“Step into the brain of a deaf dancer…
For those with hearing…and those without.”
York fine arts Professors Gwen Dobie and William Mackwood bring the silent world of a deaf dancer to resonating life with Sound in Silence, an interdisciplinary performance piece integrating live music, dance, theatre and video which receives its Toronto premiere June 18 to 21.
Dobie draws on her own life experience for this semi-autobiographical work. Sound in Silence tells the story of Maria, a deaf dancer who lost her hearing as an infant but compensated throughout her high-achieving school years before adopting hearing aids at the age of 25.
Left: The Sound in Silence poster. Artwork by Joyce Kline.
Maria’s rich world of silence is suddenly overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of information in the form of sound. Her brain’s marvelous ability to compensate and adapt is the centre line of the story.
“When a truck goes by, do you hear it or do you feel it?” Dobie asked. “We hear with our bodies as much as we do with our ears. Sound is experienced in many different ways, and we want to capture that idea and sensation in this show.”
The theatre space itself is transformed to physically evoke the inside of the dancer’s brain. Seated in swivel chairs, audience members are literally “inside” the brain, with a 360-degree view of the action surrounding them. Sheer scrims are hung throughout the space, separating the audience and reflecting the elaborate lighting and video while contributing to the immersive nature of the show.
Another of Dobie’s Faculty of Fine Arts colleagues has been instrumental in the creation process –theatre Professor James McKernan is the sound designer. Mackwood is director of design and Dobie is stage director.
Produced by Dobie and Mackwood’s company, Out of the Box Productions, the show is building upon a successful run at Victoria, BC's Belfry Theatre last spring. Their team has further refined and developed the production over the past year in preparation for its Toronto run.
Right: Gwen Dobie
Dobie’s research for Sound in Silence began with an interest in neuroplasticity, especially a book by Norman Doidge called The Brain That Changes Itself, a series of stories and case studies demonstrating how the brain can compensate for massive neurological challenges. She was also inspired by Thomas Riedelsheimer’s documentary Touch the Sound, which tells the story of Grammy Award-winning solo percussionist Evelyn Glennie, a virtuoso musician who is profoundly deaf.
“The play is a testimony to the ability of the human brain to adapt and the spirit to soar in a storm of loss,” said Dobie. “I know that I would not be as skilled as I am in what I do if I had not lived in silence for 25 years.”
Out of the Box Productions started on the West Coast and built a reputation for delivering high art in intimate settings.
“When I was the stage director for the Victoria Conservatory of Music Opera Studio Program, I loved the experience of the rehearsal hall and being close to the performers,” said Dobie. “When the shows moved into the large concert halls I didn’t connect the same way. Our company is dedicated to giving that up-close experience to the audience.”
Left: William Mackwood
The production’s Toronto venue, The Theatre Centre, is equally intimate. “There are only 32 swivel chairs within the ‘brain’,” said Mackwood. “The show is arranged so everyone is within three feet of the action several times within the show. If you’ve never been close to a dancer who can articulate virtually every muscle of her body, or a tenor who gives you shivers with his voice, this show will change your experience of live performance.”
The preview performance, June 17 at 7:30pm, is followed by a talk-back session as part of the Art Meets Science series chaired by Professor Natasha Myers of York's Department of Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts. Mackwood and Dobie will be joined on stage by psychology Professor Frank Russo from Ryerson University; Rebecca Todd, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto; and doctoral student Annabel van Baren from York’s Division of Humanities, to discuss the relationship between art and science with an emphasis on the phenomena of sensing and deafness.
Sound in Silence opens Thursday, June 18 and plays twice nightly to June 20 at 7:30 and 9pm, and June 21 at 1:30 and 3pm. For tickets call 1-888-222-6608 or visit Ticketweb.ca. Tickets will also be available at the door before the show. The Theatre Centre is located at 1087 Queen St. W. (at Dovercourt Road). For more information visit the Out of the Box Productions Web site.
Sound in Silence is a U50 event, celebrating York University's 50th anniversary, and is sponsored by ListenUP! Canada, which operates full-service hearing health care clinics across Ontario.