A part of, not apart from with AGapYearForTheSoul

Tuesday 28th November 2023

Free to attend, please email [email protected] to register.

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For many years, my flat: its walls, furniture and inanimate objects, were the only things that bore witness to my daily existence and experiences. The fact that I could see and feel them told me I was alive. Bumping into a chair, leaning my burning body against a cool wall, running my hands along the material of my textured sofa meant I existed (and of course, that they existed too because they were borne witness to). I began to think about isolation and loneliness and explore our relationship with our surroundings, the everyday things most of us don't give a second thought about; are we ever truly alone?

This workshop will begin with a brief guided tour of A Gap Year for the Soul Exhibition in Theatre Deli (we encourage that you take some time before the event to participate in the exhibition's immersive pieces), which tells the story of isolation through loss of identity and participation in society and asking ‘are we ever truly alone?’ Participants will delve in creative ways to experience and look at their sense of space, place, identity and connection with the place and space they find themselves in - whether cellular within our bodies, the chair we sit on, or green space. Participants will be encouraged to use their imaginations and senses to connect with themselves and the space in the studio, and be guided through immersive, meditative poetry readings and fun and creative short writing exercise to express their sense of connection. There will be a short Q&A.

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About this workshop

Age guidance: This activity is recommended for 18+

Content warning: This activity does not have any content warnings.

Duration: This activity will be 120 minutes

Pre/post event activity: This activity does not include any pre/post event activity. 

Tickets: This exhibition is free and tickets are not required. Please email [email protected] 

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About AGapYearForTheSoul

I AM EVERYTHING YOU DON’T SEE AND NOTHING THAT YOU DO 

My norm [all I had known] was disrupted [through illness and disability]. I realised I could make a difference by disrupting the norm.

Disabled and facing ongoing health deterioration at an age when everyone in life is expected to thrive, the storyteller decided to breathe in and observe her experience. Using voice, body, improvisation, Ecotherapy, neuroscience, NSDR, nature, the environment individuals find themselves in, playback theatre, music, writing and poetry, she engages the audience’s imagination to inform and express. Her work is concerned with making the invisible visible in completely abstract, experimental and experiential ways. Immersing the audience, she questions identity, connection, resilience, thriving, energy, neuroscience, environments and nature. She advocates for welfare policy reform to enable those with unpredictable symptoms and disabilities to gain meaningful employment without financial insecurity and to have society meet those affected in the middle by creating support services and products and social inclusion (particularly lacking for the 18-65 year olds) that helps people thrive, not just survive. Her motto is ‘you are more, what is your more?’ 

Website: www.agapyearforthesoul.com

Instagram: @agapyearforthesoul

Facebook: /agapyearforthesoul

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Access at Theatre Deli London

Access at Theatre Deli’s London venue including level access throughout, a dedicated calm room  and accessible toilets. Read Theatre Deli’s London venue Accessibility guide here.  If you have any specific access requirements you would like us to be aware of, please email [email protected].