Tyst/Witness is an innovative socially-engaged performance project for 5 experienced mid-career Wales-based performance artists: Jain Boon, Emily Laurens, Donna Males, Robert Smith, led by Tracy Breathnach.
This first stage will be comprised of a 3-month R&D period of practical explorations, research and conversations about a new approach to making theatre for and with communities.
Tyst/Witness is an ambitious and innovative performance project that seeks to develop a new form of theatre that listens to and responds directly to audiences at this time of enormous social change. As socially engaged practitioners we believe that theatre can be transformative – it has a long history of this.
This is especially true when we shift the power balance between audience and performers to be more equal.
Sharing stories is one of the most ancient and fundamental human acts of culture that brings us together. In the simple act of speaking, listening and responding, we can be transformed.
At this time, we are in the midst of major social, economic, health and environmental crises. The detrimental effect this can have on our mental and emotional wellbeing is clear from the evidence. We know from the Marmot Review 2010, that social determinants of health mean that some people
will suffer from this volatility in a disproportionate way, including people with mental health conditions, neurodivergent people, people who live in
poverty, Black, Asian & ethnically diverse communities.
As artists we ask ourselves, what is our role at this time?
What can we, uniquely, offer to respond to this?
Sometimes the arts are used to entertain and distract us away from it all, and other times the arts bring us into a new way of thinking about or experiencing the issues at hand.
We want to explore how theatre and live performance can connect with an audience with a shared experience/identity, in this case unpaid carers.
How can we listen in new ways to the stories of people?
And how can we use our skills as artists to respond in a live, dynamic way to create moments of connection and witnessing?
Can theatre perform acts of care and compassion?
Can the magic of theatre be given to and involve people when they are not experiencing any magic?
Beyond the artistic explorations, this project is also focused on developing a long-term relationship with an organisation that has the resources, the shared values and passion to support us. Awen Cultural Trust has been producing an impressive programme for freelance artists over the last 18 months and will be our Creative Partners for this project, along with Bridgend Carers Centre.
