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:47.519 your mum doesn't have to You know, what a gift 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.820 as well. You know, like we can make as much mess 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:52.960 and no overworked teacher, carer, parent has 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:55.759 to do that. Like we can do that. So actors as 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:57.899 well who are willing to sweep the stage afterwards 00:12:57.899 --> 00:13:00.299 and things like that, you know, so all of that 00:13:00.299 --> 00:13:03.960 is tied into the training. As an actor, I can 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:06.379 feel that is so exciting to have a different 00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:07.779 show every night, to not really know what's going 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:11.179 to happen, to have this energy in the audience. 00:13:11.220 --> 00:13:12.720 We're such a bespoke audience as well, you know, 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:18.159 six adults and their carers. is so quite intimate 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:20.879 isn't it it's so intimate that that seems really 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:22.879 exciting to me as an actor that you never really 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:25.120 know what it's going to feel like it could feel 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.059 really emotive it could be really loud it could 00:13:27.059 --> 00:13:29.799 be really quiet and quite you know emotional 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:33.200 and and you know like you say a structure a script 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:36.399 but also to be able to play with that is so exciting 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.480 yeah for the actors and the audience I can imagine 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:42.120 because they're part of it they're part of the 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.539 cast almost it's so intimate is that kind of 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:47.909 how it feels? Yeah, definitely how it feels. 00:13:48.149 --> 00:13:51.029 And again, I think it's a really exciting opportunity 00:13:51.029 --> 00:13:53.830 as a performer to be able to do that. They're 00:13:53.830 --> 00:13:56.509 not shows that you get bored of doing and you 00:13:56.509 --> 00:13:59.470 can do the same show 200 times and it feels really 00:13:59.470 --> 00:14:02.049 different every time just due to how much it 00:14:02.049 --> 00:14:04.149 changes. Just in those one -to -one moments, 00:14:04.370 --> 00:14:06.610 our script stays the same, the structure of the 00:14:06.610 --> 00:14:08.730 show stays the same, the show won't ever kind 00:14:08.730 --> 00:14:11.879 of... change its form entirely but those one 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:14.179 -to -one moments with the audience really changed 00:14:14.179 --> 00:14:16.700 the feeling and experience of you as a performer 00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:20.620 in the show adapting adapting while still respecting 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:22.419 privacy obviously I don't want you to give any 00:14:22.419 --> 00:14:24.639 too much away but could you explain like is there 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:27.259 anything that comes to mind as you're as you're 00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:30.200 saying exactly that those lovely intimate moments 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:34.360 between the cast and the audience does anything 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:36.799 spring to mind as to what that What a lovely 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.379 moment, basically, just so that our listeners 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:42.519 can kind of picture what that might entail. I 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.080 think it's something I always tell the performers 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:48.639 is, you know, you think you know, after you've 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.360 done the show a hundred times, you think you 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.240 know everything that can be done with this prop, 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:56.419 but that an audience will always surprise you. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:00.620 So we had a kind of a show I was doing. We had 00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:02.919 kind of torches and mirrors and we were working 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.519 with the audience with reflection. And I've done 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.179 this show like a lot of a lot of times, 50 times 00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:10.179 or something thinking of this is what we do. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:13.360 We look and someone grabbed the torch, made me 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:16.279 open my mouth and then inspected my teeth, you 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:18.440 know, and you go, OK, that's the new one. I'm 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:21.039 excited now. Let's you know, and then I can take 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:23.139 that and incorporate that when I meet someone 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:25.220 else and go, oh, this guy yesterday taught me 00:15:25.220 --> 00:15:27.299 this cool thing. Should we have a look what that 00:15:27.299 --> 00:15:29.879 is? You know? Yeah. Is this cool to you? Yeah. 00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:33.440 Yeah. We talk about the sensory moments in our 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:35.879 shows as offers, offers to the audience. So, 00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:38.299 you know, we are offering a plate of pickles. 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:42.139 We are offering herbs to smell. We are offering 00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:46.620 root of the tree to feel. But again, audiences 00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:49.519 can do what they offer, what they will. So, you 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.080 know, some people might eat the pickles. Some 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:53.860 people might smell the pickles. Some people might 00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:56.460 throw the pickles. And all those things are fun 00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:59.080 things to do with pickles. So it's just about 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:04.019 listening. How important is it to you to create 00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:07.879 a rich and broad multisensory experience rather 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:12.820 than maybe just touch or sound or texture, taste? 00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:15.340 How much goes into your thoughts around making 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:17.279 sure that every sense, because I can imagine 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.000 you do, is met? So we go into a lot by in the 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:24.559 very beginning of our R &D, our rehearsal and 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.720 development process, we look at building. the 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:30.299 environment of the show what is the world where 00:16:30.299 --> 00:16:31.960 the show is going to take place so currently 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.440 our show on the road is the ancient oak of baldor 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:38.100 it's got quite like a lord of the rings oldie 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:41.279 worldie folk feeling to it so yeah we spend a 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.820 lot of time looking at that world what does that 00:16:43.820 --> 00:16:46.460 world look like what's it smell like what does 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:50.519 it taste like but saying that our different shows 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:52.980 do favor different things sometimes you want 00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:55.679 it to include everything but at the same time 00:16:56.269 --> 00:16:58.110 I would say that our last show, The Bar at the 00:16:58.110 --> 00:17:01.110 Edge of Time, because it included like a gig 00:17:01.110 --> 00:17:03.830 and a cocktail bar, that did lend itself more 00:17:03.830 --> 00:17:07.190 towards a music environment and it had less kind 00:17:07.190 --> 00:17:09.490 of hands in bowls type moments. And I'd say that 00:17:09.490 --> 00:17:13.069 we did find that audiences who prefer kind of 00:17:13.069 --> 00:17:15.529 rocking backwards and forwards to music preferred 00:17:15.529 --> 00:17:18.829 The Bar at the Edge of Time to an audience who 00:17:18.829 --> 00:17:22.869 might prefer their hands in bowls. which might 00:17:22.869 --> 00:17:24.769 lend itself to another one of our shows, for 00:17:24.769 --> 00:17:27.029 example, Home. So, you know, I think different 00:17:27.029 --> 00:17:29.329 shows lend themselves to different audiences. 00:17:29.349 --> 00:17:31.769 So we try very hard to kind of include all senses, 00:17:32.009 --> 00:17:34.609 but you can't always be all things to all people. 00:17:34.630 --> 00:17:37.150 And we love to be able to provide different experiences 00:17:37.150 --> 00:17:39.569 so some people can come away and be like, oh, 00:17:39.609 --> 00:17:41.450 yeah, I like that one, but I preferred this one. 00:17:41.529 --> 00:17:43.289 And some people preferred The Bride at the Edge 00:17:43.289 --> 00:17:45.029 of Time and some people prefer The Ancient Oak 00:17:45.029 --> 00:17:47.509 of Baldor and some people love both or hate both. 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:50.460 And to like things and to hate things is all 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:53.519 part of experiencing the world and culture. And 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:56.200 we really welcome all of it. And I suppose just 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.660 by you offering it, rather than there being an 00:17:58.660 --> 00:18:01.400 expectation that they would do things in a certain 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:03.339 way, the audience do something in a certain way, 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.180 just by offering, I suppose you are given the 00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:08.059 opportunity to still touch and smell and do all 00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:09.980 of those things that they might need to do in 00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:13.180 order to access without that demand. I want to 00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:15.279 talk about mental health. I was doing some research. 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:18.279 earlier that had shocking figures i don't know 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:22.940 if you've heard similar that uh amongst an audience 00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:26.339 amongst any group of people 10 of those people 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:29.019 on average um will suffer with their mental health 00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:33.660 at some point if you add a cognitive disability 00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:37.720 onto that it's around 40 and if you add PMOD 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:40.640 so physical disability it's more like 84 % shocking 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:42.759 numbers I don't want people to hear that and 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:44.880 think oh being disabled makes you depressed because 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:47.539 that is absolutely not what this means it is 00:18:47.539 --> 00:18:51.779 the oppression and the lack of accessible spaces 00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:55.960 and the marginalization that brings on this feeling 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:58.839 of loneliness and depression and I think that's 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:00.599 why I wanted to mention that here is that it's 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.460 really important that that is at the forefront 00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:06.220 of all our minds that we have more access to 00:19:06.220 --> 00:19:08.500 storytelling and more access to the creative 00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:11.160 arts and to the community and to feel included 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:14.960 to try and get these figures changed because 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:18.299 it it just isn't okay these people exist they're 00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:22.259 here on purpose they have every right to access 00:19:22.259 --> 00:19:25.380 the world as everybody else does and I think 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:27.799 it's really important that we you know kind of 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:30.900 acknowledge the need there is such a huge need 00:19:31.579 --> 00:19:34.420 for access i mean theater is so emotive isn't 00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:38.279 it it's so ingrained in our human nature even 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:40.880 when we were in survival mode back in when we 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:43.680 lived in caves art the arts existed there's a 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:46.539 reason why it's so important that it's so important 00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:49.759 and it exists are you okay with just mentioning 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:52.960 like the you know what why is theater important 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.000 for this audience yeah the impact importance 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:00.940 on mental health really i think it's Really interesting 00:20:00.940 --> 00:20:04.859 question and actually the story behind The Ancient 00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:07.880 Oak of Baldor is looking at a story of loss and 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:12.680 grief and the protagonist loses her partner in 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:15.759 the story and kind of goes through this journey 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:19.319 of coming to terms with her loss. And we chose 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:21.980 that as a subject matter, having, again, done 00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:26.299 this work for a really long time and having some 00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:28.859 of our audience members who have died during 00:20:28.859 --> 00:20:33.339 that time and seeing how death is such a huge 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:37.599 part of the PMRD community and also seeing that 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:40.299 due to just so many barriers that it isn't explored. 00:20:40.579 --> 00:20:42.779 So one of the things we wanted to do with the 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:47.299 Ancient Oak of Baldor is to look at death. and 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:50.380 how we can process it through storytelling. And 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:54.400 again, we do it through layers in our work. So 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:57.039 there is the verbal story that is there. There 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:00.140 is the live music that is played. We've chosen 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:02.680 the cello. During this show, there's live cello 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.079 and we feel that the cello really tells the story 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:09.180 through quite an emotional, emotive score. So 00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:13.150 we wanted to pick that subject to... give our 00:21:13.150 --> 00:21:15.690 audiences the opportunity to kind of explore 00:21:15.690 --> 00:21:19.069 challenging subjects but we do it within a very 00:21:19.069 --> 00:21:22.730 safe space we open the show with a very fun festival 00:21:22.730 --> 00:21:26.470 full of full of joy and the show also ends ends 00:21:26.470 --> 00:21:29.410 in joy so it's kind of exploring different emotions 00:21:29.410 --> 00:21:33.750 whilst keeping the audience safe yeah so important 00:21:33.750 --> 00:21:35.069 it's actually something that we've been looking 00:21:35.069 --> 00:21:37.329 at in my own class this year one year ago we 00:21:37.329 --> 00:21:39.730 lost a people with pmrd and it and yeah like 00:21:39.730 --> 00:21:43.400 you say it's unfortunately part of the caring 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:46.720 for and being part of a community of PMLD is 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.960 that that is that is the reality so I've also 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:54.220 been exploring how do we look at grief and work 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:58.819 through grief with these sensory based learners 00:21:58.819 --> 00:22:01.200 because it's so important I didn't just want 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:04.200 to assume that they weren't aware I didn't want 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:07.539 to assume that they were all good with it I didn't 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:10.519 want to assume anything And I didn't want, certainly 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:12.160 didn't want to, you know, sweep it under the 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:13.779 rug because I just didn't think that was respectful 00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:16.619 in any way at all to anybody. So, yeah, we did 00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:18.740 it through storytelling and stories and senses. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.779 And I think it was really important for the caregivers 00:22:20.779 --> 00:22:23.160 as well in the room to know that we were acknowledging 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.039 this and marking this with some kind of legacy 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:31.480 that something will do year on year. The audience 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:34.579 experienced lots of loss, even if it isn't death, 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:38.220 through their peers. Lots of loss through... 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:40.299 caregivers and so you know there's that change 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:42.980 in adults people just disappear out of your life 00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:45.240 and you never see them again it could be a teacher 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:47.579 it could be a carer it could be a friend who 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:50.460 moves schools or transitions to a different setting 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:53.579 they experience loss all the time in fact they 00:22:53.579 --> 00:22:56.440 probably the community they experience loss the 00:22:56.440 --> 00:22:59.960 most i would say and and yet i think as caregivers 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:03.440 we're talking about it least with with them so 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:05.380 finding accessible ways to do it like you say 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:08.960 in a safe environment that feels comfortable 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:12.019 and very safe to have those incredibly emotive 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:16.519 topics brought up is incredibly important and 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:20.519 important for the carer as well and I think I 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:23.680 think for us, you know, stories and art and theatre 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:28.019 and TV and film all help us make sense of the 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:30.480 world. That's what the arts have done is you 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:33.799 understand yourself or understand your situation 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:37.940 by seeing it reflected elsewhere. And so that 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:39.859 was kind of our belief. What we wanted to do 00:23:39.859 --> 00:23:42.400 with this show is to try in a safe environment 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.960 in something that is distant. And that's the 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.359 reason you do that with art, because it is distant 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:50.759 from you and you can leave and it's not. it's 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:53.259 it's not there it's transient it happens in the 00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:56.059 moment so that's why we wanted to do that and 00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:59.660 then kind of going back to your question about 00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:04.660 well -being is for me for lots of people like 00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:06.920 their well -being is greatly enhanced by sharing 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:09.559 collective artistic experiences with people whether 00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:11.880 that's dancing in a nightclub going to the theater 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:14.460 going to the cinema going to a gig all of those 00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:18.609 things that people do to add -ons to people's 00:24:18.609 --> 00:24:21.490 lives there's a reason I believe people live 00:24:21.490 --> 00:24:25.250 and places where people find joy and shared communal 00:24:25.250 --> 00:24:27.650 experience and this is a group of people that 00:24:27.650 --> 00:24:30.730 are often not offered that you know especially 00:24:30.730 --> 00:24:33.049 as you say especially when you go into adulthood 00:24:33.049 --> 00:24:37.470 that kind of those collective shared experiences 00:24:37.470 --> 00:24:41.210 those experiences of art are less than say what 00:24:41.210 --> 00:24:44.210 I do And so really wanting to make sure that 00:24:44.210 --> 00:24:46.829 we provided that, that it was fun, that it was 00:24:46.829 --> 00:24:48.910 enjoyable, that it was a trip out, that it was 00:24:48.910 --> 00:24:51.269 something everybody in the room shares. You share 00:24:51.269 --> 00:24:53.069 in the energy, you share in the space. And whether 00:24:53.069 --> 00:24:57.089 you cognitively understand verbally the story, 00:24:57.170 --> 00:24:59.470 by having it there, you're going on the same 00:24:59.470 --> 00:25:01.529 emotional journey as everyone in the room. You're 00:25:01.529 --> 00:25:03.569 sharing the air, you're sharing the space, you're 00:25:03.569 --> 00:25:06.809 sharing those feelings that are happening, which 00:25:06.809 --> 00:25:09.470 is what we all do. We could go and see a foreign 00:25:09.470 --> 00:25:11.720 language. film that we didn't understand but 00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:14.180 I think you would still follow that same same 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:17.640 story so yeah absolutely that's why we make theatre 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:21.180 because we have a belief in in that and me and 00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:23.380 Amber just love going to the theatre going to 00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:26.140 gigs going to music going to all of that that's 00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:28.059 what we live for so we wanted to ensure that 00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:29.940 this group of people had the opportunity to do 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:32.400 that as well absolutely they're incredibly community 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:36.240 sacred spaces aren't they I feel like everybody 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.720 comes into a space like a theatre or a cinema 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:42.859 or similar as strangers and it feels different 00:25:42.859 --> 00:25:46.019 when you leave you have a collective experience 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:49.039 that you've shared together you feel closer in 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.720 a way I've never left a theatre or a cinema with 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:54.799 a group of audience that I the same as when I 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:58.019 came in there's a collective hubbub about it 00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:59.839 there's an excitement it feels a little bit safer 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:01.819 because you've had that shared experience and 00:26:01.819 --> 00:26:05.480 I wonder if that transcends also into the community 00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:07.500 of your audience as well there's kind of that 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:10.440 connection there of that shared experience which 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:13.039 is really wonderful isn't it you I don't think 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:15.160 you can do it any other way other than through 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:17.839 the arts actually that you know we don't know 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:19.279 each other we haven't spoken we've just been 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:22.089 sitting idly next to each other and yet we've 00:26:22.089 --> 00:26:25.549 communicated and shared this amazingly emotive 00:26:25.549 --> 00:26:29.390 experience which maybe can only be replicated 00:26:29.390 --> 00:26:31.509 with going through some kind of trauma together 00:26:31.509 --> 00:26:35.049 almost because again you you've got that kind 00:26:35.049 --> 00:26:39.569 of connection and that um immediate companionship 00:26:39.569 --> 00:26:40.910 because you've gone through the same experience 00:26:40.910 --> 00:26:42.450 with each other well I feel like theatre does 00:26:42.450 --> 00:26:45.069 that kind of connection as as well in some way 00:26:45.609 --> 00:26:47.569 Yeah. And we like to have what we call in our 00:26:47.569 --> 00:26:50.509 shows, individual sensory moments and then collective 00:26:50.509 --> 00:26:52.809 sensory moments. So there are some one -to -one 00:26:52.809 --> 00:26:55.009 moments that really are just about performer 00:26:55.009 --> 00:26:57.009 and audience member, which might be smelling 00:26:57.009 --> 00:26:59.410 herbs. But then we have these collective sensory 00:26:59.410 --> 00:27:01.730 moments, which everyone experiences at the same 00:27:01.730 --> 00:27:04.730 time, which is being covered in petal confetti, 00:27:04.809 --> 00:27:07.569 for example. So, and maybe like a smell is something 00:27:07.569 --> 00:27:10.109 that people experience at the same time. So I 00:27:10.109 --> 00:27:12.549 think it's about a mixture of making accessible 00:27:12.549 --> 00:27:14.869 by having something that is just for you, but 00:27:14.869 --> 00:27:17.640 then to be able to have moments that are all 00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:20.740 of us together. And the Ancient Oak of Balzor 00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:23.799 and also our show Fire Songs, they're both set 00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:25.799 in the round. And setting a show in the round 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:28.319 really does give you that kind of feeling of 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:31.279 being in a group. Yeah, absolutely. And you can 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:34.619 enjoy everybody else as part of the backdrop 00:27:34.619 --> 00:27:36.960 of the show. It really does feel like you're 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:39.279 all collaborating on this thing, which it sounds 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.640 like that's exactly how I'll... you work which 00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:44.480 is just rather wonderful what kind of feedback 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:48.240 have you had I'm sure that carers have I hope 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:50.359 they have shared you know reviews and feedback 00:27:50.359 --> 00:27:53.960 on on how they found the shows and and yeah I'm 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.579 sure that resonates with you so do you want to 00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:57.779 share some of the feedback that you that you've 00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:59.960 had yeah I think I think it's I think it's really 00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:01.599 interesting and we spend a lot of time thinking 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:05.380 about feedback because the feedback we get from 00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:08.039 our audiences is in the moment you know it's 00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:10.680 very much like I'm enjoying this experience I'm 00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:12.440 having with you or I would like you to leave 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:16.059 now and so a lot of that feedback happens in 00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:19.420 that kind of non -verbal space where we're having 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:23.599 this communication and connection and that you 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:26.859 know is it's very difficult to put into words 00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:30.119 because it doesn't exist in a linguistic sphere 00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:34.119 like it doesn't exist in words it exists in held 00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:38.059 space it exists in this little space between 00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:41.859 two humans the empathy space and that's quite 00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:46.099 that's quite challenging for funders or um people 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:49.680 that want to know that feedback we obviously 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:52.619 get we get lovely feedback from from people's 00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:56.140 family members from their carers you know um 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:59.740 and that that's that's brilliant and that's fantastic 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:02.579 it's kind of it's balancing both of those and 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:05.740 we have a project called the sensory studio which 00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:08.420 is where we work with four women with profound 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:10.559 learning disabilities and we work with them every 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:13.859 month as artists and they're part of our creative 00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:17.000 team of making our shows and and we come up with 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:21.019 ideas in there we take them into the more linguistic 00:29:21.019 --> 00:29:23.759 rehearsal room we bring them back into the studio 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:26.940 and we work with we work in that way but part 00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:31.319 of the reason we set up that project was to explore 00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:34.240 to explore that was to explore how do we actually 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:37.619 get evaluation that is actually from the person 00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:40.519 and not a second hand evaluation because otherwise 00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:43.000 how do you know it's just it's just our perception 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:47.880 isn't it yeah um was three years in we're still 00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:51.960 working on that question well it's it's new research 00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:53.740 isn't it um i don't know if you know much about 00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:56.380 dr joanna grace's work but she's just finished 00:29:56.380 --> 00:29:59.559 her doctorate on exactly that including these 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:01.140 people with profound and multiple learning disabilities 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:03.720 in research you know how do we get this because 00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:07.000 they're missing from so much research and feedback 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:09.579 and reviews For exactly that reason, because 00:30:09.579 --> 00:30:11.420 they cannot give it linguistically, but you're 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:13.700 absolutely right. My God, do they give it in 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:15.319 the moment, actually with no inhibition, with 00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:17.779 far more honesty than we could ever give, which 00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:19.299 is just rather wonderful. But it's just how to 00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:21.460 capture that, isn't it? And how to ensure that, 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:24.180 yeah, funders, applications and things are accessible 00:30:24.180 --> 00:30:26.640 to that as well. I know Joanna Grace, I can't 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:28.839 remember her name, but she worked alongside someone 00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:31.819 for her doctorate. Her research was with people 00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:33.359 with profound multiple learning disabilities. 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:36.259 And like you say, she couldn't get their feedback. 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.859 in words or paper so she drew pictures she's 00:30:39.859 --> 00:30:42.019 an artist but she drew pictures on post -its 00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:44.400 and that was her dissertation research and that 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:49.160 is what she put in um which is just yeah what 00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:51.720 is her name so that's johanna yes that's right 00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:54.240 does in this so that that work came out of the 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:59.829 sensory studio amazing johanna johanna yes came 00:30:59.829 --> 00:31:01.990 and worked with us in the sensory studio and 00:31:01.990 --> 00:31:04.630 did these beautiful drawings. And she was very 00:31:04.630 --> 00:31:07.369 committed to working with adults and so came 00:31:07.369 --> 00:31:09.430 and worked with us. The drawings really capture 00:31:09.430 --> 00:31:11.410 those interactions and they capture that space 00:31:11.410 --> 00:31:13.289 in between and they capture the energy and what 00:31:13.289 --> 00:31:15.450 was happening in that moment. And we're doing 00:31:15.450 --> 00:31:18.190 an exhibition with her in September in Norwich, 00:31:18.349 --> 00:31:21.329 where she's going to be exhibiting the work that 00:31:21.329 --> 00:31:25.670 was created there alongside her thesis that she's 00:31:25.670 --> 00:31:28.250 created for her PhD, which is called the Unreadable 00:31:28.250 --> 00:31:32.960 Thesis. which is a tool and I don't want to talk 00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:36.579 about her research but and my understanding is 00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:40.339 it is a tool that is used to get to know somebody 00:31:40.339 --> 00:31:42.660 with PMLD a kind of tool for play and a tool 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:46.000 tool for for learning about somebody which she'll 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:48.140 then have a written thesis but we're less interested 00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:50.140 in that yeah exactly of course I'm so pleased 00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:51.819 that I'm so pleased that you're working with 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:53.819 these people because it's so important and it's 00:31:53.819 --> 00:31:56.420 so at the forefront and I feel like it's together 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:00.400 we're we're making change we're really you know 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:02.119 making these steps I think together that all 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:04.720 helps doesn't it you know we're on the ground 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:07.099 doing the experimenting and giving the feedback 00:32:07.099 --> 00:32:10.059 and then it's an incredibly incredible mind that 00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:11.759 are then put into something that can actually 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:15.079 hopefully change legislation and for anyone who 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:17.359 wants to check out Johanna's post -its they're 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:20.819 on instagram at sensory .studio .ethnography 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:24.579 so you can look at all the post -its that Johanna 00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:27.269 did from the sensory studio and I think those 00:32:27.269 --> 00:32:30.529 post -its really do share the essence of those 00:32:30.529 --> 00:32:33.589 one -to -one moments. Yeah, I think anyone that's 00:32:33.589 --> 00:32:36.450 a carer will look at a good few of these post 00:32:36.450 --> 00:32:38.670 -its and know exactly what is happening because 00:32:38.670 --> 00:32:41.309 we've felt that too. And I just think they're 00:32:41.309 --> 00:32:42.869 really exciting. I'm really pleased. I had no 00:32:42.869 --> 00:32:45.009 idea. Sorry, I didn't. That seems really funny. 00:32:45.069 --> 00:32:47.490 It just shows what a small world this community 00:32:47.490 --> 00:32:49.789 and this bubble is, right? But I just heard it 00:32:49.789 --> 00:32:51.230 and thought it's just really exciting. So how 00:32:51.230 --> 00:32:53.690 exciting that, you know, it's all to do with 00:32:53.690 --> 00:32:56.559 the same project. That's just... makes it seem 00:32:56.559 --> 00:33:01.400 even better in my mind. So people are listening. 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:04.960 They're going to want to get involved in this. 00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:07.279 I know they are. So where are you touring and 00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:10.380 how can people come and get involved and bring 00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:15.299 their, yeah, buy tickets and get that happening? 00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:21.059 So we're on www .frozenlighttheatre .com and 00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:23.500 we are currently touring the Ancient Oak of Baldor. 00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:26.240 We will have a summer season of Night Out in 00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:29.319 Nature, our outdoor show. And our choral show, 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:32.039 Fire Songs, is in London in August. So if you 00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:34.480 go on the website, it shows all the tour dates 00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:36.400 that are currently live. And if they're not on 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:39.579 there yet, they will be. And we also announce 00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:42.640 all our upcoming dates once they go on sale on 00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:46.329 Facebook, Instagram and X. where you can find 00:33:46.329 --> 00:33:49.809 us as at Frozen Light Theatre or at Frozen Theatre 00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:53.349 on X. So just, you know, keep in touch. And we 00:33:53.349 --> 00:33:54.829 also have a mailing list, which you can sign 00:33:54.829 --> 00:33:58.470 up to on the website. And if you aren't a care 00:33:58.470 --> 00:34:00.410 of someone with PMLD, but you really want to 00:34:00.410 --> 00:34:03.210 see the show, do also just reach out to us. Don't 00:34:03.210 --> 00:34:05.329 buy a ticket, but send us an email, which you 00:34:05.329 --> 00:34:07.609 can find on our website. And we always try and 00:34:07.609 --> 00:34:09.449 make space for anyone who's interested in our 00:34:09.449 --> 00:34:12.619 work. amazing thank you so much i always use 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:14.539 these kind of chats as a bit of cpd for myself 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:17.880 basically so i always give myself a little mission 00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:20.119 for the following week after these chats and 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:24.320 i think my one this time is to uh sit with and 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:26.800 resonate with the feedback the immediate feedback 00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:29.780 i am getting from my lesson or from whatever 00:34:29.780 --> 00:34:34.230 session i'm doing and just honor that And then 00:34:34.230 --> 00:34:37.329 inform my practice. So if anyone else is listening 00:34:37.329 --> 00:34:39.650 to this, maybe that could be your homework for 00:34:39.650 --> 00:34:41.630 this week as well is just, you know, honoring 00:34:41.630 --> 00:34:43.610 that feedback. It might not be linguistic. It 00:34:43.610 --> 00:34:45.329 might not be from your senior leadership team. 00:34:45.369 --> 00:34:46.750 It might not be from your colleagues, but it 00:34:46.750 --> 00:34:49.469 is more important. And we need to really honor 00:34:49.469 --> 00:34:52.610 that feedback. And yeah, make these changes. 00:34:52.809 --> 00:34:55.250 So thank you so much for joining me. And I for 00:34:55.250 --> 00:34:57.849 one will be joining that mail list and emailing 00:34:57.849 --> 00:35:01.090 you and making my way over. unfortunately I'm 00:35:01.090 --> 00:35:03.550 in Cornwall so it's it's just there's nothing 00:35:03.550 --> 00:35:05.809 here there is nothing here Theatre Royal Plymouth 00:35:05.809 --> 00:35:09.750 will be in Plymouth amazing I'll be there I'm 00:35:09.750 --> 00:35:12.489 so excited and I know this will really excite 00:35:12.489 --> 00:35:14.489 my love of theatre again because I have fallen 00:35:14.489 --> 00:35:17.269 out of love with it but this is you must this 00:35:17.269 --> 00:35:20.469 is what it is for me in my heart this is theatre 00:35:20.469 --> 00:35:23.170 so yeah that's really exciting to me thank you 00:35:23.170 --> 00:35:25.769 so much Amber and Lucy for joining me on my podcast 00:35:25.769 --> 00:35:28.809 and yeah have a great theatre season this year 00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:31.099 Thank you for having us. Thanks for having us.