We sat down with Clemence Debaig, director of Where We Meet? performing at The Cockpit from 28th Feb – 2nd March.
What was the initial spark of inspiration for Where We Meet?
This project has a slightly unique genesis for Unwired. It was born through the
Dansathon 2021, a European dance-hackathon, inviting Creative Technologists,
Dancers, Designers and Producers to explore a concept together over 3 days. This
is where I met Livia Massarelli, our co-director. But many other brilliant minds
contributed to the original concept through the 3-day event. The event took place
towards the end of the pandemic. We were (and are still) surrounded by so much
technology, giving the illusion of constant communication and connection, and we all
wanted to explore ways to reconnect, human to human. Our original idea won the
Grand Prize and we started from there.
How does allowing audiences to hear the dancers’ inner thoughts through
headsets change the way people experience movement and storytelling?
It is a very multilayers and embodied experience. Each character’s story and
emotions comes through a mix of spatial audio with music composition and voice
over and choreography as well as physically involving their own body into the
process. This engage multiple ways of sensing and understanding, which gives a
total sense of immersion into the story. I also believe that using spatial audio in the
context of live performance, rather than additional visuals for example, can help
“augment” the audiences imagination, which is a fantastic terrain for storytelling.
How did you balance the use of technology with the emotional and human
aspects of the piece?
Tech is certainly at the core of the show mechanic, but it disappears very quickly for
the audience. From their perspective, we are given them a pair of headphones and a
pouch with a phone hidden inside. Then they can roam freely in the space and
interact with others in a natural way. This quickly recentres the show around the
humans in the room and offers a framework for telling the story of each characters.
Finding that balance was really important to us. As nerdy as we are, Where We Meet
isn’t a tech demo. We designed our artistic process with this specifically in mind. We
went through a series of prototypes, even if a bit rough at first, so that we could
explore creatively in the rehearsal studio, with bodies in the space and the raw
material. This allowed us to invite participants and run multitudes of playtesting
sessions to get feedback on the work, mainly focusing on audience impact.
Since no two performances are exactly the same, have there been any surprising or unexpected audience reactions?
Those moments are usually our favourites! And helps inform the constant evolution
of the work – eg on how we onboard audiences or deal with dynamic consent. Very
early on, we have had people – likely dance-enthusiasts – thinking it was a complete invitation to step into the spotlight and have a 30-minute improv session with the
dancers (note for future audiences, there is no expectation for anyone to dance!).
And on the other end, we’ve had people being completely against participating. Both
are completely valid, that’s the beauty of the immersive format. But I think my
favourite moment was when this older couple joined, possibly in their 80s, the lady
was having the best time and grabbed her husband who was a bit more reluctant
“come on, join me in this”, and they were both interacting with a dancer half
crouching down with a big smile on their faces (again for future audience, there is no
expectation to be crouching on the floor!).
Do you think technology helps or hinders human connection, and how does Where We Meet explore that tension?
I think it’s a mix. I certainly find it amazing to be a click away from talking to my family
who is not based in the UK. But I also think it’s making us a bit lazy and impatient in
how we truly engage with others, making it harder and harder to forge deep and
meaningful connections. Social media encourages putting an extra mask on, mainly
focusing on celebrating successes and what stands out. And in this social and global
political context, it is more urgent than ever to re-learn how to take the time to really
connect, empathise and accept others.
In Where We Meet, by giving access to the characters’ inner thoughts, we drop the
mask. We expose their vulnerabilities which is a key mechanic for empathy. It’s a
way to “cut to the chase” and connect quickly. We have found that people relate to
the characters’s stories one way or another, either at a personal level or because it
reminds them of someone their know, connecting with them through shared feelings
and challenges.
For someone who has never experienced an immersive performance like this, what’s the one thing you’d want them to take away from the show?
We want audiences to leave the space having found a renewed joy for reconnecting
with others. And feeling that sharing more about our vulnerabilities is what can help
us empathise and relate to others. And that for truly connecting with someone it
requires active engagement.
Where We Meet is at the Cockpit Theatre from Friday 28th February – Sunday 2nd March, with up to 6 performances per day. For more information,visit: https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/where_we_meet
Tickets from £16.45