Shattered
A labyrinthine journey where the audience plays the central character, led through darkened corridors by the legendary Sandman and the hypnotic voice of an elusive woman.
About the work
The final instalment of the original ‘Feral Tales’ trilogy, Shattered drew on the unsettling Sandman tale, inviting us to dig into the shadows of our psyche, travelling together into the unknown only to ultimately emerge triumphant and united in the fresh, clean air.
Essentially a multi-sensory well-being piece, Shattered reduced visibility and controlled sound through the now established use of headsets. Performing stewards guided the audience through the corridors of the College for the Blind as people fell into a natural pattern of light touch to support each other through the darkness until the final arrival outside where the headphones were removed to the nighttime air and a live choir sang the credits.
“An absorbing, thought-provoking and magical piece of work.”
How we made it
Deepening our relationship with the College For The Blind, we researched the different types of blindness and, as well as reducing the lighting, we offered the audience patchwork glasses so they could experience first-hand the nature of limiting visual conditions. Built on a hypnotherapeutic structure, the script was designed to transport audiences into a relaxed and comfortable state while immersing them in this magical world.
Performances
Shattered was performed in The Royal National College For The Blind over a week in September 2011. It was renamed “Follow Me” in 2016 and toured throughout the Midlands and Gloucestershire.
“I feel like I’ve just had a massage.”
Credits
Writer – Megan Barker
Director – Estelle van Warmelo
Sound Design – Anthony Murphy
Lighting Design – James Mackenzie
Music Phil Farr
Projection – Dan Brown
Narrators – Rab Handleigh and Patricia McCormack
The Women - Jenny-May While, Erica Grant and Patricia McCormack
The Sandman – Alex Evans
Production Manager – Alison Palmer
Stage Managers – Rachael Duthie and Emily Walls
Propmaker – Mel Gwilt