The association la Semeuse and the Union of the Blind of Corsica and Nice (UACN) are organizing a show on April 15th at 3 pm at the Semeuse theater in Old Nice. Its peculiarity? It will be visually impaired individuals taking the stage; a way of offering a different perspective on disability. Introducing a show that promises to be full of good humor and emotions.
Directed by Isabelle Warnaar, a drama teacher at la Semeuse, this show aims to be as entertaining as possible. Some sketches will be reprised, such as those by Laurent Gerra, Les Vamps, Robert Lamoureux, etc. The budding actors will also perform songs that showcase their voices. They will notably pay tribute to Piaf with ironic and funny songs. For 1 hour and 30 minutes, the 6 students who are blind or visually impaired will feel like they are forgetting their disability: “their life isn’t easy, they are people who live in the dark. They want a moment of recreation that is structured and still maintains quality,” says Isabelle Warnaar. Every Monday, at the UACN’s premises, her students rehearse for 2 hours. Valérie Parola, the president of the UACN who is participating in the show, explains how the classes are run: “we warm up our voices, work in good spirits, with joy. Sometimes, Isabelle asks us to do improvisations; some of the group don’t like that,” she jokes. Michel Bizet, another student, shares the same opinion as his comrade: “Isabelle brings us good humor. Monday is a good time. It allows us to relax and work on sketches with a positive mindset.”
“I want to keep their autonomy”
By agreeing to teach drama to the visually impaired, Isabelle Warnaar aimed to guide them toward autonomy. To her, they are full-fledged students despite their difference: “I consider them as sighted.” She has adapted to their visual constraints: “I take them into account despite all the difficulties it entails,” such as moving around the stage: “the hardest part is teaching them how to move in space without being afraid of bumping or falling.” To leave as much autonomy as possible to her students, she has also included the dogs and their canes: “for me, the dog is their eyes,” she states. Athos and Terra, two golden retrievers, will also make an appearance on stage.
On the big day, she has everything planned to allow her students to move around the stage independently: “I’m going to use a string half the length of the stage. Backstage, volunteers will place the string in their hands, and they’ll move onto the stage. When they feel they’ve reached the end of the string, they’ll know they have arrived at their designated stage position. I’ll also place small pieces of carpet on the ground that I’ll affix so they can feel that the surface texture is different. They must not go further, or they risk falling.”
To understand what her students endure on a daily basis, she put herself in the shoes of a visually impaired person during her first classes: “I would wear a blindfold and conduct classes blindfolded to realize how difficult it is to make two steps to the right, to the left when you are visually impaired.” A situation that helped her understand her students’ anxieties and overcome them.
Delighted with this enriching experience, Isabelle Warnaar wishes to renew it. Next year, she will leave room for improvisation, creativity, and personal dialogue. But in the meantime, she and her “troupe” invite you on April 15th at 3 pm at the Semeuse theater. A way to approach disability differently…
