Interview with Louise and Research Day. (18th October)

To get the ball rolling with research, I decided to host an interview over the phone with my mum's friend Louise. This was crucial to our performance as we wanted it to be as truthful as possible and wholly recreate the feeling and emotions people go through with sensory loss. I thought Louise's story was not only interesting but also very inspiring as she actually had sight as a child then unfortunately got a degenerative eye condition that meant by age 19, she sadly had no sight at all. I also find it very inspiring how her and her husband - who is partially sighted - have managed to raise two children and support themselves with jobs. When coming up with the questions I tried to pin point certain things I wanted to know, whilst not causing a trigger. I tried to focus more on day to day struggles and how these made her feel, what things people missed in day to day life and most importantly if she had a voice, what would she want people to know.

Interview Notes

What is the stupidest and most annoying questions you have ever been asked?

How do you get dressed, how do you brush your teeth, don’t really think, you can’t do anything for yourself and you can. People ask you silly things but then they just presume you can go around the shop and do your shopping; don’t think of the possibilities. They do need help with it. Pick whatever, you want. The guide dog, can’t teach it different aisles in a shop or directions. The blind person teaches the dog. The dog could never do the shopping for you.

How did it make you feel?

For you personally, just got to answer them, its education. No one will know. Frustration, want to shake people. Have to approach things differently, just want to shake people.

Blind person you have got them a seat, how do you let them know, getting them to say, put right leg to the stool, instead of just saying to the left. Put hand on the chair. Its not being sensitive just telling people where things are etc.

What kind of situations have made you feel particularly uncomfortable?

When you go into a room, and no one is speaking to you and everyone is speaking around you; very humiliated, embarrassed and isolated. Or where people are walking past and others are trying to get their attention. A lady tried to cross Louise across the road to be helpful when actually she didn't want to cross the road. People speak louder and talk to the dog instead of you. Being patronising.  One thing that is annoying is the caine, people are so busy watching it she calls it being hypnotized by the white stick. (Maybe we could recreate this.) People say to her, you don’t look blind. It’s not as hard for you as it is someone in a wheelchair. They have nothing wrong themselves.

Going in a very noisy setting, no communication, electric cars, you can’t hear them or cyclists you cross and then there is a beeping of a horn. High acoustics. Alienated in a restaurant because you can’t actually hear the people talking due to an increase in other sounds.

Put the glass down, and they can’t feel where the glass is.

Is that enough parmesan… I don’t know how much you have put on?

Exasperating, just feel nobody understands, belittled, alone, made it easy thinking they can cope, expect to you to cope, become to cold, to easy for them not to think, it might be a difficult thing. First hit you, get tired and cant remember things, on danger mode all the time.

Got lost, where did you think you were? Guide dog.. lost myself in the world. How does someone find you?

Swimming is the only time feel free, in the pool, can guide self and independent. Made the limelight, created issue that wasn’t there. In the wrong for wanting to exercise.

What are things you wish people knew?

Accept us and realize its just our eyes that aren’t working. Its not that our brains are not working. People in wheelchairs get far more, acknowledgment and a lot more leeway than people who have a sensory loss. Don’t give us as much time or thought.

Out once, eurgh there you go there are two lesbians.

No one, is the same.

 OBSCURING THE DRAMA FROM SENSES LOST THEN AMPLIFY OVERS TO DULLL THE ONE THAT’S MISSING…….. NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THERE EXPERIENCING. - Thought this was very poignant to piece, hence the fact it is in capitals. 

Overall, you can see this is a very powerful, honest and moving interview. Although pragmatic, there is many aspects we can use in our performance. The raw emotions felt and said just reinforce the great responsibility we have in coming up with the piece. 

Aide this, I also watched the 'Silence of Sleep' as it kept being brought up and we were told the mood of the piece seemed to fit. I loved how they perfectly captured that gap between dream and sleep. They brought alive things we do everyday but don't think of. The sort of fleeting dreaming like state of the film is something I would like to bring into our piece. We don't want to force emotions onto people; we want it to be neutral so they can gain there own meaning from it, almost mellow to let there minds flow.

To gain more of an understanding of the practice of physical theatre I have also started reading the book "The Body Speaks" and absolutely love it! I got so excited by one of the exercises that get's you to lay on the floor like a crab, getting you to connect to your core, that I tried it out in my room. I think that connecting to our bodies will be extremely important in our piece

Bibliography 

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