Thursday, 8 July 2010

Nalaga'at Theatre Comapny

The Israeli theatre company Nalaga'at are claiming to have “devised a unique experience for London audiences to experience the sensations felt by their blind and deaf actors.” See hyperlink below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10548850.stm

This is of course total nonsense as it does not give the audiences the psychological experience of being a blind or deaf person.

It reminds me of the bad old days of “Disability Awareness Training” when trainers used to make participants wear ear defenders, blindfolds, sit in a wheelchair or wear labels depicting a particular impairment for a few minutes, and then and claim that the participant had experienced that impairment.

Personally I refuse to conduct this type of session, despite being asked to on a number of occasions and this coming up as a constant theme when asking participants what their expectations of a course are at the beginning.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with promoting Disability Equality.

This is from a “Heather Mills” mentality. I cannot see the added value in this from the viewpoint of the non-disabled person. All that the ear defender, blindfold or wheelchair offers them is a few minutes less sound, sight or a sit down in an uncomfortable wheelchair.

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