Travelling/Listen by Signdance Theatre Collective
English Theatre

Travelling

Tells the story of how it is to live a life of constantly crossing boundaries - geographical and physical boundaries as well as existential boundaries relating to disability and deafness. Isolte offers the audience a chance to go to 'the Happy Place'. She takes on the role of a travel agent offering holidays in the sun. But how does the movement of peoples' around the world, as tourists, migrants, or as artists, affect indigenous communities? How does political conflict affect the traveler? What does it feel like to live the nomadic lifestyle of the artist? The piece unravels with a series of journeys through film, dance and song. David Bower takes on a comic role inspired by his experience of officials at customs. He acts out the often-bizarre demands made of the traveler, who is forced to dance through hoops on in order to get permission to cross a border. Isolte plays out the dichotomies she has faced, having lived with a dual identity of being Cuban and Puerto Rican American. 'Ultimately the piece leaves its audience with a powerful image of traveling through the palm of the hand. At the core of Signdance's work is the beauty of using sign language as a form of dance and of expression.

Listen

Based on David Bower's experience of Tinnitus, this piece uses disability as a creative tool to inform the performance work. It is the most hard-hitting of the four pieces - giving the audience an intense visual and auditory experience. The stage is cast with a backdrop of high-pitched tones, which are translated through sound software to create a landscape suggestive of high tower blocks and flowers. Doves fly through this setting, immersing the audience. Against this cloth of sound and image, David moves rapidly and intently. It is as if he is enclosed, trying desperately to escape. He runs, paces sings and dances through a box-like structure conveying ideas about the connection between language and the inner landscape of tinnitus.

Please note for your information that Sign Dance Collective's residency is being supported by the Arts Council England, South East.