Maldon pupils to join live show with Indonesian audience

‘Feel ME’ is an interactive show which asks for the audiences’ perception of empathy using modern technology.

The show uses live performance, film, projection, dance and interactive elements to explore the different lenses of telling stories, and the audiences’ connections to the story and characters.

Empathy - The show explores who audiences connect with and why (Image: Will Green)‘Feel ME’ gently asks the audience to anonymously share how they feel about the story they are witnessing at different moments using their phones, and to consider who they connect with, who they feel empathy for and why.

Fresh from a tour across England, Essex theatre company The Paper Birds are set to present their ground breaking show in Indonesia, where it will be live streamed directly to their local partner school in Maldon.

Pupils at the Plume Academy have been invited to engage in a special viewing of the show, where they can contribute to a cross-continental discussion on empathy, respond directly to the show via their mobile phones, and participate in a post-show discussion facilitated by the team— all alongside the audience in Indonesia, over 7,000 miles away.

Interaction - The show invites the audience to share their thoughts throughout the performance using their phones (Image: Will Green) A spokesman for Plume Academy said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting project, and it will also serve as an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to our students how to use technology in a responsible and engaging way which facilitates the teaching and learning process.

“This is certainly one example of how, in a controlled environment, technology can support learning and create a flexible, collaborative learning environment for students which enables them to share their views and communicate with an audience in Indonesia on the topic of empathy.”

‘Feel ME’ was created following a four-year research and development process beginning with The School of Hope, The Paper Birds’ socially engaged, digital arts project based in Maldon.

The Paper Birds is recognised as UK leaders in devised verbatim theatre, and over the past few years has collaborated closely with Indonesian Arts venue Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja (PSBK).

Collaborate - The Paper Birds theatre company has worked closely with PSBK in Indonesia for years (Image: Will Green) Jemma McDonnell, Co Director of The Paper Birds and Director of ‘Feel ME’ said: “This feels particularly special, as we get to not only meet and share work and conversation with the PDBK arts centre staff, translators and technicians, but with the diverse range of young people and artists we have worked with over the past four years, who we made work alongside in our studios over 7,000 miles apart.

“It feels very special to be able to celebrate our digital successes in a tangible space together.”

More information can be found about The Paper Birds and their School of Hope project on their websites.