In the first of our LivingBodiesObjects (LBO) takeover trilogy, Yaxin Luo reflects on residency 1: Co-producing sensory theatre with young people (with additional needs) and artificial friends.
LivingBodiesObjects (LBO) is a Wellcome Trust funded exploration of how Health research is conducted and how new ways of working can be established. The project comprised four residencies involving medical humanities researchers from the University of Leeds, a creative digital media company, and an external partner. A research assistant who was an Early Career Researcher (ECR) was hired for each residency. An ECR is a post-graduate researcher (either on the verge of completing or having completed their PhD within the last few years). Over the next three days, three of the research assistants will provide accounts exploring how we’ve been learning from each other regarding an innovative way of using co-production as ECRs.
Theatre serves as a significant medium for disabled people, facilitating “enlightenment and education”. It acts as an irreplaceable tool that enables the realities of both disability and disabled people to be “introduced, demonstrated and discussed” (Tomlinson, 1982, pp. 11-13).
As an artist-researcher in the LivingBodiesObjects project, I collaborated with the National Sensory Theatre from 2022 to 2024. My work focused on experimenting with a variety of technologies to create new theatrical productions, and to explore evaluating the experience of audience (particularly for students with additional needs).
In this project, my responsibilities covered three key areas. Firstly, as a research assistant, I engaged in communication with scholars and artists to undertake research on relevant academic questions. Secondly, as a member of the creative team, I facilitated the creation, development, and reflection of the theatrical production. Thirdly, as a performer, I infused vitality into the characters in the script and enhanced the interaction between students and the artificial friends (explanation of these below) used in the production, making the theatrical performance more captivating.
The theatrical works explored the potential of technology to facilitate the creation of artificial friends through elements such as language, movement, haptics, colour, sound, and performance. Artificial friends are characters created in our interactive and improvisational theatrical pieces, such as A New Friend – ROSE, and KARA: An Artificial Friend. Developing these characters was a collaborative effort involving performers, writers, directors, musicians, designers, technologists, scholars, and audiences.
Alex McClimens, a researcher in the field of disability studies, pointed out that, “The dilemma for all of those involved seems to focus on the inevitable imbalance of power that characterizes relations between individuals with learning difficulties and academic colleagues who wish to act in alliance with them in pursuit of a more inclusive society”(2004, p.85).
To pursue a balanced power dynamic, the core concept of students with learning disabilities as co-creators was put forward, and our efforts were developed based on the passionate pursuit and exploration of equal relationships in theatre, academia, school, and life.
The “co-creator” idea manifested in the following aspects. We intended to eschew the traditional role-taking model in theatre to avoid potential issues among students with additional needs and highlighted the sense of play to foster their engagement and entry into the theatrical world. As cognitive psychologist Jean Piaget suggested:
“Unlike objective thought which seeks to adapt itself to the requirements of external reality, imaginative play is a symbolic transposition which subjects things to the child’s activity, without rules or limitations” (1962, p.89).
With reference to this creative outline, the theatrical production was an open experience where the students engaged in the role as performers, writers, directors and choreographers, exerting a considerable influence on the length and appearance of the work.
According to Petra Kuppers:
“Disability as a lived category can hardly ever afford that distance from the realities of bodies and their fit or non-fit with social space. We have to think about how to get into the theatre, how to get into our seat, how to access the spectacle – these are core issues for disabled audiences” (2017, p.5).
Given considerations of access convenience, respect for autonomy, and inspiration of creativity, students were encouraged to act as designers and directly participate in the set design, prop offering and selection, and programme making.
Finally, rather than being examined, students were empowered through the audience survey process, which occurred both during and after the show. Real-time camera capture, open discussion, one-to-one (artificial friend) talk, creative writing and drawing, photo taking, feedback letter, and painting, were adopted to learn what students think about this experience. Students were also encouraged to name the artificial friends and produce other collaborative creations, such as drama works and paintings, which they have developed through their participation.
Despite an admirable and increasing amount of literature on additional learning needs, drama therapy and theatrical therapeutic applications, theatre created by people with learning disabilities remains largely invisible and seldom acknowledged (Palmer and Hayhow, 2009, p.2). Official certificates were created and awarded to students to recognise and demonstrate their contributions following each performance.
Our endeavour also constituted a sincere call to apply technology positively and affectionately to both art creation and education, emphasising that the fruits of technological development can truly benefit more fields and more individuals. This is particularly significant as technology can sometimes widen the gap between mainstream populations and marginalised groups, rendering the latter even more isolated and vulnerable due to factors such as limited access to knowledge, operational complexity and high costs.
Our work with LBO demonstrates the potential of exploring technology and theatre with students with additional needs. By adopting the concept of co-production, we were able to responsibly and creatively enhance the quality an impact of our work, enabling our outputs to benefit our participants. We hope the work and values of LBO can be applied to future projects.
About the author:
Dr Yaxin Luo is a lifelong learner, a persistent creator, and a seeker of cooperation. She studied at Wuhan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, Korea University, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the University of Leeds and received awards and recognition in China, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Ireland, America and the UK. Yaxin has produced performances, plays, novels, articles, as well as installations and calligraphy works worldwide. She is now working as a postdoctoral researcher at Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute.
References:
Alex McClimens. 2004. What difference does it make who is speaking? Audience, ownership and authority in learning disability research. Journal of learning disabilities. 8(1), pp.71-88.
Jean Piaget. 1982. Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Jon Palmer and Richard Hayhow. 2009. Learning Disability and Contemporary Theatre: Devised Theatre, Physical Theatre, Radical Theatre. Huddersfield: Full Body and the Voice.
Petra Kuppers. 2017. Theatre & Disability. London: Palgrave.
Richard Tomlinson. 1982. Disability, Theatre and Education. London: Souvenir Press.
