Iscene
I See You – a poetic and sensory tale of being
Meridiano Theatre has created a poignant and important production on the themes of loneliness and bullying. I See You is a little gem in which digital media and analogue puppetry merge in the present-moment slowness that the piece calls for Although themes such as loneliness, friendships and bullying are not new, the presentation here is different. The language of the stage itself reflects the issues that arise when we have to navigate a daily life that is both digitalised and analogue.
The slowness creates a space for reflection filled with fascinating poetry
Elise Müller is a pleasant and natural narrator who uses her voice and text sparingly, allowing the images space to tell their own story. With subtle poetic humour and understated melancholy, we get to know Jonas as a boy who keeps a low profile, listens to LPs, plays the guitar and rides a skateboard.
The magic in the detail
The sensory is emphasised in their physical world, which also features vivid colours and tactile objects of varying textures. When Jonas and Clara kiss, he thinks she smells of vanilla. The sensory is emphasised in their physical world, which also features vivid colours and tactile objects of varying textures. The two look up at the universe and all the stars from a hilltop in the middle of nature or in the rain in the park. This makes it clear what the difference is between being together to hear, feel and see through the media – and outside of them.
Digital communities
It all comes together seamlessly. Everything resonates, from the music’s long, nostalgic chords to the soundscapes of the city, the park and public transport. Even the drawings in Clara’s sketchbook speak through the cartoon characters, which also form part of the overall media landscape.
The collaboration between the two puppeteers unfolds with impressive micro-choreographic precision (…)The children audibly relish every detail and whisper about how the magic might be created. The distinctive stage language walks a tightrope between the worlds that children themselves navigate every day. This can contribute to an expanded space for reflection. The sensory experience we share together is also, in its own right, a little poetic gem about existence.
Dorte Grannov Balslev, Iscene
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“Meridiano Theatre has created a production that both explores and utilises digital technology in an innovative way not previously seen on a theatre stage (…) It is truly meta and, at the same time, both analogue and digital in a completely obvious way that is liberating. Nothing is hidden here (…) It is wonderful that Meridiano Theatre is contributing to the debate in this way and also using the performing arts to address this important topic, and in such an inventive manner. It is hugely refreshing and innovative to see technology used in this way (…) Meridiano Theatre and its creator and director, Giacomo Ravicchio, always express themselves with a liberating slowness that you can drift into, and which brings calm to thoughts that are always moving so fast (…) I See You and Meridiano Theatre are breaking new ground in what theatre can achieve, demonstrating a remarkable fusion of the analogue and the digital, where the potential of technology is explored in innovative ways. Meridiano Theatre is undertaking an artistic and educational endeavour that not only entertains but also encourages reflection and debate about our digital age. The performance is a powerful example of how theatre can help address important social issues and even gives the audience a very special experience to take home with them”
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