Into the Light
Various venues
Thurs 14 Feb-Sat 9 Mar
The feeling of recognition, connection and validation is deeply rooted into our very being. Hijinx Theatre and Teatro La Ribalta’s new piece Into The Light explores this concept. Featuring a group of nine diverse and international cast members from Spain, Italy and Wales with and without autism and learning disabilities, the piece is, according to co-director Krista Vuori, “highly physical and visual, which means most of the stories/emotions expressed and told are through movement.” This is not Vuori’s first collaboration with Hijinx: ever since working with them in 2011, she has returned several times on short residencies.
Normally a group of international performers speaking different languages would make communication in the rehearsal room quite challenging. However, this won’t be the case here. “Movement is its own language,” says Vuori. “Of course there are moments when language barriers can be an obstacle. Then we need to be able to problem-solve – finding other ways to communicate if the physical and visual demonstrations are not successful in getting our thoughts across to the performers. Body language, eye contact, visual demonstrations, repetition and clarity of movement have all been effective methods in our work.”
Hijinx and Teatro La Ribalta are known for collaboration with and representation of learning disabled and autistic performers, and Into The Light is no different. The theatre scene for disabled performers is getting better but still needs improvement, as Vuori acknowledges. “It seems to me that there is greater visibility and more opportunities for neurodivergent actors nowadays, but I believe there is still work to do to open more doors, particularly in casting.”
Ahead of dates in Cardiff (Thurs 14-Sat 16 Feb), Newport (Fri 1 Mar), Brecon (Sat 2), Llanelli (Mon 4), Blackwood (Thurs 7) and Aberystwyth (Sat 9), Vuori concludes: “I hope that people will reflect on how important it is that we are emotionally connected to each other, that we are all capable of more than we think and what we think others are capable of. I want people to be surprised and uplifted when they leave.”
words THEO HUNG
Tickets: £8-£22. Info: 029 2030 0331 / www.hijinx.org.uk