Thisroughmagic:FluteTheatre’sTheTempestanditsplayers
RobertShaughnessy
Itbegins,asitwillend,inacircle.SeatedonthefloorofthearenastageoftheOrangeTreeTheatre,
Richmond,aroundalargeclothcolouredwithconcentricswirlsofbluegoldandwhitethatsuggest
clearwaters,tropicalsandsandwispywhiteclouds,areaboutadozenyoungpeople,alongside
themthesixactorswhoplayProspero,Caliban,Ariel,Ferdinand(doubledwithStephano),Miranda,
andTrinculo.Totheside,equippedwithasmalldrum,sitsKellyHunter,theshow’sdirectorandthe
originatorofthemethodsfromwhichitwasdevised,andalso,astheactionunfolds,itsProsperolikefacilitatorandorchestrator.Surroundingthiscircleofactorsandthosewhom,forthepurposes
ofthisessay,Ishallcallplayers,seatedonfoursidesontieredbenches,arethewatchers:the
parentsandcarersofthismostlyteenagedgroup.Alloftheyoungpersonsgatheredhereare
autistic;amongtheirnumberismyownson,Gabriel,whoonthedayoftheperformance(26
October2016)isthreemonthsshyofhisseventeenthbirthday.Autismisaconditionthatcurrently
affectsabout700,000(oraroundonepercent)ofthepopulationintheUnitedKingdom,1andis
characterizedbywhathasuntilquiterecentlybeenofficiallydefinedasthe‘triadofimpairments’:
thatis,difficultieswithcommunication,imagination,andsocialinteraction.2Itisaspectrum
conditionthatpresentsinawidevarietyofways,rangingfromthenon-verbal,self-harmingchildin
needofconstantsupervisionfortheirownsafetytothesavantcapabilitiesofhigh-functioning
individualscapableofexceptionallevelsofcreativeandintellectualachievement.Incommonwith
mostautisticchildren,Gabrielshowedallthesignsofnormaldevelopmentuntiltheageoftwo;
afterthat,regressionwasrapidandprofound,plungingus,hisparentsandhissiblings,intoalife
thatwecouldneverhaveimagined,andforwhichweweretotallyunprepared.ForGabriel,autismis
amixofabilityanddeficitthatincludesapreferenceforroutines,ritualizedandrepetitive
behaviours,avocabularyrestrictedtosingle,functionalwords,shortphrases,andsurrealpersonal
catchphrases,aslylyuniquesenseofhumour,andatasteforboththeMrMenbooksandthemusic
1
ofJohnnyCash.Italsoinvolves,asitdoesformanyautisticindividuals,anextraordinarylevelof
musicality,reflectingwhatFrancescaHappé,commentingontheworkofmusicandautismspecialist
AdamOckelford,calls‘thenaturalsynergybetweenthestructureinherentinmusicandthe
cognitivestyleoftheASCmind’,3whichforGabrielismanifestedinunerringlyaccuratepitch
processing,animmediategraspofmelody,andtechnically-perfectpianoplaying.Thisisthethird
timeinthespaceofayearthatIhavebroughtGabrieltothisshow,andgiventhatShakespearean
spectatorship,asPenelopeWoodssuggests,generallydemandsatriadofaptitudes,of‘cognitive
dexterity,socialawareness,andemotionalversatility’,4thequestionofhowGabrielwillconnect
withTheTempest,ifatall,remainsaveryrealone.Granted,hisolderbrotherandolderand
youngersistersallhadShakespeareinflictedonthematvariouspointsintheiryouth,soIseeno
reasonforGabrieltoemergeunscathed.Thisisaplay,moreover,withparticularandhaunting
resonancesinthiscontext,notleastinitsAsperger’s-typescholar-fatherprotagonist,soimmersedin
hisbooksthathefailstospotthetheftofadukedom,itsconcernwiththeagonyofspeechlessness
andthepoweroflanguage,itsthemesofentrapment,imprisonmentandliberty,andits
preoccupationwiththeinterplaybetweenvisionandsound,andwithmusic:
Whereshouldthismusicbe?I’th’air,orth’earth?
EnterARIELwithmusicandsong.
Thisisthetuneofourcatch,playedbythepictureofNobody.
Benotafeard.Theisleisfullofnoises…
(1.2.388)
(2.1.288)
(3.2.127-8)
(3.2.136)
Butstill,IwonderasIsit,watching:howmuchofthisisaboutGabriel,andhowmuchaboutme?
WhatunfoldsoverthecourseofthenexthourorsoisnotaproductionofTheTempestin
theconventionalsense,butadistillationofkeyepisodeswhichareapproachedasaseriesof
2
interactivegames,thegroundrulesofwhicharesetdownintheopeningmoments.Introducingthe
showtotheplayersandaudience,Hunterexplainshowtheplayerswillbetakenthroughasequence
ofactivities,inwhichtheyarefreetoparticipate-ornot–towhateverdegreetheyfind
comfortable.Intothefirstgame,whichiskeytoestablishingtherules;Hunterholdsherhandtoher
heart,beatstwicetotheincantatorytuneof‘Hel-lo’,andbidstheplayers,assistedbytheactors,
andthesurroundingaudience,tofollowsuit,andtolookaroundthecircleandmakeeyecontact.
Afteraminuteorsothecollectivepulseisstilled,thenstarted,thistimecombinedwithnames,and
one-by-one‘hellos’,toeachplayer.Someoftheplayersengagemorereadilythanothers,andsome
needmoreprompting,butthereisalotofeyecontactandsomelaughter;co-optedintothegame,
thoseofuswatchingalsofindourselveseasedintotheshow.NextisthegameHuntercalls
‘Throwingtheface’,wheretheplayersaregivenaseriesofemotionalstates(happyface,angryface,
disgustedface),askedtoshowitfaciallyinasextremeaformastheycan,andthento‘throw’it,
withaflickoftheheadtoanotherplayeracrossthecircle,‘asifamaskisbeingflung…requiring
somephysicaleffort’,5who‘catches’theface,andpassesitoninturn.Itisagoodwarm-up,andit
alsohasabearingoncharacterandnarrativelateron,asthesearethefacesthatthelovers,Caliban
andStephanowilladopt.Thesequenceendswitharoundofapplause–literally,withHunter
modellingthegestureofapplaudingwhilealsodescribingacircleintheair,andhandsplacedonthe
floor.
The‘HeartbeatCircle’isthefoundationoftheperformance,asitisofabodyofworkthat
hasbeenindevelopmentforthebestpartofthreedecades,beginningwithHunter’sinitialoutreach
workfortheRoyalShakespeareCompanyintheearly1990s.Initiallyconceivedasasetofworkshop
activities,theHunterHeartbeatMethod(HHM)startsfromtheideathatthesimpledi-dumrhythm
thatopensandcloseseverysessionmatchesthatofiambicpentameter,‘therhythmofthe
heartbeat’,inHunter’swords,whichreveals‘theever-changingspecificity’of‘howitfeelstobe
alive:‘therhythmisthelifeofthefeeling.’6Theregularityofthebeat,Hunterfound,hadasoothing
effectevenonthemostunsettledchildren,andworkstoaddressthe‘dissociationofbodyand
3
mind’7inautism.Hunter’sobservationisconfirmedbysocialcognitionresearch,whichhasseen
problemsofcommunicationandsocialinteractionasinparttheconsequenceofdisorderedpatterns
ofsynchrony.Inthatinterpersonalsynchronization,whetherintheatre-makingorinreallife,isa
matterof‘socialcommunicationactivitiesandconstructsincludingjointattention,imitation,turntaking,non-verbalsocialcommunicativeexchanges,affectsharingandengagement’,8ithasbeen
foundthat‘synchronizedbodilycoordinationwasdisturbedinsocialpathologiesgenerallyandin
particularinchildrenwithASD’,that‘theabilityofadolescentswithautismtosynchronizethetiming
oftheirspeechtothatofaconversationalpartnerwaspoor;andthat‘adolescentswithASDdonot
synchronizegestureswithspeech.’9Autisticindividualshave‘atendencytofocusattentioninward
ontheirownbodilystatesevenwhenengagedintasksthatrequireinteractionwiththe
environment’,10andexperienceparticulardifficultiessynchronizingeyecontact,impactinguponnot
onlytheircapacitiesforcommunicationandsocialinteractionbutalsotheirabilitytorecognizeor
inferthementalstatesofothers(so-called‘theoryofmind’).11Concomitantly,experimental
attemptstocultivatesynchronizedactionandmovement,suchasthroughdanceormusictherapy,
haveshownthatthesehavedemonstrablygenerate,inthewordsofonestudy,‘improvementin
bodyawareness,psychologicalwell-being,andsocialskills’fortheirautisticparticipants.12The
HeartbeatCircle,similarly,offersaregular,and,importantly,repetitiveandpredictablestructure
withinwhichsynchronizedbehaviour,andthusthebeginningsofcommunicationandinteraction,
cantakeplace.TheCirclethuscreatesthespaceforthephenomenonknowntothecognitive
sciencesasentrainment,thefundamentalmechanismwherebytheco-ordinatedactionsof
individualscreateasenseofgroupidentity,purposeandmutualwell-being;whatWilliamH.McNeill
characterizedas‘astrangesenseofpersonalenlargement;asortofswellingout,becominglarger
thanlife,thankstoparticipationincollectiveritual.’13
4
Figure1.FluteTheatre’sTheTempest,OrangeTreeTheatre,Richmond,October2016.
L-R:Gabriel,Chris,Alfred,Finlay,Lowri,aplayer
Itwillalreadybeapparentthat,asaworkthatstraddlesthedomainsofShakespearean
theatre-makingandappliedperformance,thereismoreatstakeinthisTempestthantheusual
questionsofengagementandeffectiveness.Acrossthebroadspectrumofpracticesthatfallunder
thedefinitionofthelatter,asHelenNicholson(quotingJudithAckroyd)putsit,thereisashared
convictionthat‘theatrehasthepotentialto“addresssomethingbeyondtheformitself”’,andthat
‘appliedtheatreisprimarilyconcernedwithdevelopingnewpossibilitiesforeverydaylivingrather
thanseparatingtheatre-goingfromotheraspectsoflife.’14Inthisspirit,theproductiontosome
extentowesitsexistencetoaformalrecognitionthatHHMmightworktoalleviateaspectsoftheir
conditionfortheautisticplayersparticipatinginit.In2011,Hunterbeganathree-yearcollaboration
betweentheRoyalShakespeareCompany,thePsychologyDepartment,NisongerCenterand
WexnerMedicalCenteratOhioStateUniversity,consistingofanongoingprogrammeofworkshops
thatled,inJuly2014,tothepremiereofTheTempestattheRSC’sOtherPlaceinStratford.15The
5
firstphaseoftheworkwasapilotstudy,throughwhichwasconductedasystematicevaluationof
theefficacythemethod,asimplementedthroughatwelve-weekprogrammeofworkshops.
Fourteenyoungpersons,ranginginagefromtentofourteen,wereselectedforthestudy,and,using
establisheddevelopmentaldisabilitymeasures,weretestedbeforeandaftertheprogrammeonthe
basisoftheAutismDiagnosticObservationSchedule(ADOS)andtheVinelandAdaptiveBehavior
Scale(VABS).Bothevaluatecommunicationskills,reciprocalsocialinteraction,andrestrictedand
repetitivebehaviours.Theresults,accordingtoMargaretMehling,MarcTasséandRobinRoot,
leadersoftheprojectteamandauthorsofthefirstpapertoemergefromthestudy,indicatedthat
‘participants’scoresincreasedacrosstimeonmeasuresofsocialskills,communicationand
pragmaticlanguage’,andthatHHM‘appearstohavethepotentialtoimpactcorefeaturesofautism
spectrumdisorder.’16Throughoutthepaper,HHMisreferredtoasan‘intervention’,onthetacit
understandingthatthegoalistobringaboutanimprovementinthelivesofitsplayers,
improvementsofthekindthatcanbeidentifiedandmeasuredonthetermsofADOSandVABS.
Sincetwooftheauthors(MehlingandTassé)arepsychologistsmakingacaseinajournalreadby
otherpsychologistsfortheefficacyofaprogrammeofactivitiesthatwaspartlyfundedbythe
UnitedStatesAdministrationonIntellectualandDevelopmentalDisabilities,thisemphasisis
understandable.Indeed,itscientificallyvalidatesHunter’sownposition,whichisthat‘[e]xpressing
feelings,makingeyecontact,accessingtheirmind’seyeandtheirdreams,keepingasteady
heartbeatandrecognizingfacesareallpartoftheautismdilemma’,andthattheaimistoembed
‘theseunattainableskillswithingamesderivedfrommomentsofShakespeare,whichthechildren
couldplayandtherebybenefitfrom’.17Buttheresearchers’outcome-orientedapproachtothe
methodalsoneedstobesetalongsideHunter’sinsistencethat‘Shakespeareisusednotfor
educationalmeans,butrathertowakethechildrenuptotheirownlives’,herspeculationthatit
wouldbe‘interestingtoseehowimportanttheartofplayfulnessiswithinthefindingsofthe
researchandwhetherinfactplayfulnessisdeemedmeasurableatall’,andherrecognitionthatthe
routetoautismisatwo-waystreet,involving‘havingthefaithtobelievethatachildwithautism
6
would“throwmeBottom’sdonkeyface”istrulyplayful’,andknowingthat‘it’sonlynow…thatI
wouldnameitso.’18Moreover,despitetheclaimtoofferan‘evaluation’ofHHM,however,
Mehling,TasséandRootgivenoindicationofwhatitisaboutthespecificallyShakespearean
componentsofHHMthatdeservescrutiny:summarizingtheTempestworkshopseriesasasetof
gameswhich‘targetskillsincludingeyecontact,turn-taking,facialemotionrecognition,imitation,
improvisation,humour,andcommunication’,theypositionthepracticewithinthebroadfieldof
‘drama-basedinterventions’that‘offeropportunitiesforchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorderto
developsocialskillsincludingawarenessofothers;empathy;perspectivetaking;turn-taking;balance
betweenlisteningandresponding;gaining,maintaining,anddirectingtheattentionofothers;
adoptingdifferentrolesappropriatetothesetting;recognisingrulesandconventionsofdifferent
groups;andrecognisingthefacialexpressionofemotion’.19Inafollow-upessay,Post(anactorand
theatreprofessor,andthedramaleadfortheproject),documentstheworkshopactivitiesinmore
detail,andemphasizesthecorefeatureof‘thechildren’sattentiontotheirownheartbeatshelping
togroundtheiruseofShakespeare’sverseintheirownorganicrhythms’,butlikewisestressesthe
beneficialpotentialofthemethod,claimingthatthechildreninvolved‘areabletodevelopand
strengthentheircommunicativeandinteractiveskills…withinasupportivecontextfordeveloping
greaterpossibilitiesforengagementandinteraction.’20
Theseconsiderationsaremorepertinenttotheworkshopprogrammethantoashowthat
maywellbeexperiencedasaone-off,butbothmaybeconsideredinthelightofNicola
Shaughnessy’sreconsiderationoftherelationshipbetweeninstrumentalityandartistryinapplied
performancepractice.Proposingthatanartificialdividehasbeenpromulgatedbetweensocially
engagedorappliedperformanceandworkthatpursuesdisinterestedly‘artistic’objectives,she
arguesthatthishascausedtheaestheticcomponentoftheformertobeundervalued,even
sidelined:bringing‘cognitivetheoryintodialoguewithconceptualizationsofrelational,community
andsociallysituatedaesthetics’,shecallsforanapproachthatfinds‘theextraordinaryinthe
ordinaryandinvaluesystemswhichchallengeordifferfromtheindividualistandmaterialist,in
7
favourofcommunityandinwhichco-operationandawarenessofothersispartoftheperformance
experienceofencounter.’21ForHHM,thisimplieslessofconcernwithwhetheritdoesgood(as
measuredbyADOSscoresandthelike)andmorewithwhetheritisgood,or,touseShaughnessy’s
term,‘extraordinary’,andthisistheinterestthatIpursueinwhatfollows.Shakespeare,asusual,is
therealready:TheTempest,ithardlyneedssaying,isaworkverymuchpreoccupiedwiththe
transformative–andalsocoercive–powerofart,andofperformance,andwiththeethical
ramificationsoftheexerciseofthatpower:‘gravesatmycommand’,admitsProspero,‘Havewaked
theirsleepers…Bymysopotentart’(5.1.48-50),andhisreleasefromtheislandisconditionalupon
itssurrender:‘thisroughmagic/Ihereabjure’(5.1.50-1);‘Letyourindulgencesetmefree’(Epilogue,
20).
Whatevercalculablebenefitstheyhavefortheparticipants,thegamesarebothanendin
themselvesandcomponentsinalargerdesign;Flute’sTheTempestoffersboththeexperienceand
thespectacleofplay.Theperformanceproperbeginswithneitherthestormnoritsaftermathbut
cutsstraighttotheconfrontationbetweenProsperoandCaliban.Thisconsistsofthreeshortlinesof
dialogue(allepisodesaredistilleddowntoahandfulofkeywords)andaccompanyingactions,
modelledbytheactors:JoshuaJackson,playingCaliban,dropstoalowsquat,makesacircular
sweepofthefloorwithhisarm,andgrowls,angry-faced,‘Thisisland’smine’(1.2.332);Sifiso
Mazibuko,asProspero,holdsthemoment,thenpoints:‘Cramps!’(1.2.326)Jacksonpantomimes
writhingpainforafewmoments,andthenMazibukoperemptorilyreleaseshimwithahandclap:
‘Better!’Thefirstplayerisledintothecircleandsteeredthroughthemovesbyhispartner-actor,
theyplaythroughthesequence,andthenswaproles(animportantrule,adheredtothroughout).
Theplayersrevelintheirtasks,actinguptheagonizedgyrations,teasinglyextendingthewaitfor
release.Already,theshow’sthematicsofownership,powerandsubjugationareinplay;andalready,
thankstotheunpredictabledispositionoftheplayers,thearchitectureoftheshowissubjectto
stress-testing.Thefirstpairingproceedsasscripted,butwhenanotherplayerstepsinasProspero
heseesanopportunityforcomicsabotage.Jacksonfeedshimhiscue,butheisnothavingit:
8
Thisisland’smine.
No,it’smine.
Thisisland’smine.
Well,itisn’tanymore.
Thisisland’smine.
Facereality.
Awaveoflaughtersurgesaroundtheroom,andasIscanthefacesofmycompanionsonthe
benches,Iseeraptattention,surpriseddelightand,hereandthere,atouchoftrepidation(willmy
childjoininasexpected?willshehaveameltdown?).Asthosewhoknowbetterthananyonehow
ourchildrenrespondtotherulesinsocialsituations,wewillthemandtheshowon,hopingthatour
indulgencewill,justforawhile,setthemfree.Gabriel,forhispart,prefersobservingtojoining;as
ever,hedemandsvisualvalidationofhisdoingsbybreakingframe(forheknowsnot‘seems’)and
callingacrossthespace,‘Dad,takeapicture.’Idemur;thestorymoveson:withadrum-rollanda
guitarnote,Arielspringstohisfeet(FinlayCormack,inafadedSupermanT-Shirt,brieflychannelling
Puck),‘Igo,Igo,Igo…’,andexecutesahopandaskipthatGabrielspontaneouslymimics.Forward
tothecartoon-stylefirstencounterbetweenFerdinandandMiranda.Takingtheleadfrom
Prospero’s‘Atthefirstsight/Theyhavechangedeyes’(1.2.441-2),thishasChrisMacdonald’s
FerdinandandLowriIzzard’sMirandapacingthecircle,eachavoidingtheother’seyeuntil,suddenly,
theirgazeslock;crying,together,‘O,youwonder!’(1.2.427)theymakeathumb-and-forefinger
circlebeforebotheyesand,gesturingtheclassicTexAveryimageofloveandfirstsight,shootthem
forwardwitha‘Do-yo-yo-ing!’Ilovethismoment,notleastbecauseitisonethatGabrielandIhave
takenhomefromourfamily’slastencounterwiththisshowandoccasionallyreplayedasashared
joke;anditisoneinwhichhehappilyparticipates.Beforeweknowit,thefloorisfilledwith
MirandasandFerdinands,afieldofeyesonstalks(‘Do-yo-yo-ing!’),whileGabrieloffershisvariant,
‘Oyouwonderful’;thegameplaysandreplaysuntilHuntersensesthatitistimetomoveon,and
withagentlepingoffinger-cymbals,wemovetothenextepisode.Thepercussivescoreisacrucial
9
componentoftheshowthatisstructuredandperformedlikeajazzsymphony,onethat
accommodatesspaceforextendedriffingandcreativeimprovisationwithinitsstorytelling,whichin
thisversionincorporatessomeofthepre-historyoftheplay.Caliban’smemoryofbeingtaught
‘how/Tonamethebiggerlightandhowtheless’(1.2.336-7)generatesasequenceinwhichMiranda
pointsfirstthiswayandverbalizes(‘sun’),thenthat(‘moon’),whichhewithenormouseffort
repeats,andacall-and-response:
Myname’sMiranda.Yourname’sCa-li-ban.
Ca-mmm-haaa-ca-ca…
Ca-li-ban.
Ca-ca-ca-ca-…Ca-li-ban.Ca-li-ban,Ca-li-ban…
Thisgraduallybuilds,withadrumbeatandclappingrhythm,toawhole-groupchant(whichGabriel
joinsin),eventuallystilledbyanotherquietpingofcymbals.Trinculo(TriciaGannon)’sencounter
withStephano(Macdonald)summonsthe‘sadface’andthe‘disgustedface’oftheHeartbeatHello;
Calibanmarchesthewholegrouproundthespace,laughing,leapingandsquattingtothetuneof
‘toads,beetles,bats’(1.2.341);FerdinandandMirandatakeeachother’shands,andGabriel,having
hadenoughofdoingfornow,liesdowntolisten.Andastheebbandflowofrepetitioncontinues,
somethinghappenstomysenseoftimeandIsurrendertothehypnoticrhythmoftheshow;Ifeel
thatIcouldbehereforhours,evendays,andIamnotinleastbotheredwhenitwillend.Looking
roundtheroomIsenseaweboflooks,supportiveandsustaining;aninvisiblesafetynet,attentive
faceswillingthepiecetowork.
Ibeganbyposingthequestionofhowmuchthisshowwastodowithme,andhowmuch
withGabriel.Forsome,thequestionmightalsobe:howmuchisthistodowithShakespeare?This
canbereadinanumberofways.Perhapsthereafewdiehardswhowouldregardwhittlingtheplay
downtosevencharacters,ahandfulofscenesandasomechoicewordandpassagesassufficient
evidenceforitnolongertoqualify,butgiventhat,intheeclecticfieldofcontemporary
10
Shakespeareanperformance,whatDennisKennedyoncelabelled‘Shakespearewithouthis
language’22isincreasinglythenormratherthantheexception,theycanbesafelyignored.Judgedby
thestandardsofthepastfewdecadestheFluteTempestisnoless‘Shakespeare’thanDerek
Jarman’s,PeterBrook’sorGregDoran’s.23Worthtakingmoreseriouslyisthesuggestion(whichis
perhapslatentinMehling,TasséandPost’saccountoftheOSUpilot)thatitisthedramagame
element,ratherthansomethingintrinsicanduniquetoShakespeare,thatdoestherealwork.Inthis
account,ShakespeareandTheTempestareusefulplaceholderswhichmaymeanverylittletothe
participants,ameansoflegitimating,perhapsevenascribingculturalauthorityto,arepertoireof
techniquesthatmightworkjustaswell(somemightarguebetter)withoutthem.24Intheabsenceof
acontrolgroupplayingnon-ShakespeareananaloguesoftheHHMactivities,itisimpossibletoknow
eitherway;butinresponseitcanbesaidthatthereisawiderangeoflevelsandpointsofaccessto
theworkandthatShakespeare,inNicolaShaughnessy’sterms,isarelationalphenomenon,wherein
culturalpresenceinteractswiththetextualresourcesoflanguage,character,situationandnarrative
areameansoforientation(andanopportunityforbuy-in)asmuchfortheactorsandaudienceas
fortheplayers.However,thekeycomponentthatclearlydifferentiatesHHMfromavarietyof
similar,non-Shakespeareandrama-centredprogrammesis,ofcourse,theemphasisonshared
rhythmicactivity,the‘heartbeat’thatpulsesthroughoutallofitsactivities.AsInotedabove,there
arecompellingreasonswhy,incognitive,embodiedterms,thisworkswithpersonswithautism,but
Iamalsoawarethatitrisksfallingfoulofwhatreadersofthisvolumewillrecognizeasdecades-old
argumentswithinShakespeareanperformancecriticismaboutfalseuniversals.Hunterisquiteclear
thatherprojectis‘aself-imposedinvestigationintoShakespeare’svaliditytoday’,25andthatHHMis
ameansofintimatelygroundingthatvalidityinbodilyexperience.Thewaythattheheartbeat
metaphorworksinHunter’sworkisunique,butithasbeenmobilizedelsewhereinmodernversespeakingtraining.Forleadingvoicecoachandauthorofanumberofwidely-usedactingmanuals,
PatsyRodenburg,the‘fundamentalrhythm’oftheiambicisthe‘life-givingbeat’,‘thefirstandlast
wehear–thatofourheart.Itreleasesthephysicalpaceandmomentumoftheverse,and
11
illuminatesthemeaningthroughthestress.Italsochartstheheartbeat–includingthestoppagesor
skips–ofthecharacter.’26Inthisunderstanding,thereisadeeporganicconnectionbetweenmetre,
thebody,physicalandmentalequilibrium,andhealthyperformance,butalso,pragmatically,a
definitionofversefromthatseemsimmediatelytangible,andintuitive.Suchthinkinghasnotgone
unchallenged.W.B.Worthen,notably,hasarguedthatattemptstoframeShakespeareantextuality
intermsofcontemporarycorporealityisanideologicalmanoeuvrewherebyShakespeare‘becomes
anaturalizingmetaphorontheorderofthebodyitself,representingtheuniversal,transcendent,
andnaturalinwaysthatbothlegitimateandtenderunquestionablethedominantdiscourseofthe
stage.’InWorthen’sterms,HHMwouldbeoneofthemeanswherebyShakespeare‘appearsto
enablethebodytorecaptureitself.’27
Worthendoesnotthinkthisisagoodthing,butIbegtodiffer:thisisdemonstrablywhat
Flute’sworkdoes.Temptingasitistodismisstheconcernsofperformancescholarshipwiththe
thoughtthatfewpeopleintheroom(otherthanmyself)wouldhaveknownorcaredaboutthem,let
meproposeinsteadthatworksuchasthisraisesmorefundamentalpoliticalquestionsnotonly
aboutwhat‘Shakespeare’,‘performance’,andtherelationshipbetweenthemmightbe,butalso
aboutwhomhasaccesstoandownershipofthese,andhow.Ifthepracticalresponsetothecharge
thatactorsthinkaboutShakespeareantextualityintermsoftranshistoricalbodilymetaphorsisthat
thisisbecauseitworks,andthephilosophicalone,followingLakoffandJohnson,isthatitishardwiredintothewayswethink,28theethicalone,surely,isthatifthisiswhatittakestomake
Shakespeare’sworkavailabletothosewhoareotherwiseexcludedfromit,thenthatisallthe
justificationitneeds.TakingacuefromthedeclarationinArticle30oftheUnitedNations
ConventionontheRightsoftheChild,that‘participationintheartsisaright,notaprivilege’,Blythe
A.Corbetthasarguedthatmakingtheatreaccessibletoautisticpersonsisnotjustamatterof
adjustingnormativeperformanceconditionsandconventionstomakeittemporarily,‘specially’,
available,but,moreradically,oftransformingourunderstandingofwhatmainstreampracticeis:
‘perhapsthemostimportantquestionis:whyissuchaccessexceptional?’29TheTempestprovides
12
anexampleofonewaythisquestionmightbeanswered,not(or,atleast,notforGabriel)becauseit
willbringaboutanychangeorimprovementintheconditionofthosewhoparticipateinit,but
becausetheexperienceofaworkoftheatreartisinitselfworthwhile.
Unusuallyforashowofthiskind,theFluteTempestwasaffordedareviewintheGuardian,
anditsauthor,LynGardner,seemedtoagree.Awardingtheproductionararefour(outoffive)
stars,Gardnerdescribeditas‘groundbreaking’and‘innovative’,andas‘auniquetheatrical
experience–partperformanceandpartworkshop–whichgenuinelyputsthesenseofplayback
intoShakespeare’slatework.’Inparticular,Gardnerfelt,‘itwouldbeimpossibleforanyone
witnessingthefinalscene,inwhichArielissetfree,nottofeelatingleofrealjoy.’30Thephrasing
seemsexactlyright,andtheliberationis,indeed,exquisitelyhandled:‘Isettheefree’saysProspero
toAriel,whoresponds,’Igo,Igo’;‘I’llmissyouso’,chimeshisformercaptor,thenbothtogether,
‘So,so,so…’Thissegues,quitenaturally,intothefinalround,theGoodbyeHeartbeat,anditends,as
itbegan,inacircle:‘Good-bye…good-bye…good-bye…’Icarryanothermemoryawaywithme.
Beforethisending,thereisamomentofcalmbeautyinanislefullofnoises.Attheheightofthe
rough-and-tumblecacophonyofCaliban’ssecondscenewithTrinculoandStephano(3.3),aMarx
Brothersroutineofslaps,pratfalls,slidewhistleandparpinghorns,astillnessdescendsforJackson’s
softly-spokenoccupancyofCaliban’sbigmoment:
Benotafeard.Theisleisfullofnoises,
Soundsandsweetairsthatgivedelightandhurtnot.
Sometimesathousandtwanglinginstruments
Willhumaboutmineears,andsometimesvoices,
ThatifthenhadIwakedafterlongsleep,
Willmakemesleepagain;andthenindreaming,
Theclouds,methought,wouldopenandshowriches
Readytodropuponme,thatwhenIwaked
Icriedtodreamagain.
(3.3.136-44)
13
Ifthefirsthalfofthispassage,inthissetting,picturesthesynestheticacousticworldofautism,what
Ockelforddefinesasits‘ExceptionalEarlyCognitiveEnvironment’,inwhichthechild’sexperienceof
musicis‘likelytobeverydifferentfromthatofthemajority;morevivid,moreintense,more
exciting,moreexhausting’andwhere‘eachpitchmaybelikeafamiliarfriendinanotherwise
confusingworld;eachwiththecapacitytoevokeastrongemotionalresponse’,31itssecondtouches
onalossfeltclosertohome.Watching,asaparent,ourprofoundlyautisticsonengaginginoneof
themanyactivities–happyplayingShakespeare,afterhisfashion–that,afterdiagnosiswenever
dreamedhewouldaccess,thecloudsparttoofferaglimpseofasomewherewherethingsare
otherwise;theplacewherewelivedbeforeweknewhewasautistic,beforeeverythingchanged.
Reflectingbrilliantlyandmovinglyabouthisautisticson’sloveofmusic,NickHornbymusesthatthis
loveis‘thebestpartofus…probablytherichestandstrangestpart’.32Idonotknowwhetherthe
Tempest-echoesaredeliberate…
Fullfathomfivethyfatherlies,
Ofhisbonesarecoralmade;
Thosethepearlsthatwerehiseyes,
Nothingofhimthatdothfade
Butdothsufferasea-change
Intosomethingrichandstrange.
(1.2.397-402)
…buttheresonancesofasonginwhichagrievingsonisconjuredtoimaginethefantastic
metamorphosisindeath,ofafatherstillverymuchalive,arestrangeandrichindeed.ForHornby,
livingwithhisson’scondition,asforanyparentofachildwithadisability,meantlearningto‘letgo
oftheambitionsyouoncehadforhimveryquickly(andyoulearntoothatmanyofthoseambitions
wereworthlessanyway,besidethepoint,precious,silly,indulgent,intimidatinglyrestrictive)’.33
Hornbywriteswellofthejourneythroughgrieftomourningtoacceptancethatmanyundergo,but
forsomethereissadnessforwhatmighthavebeenstillthatlingerson,beneaththejoyforwhatis,
andthatfromtimetotimeresurfaces.AdriftinthisrealmofShakespeareanlateromance,Iamin
14
deeperwatersthanIthought.Somefifteenyearsago,achildwaslost;briefly,thatchildwashere
again,alongwithwhatweimaginedtobeaverydifferentlifeaheadofhim.Itwas,ofcourse,justa
dream,butforamomentonly,Icriedtodreamagain.
Howmuchofthisisaboutme,andhowmuchaboutGabriel?Thefeelingpasses,whatis,is.
OnthetrainhomeIsoundGabrielout:‘HowwasTheTempest?’;‘Wasitgood’,hereplies(itisa
statement,notaquestion).Onimpulse,Islideasheetofpaperacrossthetable;‘DrawThe
Tempest.’Gabrielfrownsforasecond,andwritesonewordatthecentreofthepage:‘island’.He
pauses,thentwiceaddstwonames,aboveandbelow:‘kelly’,and‘rownana’.Thefirst,readers,you
know;thesecondisRowanMackenzie,someonewhoisalsoresearchingFlute’swork,whomwe
metinthetheatrecafébeforetheshow.
Figure2.Gabriel’sreview.
15
Twocolumnsontheright,andonetotheleft,completethepicture.The‘hat’isTrinculo’s,which
Gabrielwasinvitedtotryonafteritended,thedrum,trumpetandcymbalstheonesheplayedwhile
wearingthehat.Asapieceofperformancecriticism,thisprettywellnailsit:animaginaryisland,
floatinginspace,dressingup,wordsandmusic,avenue,ajourney,areunion,andanewencounter.
ForasharedmemoryofShakespeare,itis,perfectly,justenough.
Acknowledgements
MythankstoKellyHunter,JaneIngram,andNickie,Caitlin,NathanielandErinaShaughnessyfor
theirinvaluableinput.AndtoGabriel,towhomthisessayisdedicated.
1
TheNationalAutisticSociety,‘Aboutautism’,www.autism.org.uk/about.aspx.Accessed
22February2017.
2
LornaWing,TheTriadofImpairmentsofSocialInteraction:AnAidtoDiagnosis(London:
NationalAutisticSociety,1992).
3
FrancescaHappé,‘Foreword’toAdamOckelford,Music,LanguageandAutism:
ExceptionalStrategiesforExceptionalMinds(London:JessicaKingsley,2013),9-10.
4
PenelopeWoods,‘SkilfulSpectatorship?Doing(orBeing)AudienceatShakespeare’s
GlobeTheatre’,ShakespeareStudies43(2015),99-113:99.
5
KellyHunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat:Dramagamesforchildrenwithautism(London:
Routledge,2015),20.
6
Ibid.,5.
7
Ibid.,4.
8
TonyCharman,‘Commentary:glasshalffullorhalfempty?Testingsocialcommunication
interventionsforyoungchildrenwithautism’,JournalofChildPsychologyandPsychiatry,52
(2011),22-3:
16
9
PaulaFitzpatricketal.,‘ImpairmentsofSocialMotorSynchronyEvidentinAutism
SpectrumDisorder’,FrontiersinPsychology,7(2016),1-13:1.
10
Ibid.,9.
11
SeeSimonBaron-Cohen,Mindblindness:AnEssayonAutismandTheoryofMind
(London:MITPress,1997).
12
SabineC.Kochetal.,‘Fixingthemirrors:Afeasibilitystudyoftheeffectsofdance
movementtherapyonyoungadultswithautismspectrumdisorder’,Autism,19(2015),33850:350.
13
WilliamH.McNeill,KeepingTogetherinTime:DanceandDrillinHumanHistory
(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress,1997).FortheShakespeareanramifications,see
RobertShaughnessy,‘ConnectingtheGlobe:Actors,AudienceandEntrainment’,
ShakespeareSurvey68(2015),294-305.
14
HelenNicholson,AppliedDrama:TheGiftofTheatre,SecondEdition(Basingstoke:
PalgraveMacmIllan,2014),4.NicholsonquotesJudithAckroyd,‘AppliedTheatre:Problems
andPossibilities’,AppliedTheatreJournal,1(2000).
15
TheoriginalcastwasGregHicks(Caliban),ChrisMacdonald(FerdinandandStpehano),
KevinMcClatchy(Prosepero),MahmoudOsmart(Ariel),RobinPost(Trinculo)andEvaLily
Tausig(Miranda).
16
MargaretH.Mehling,MarcJ.TasséandRobinRoot,‘Shakespeareandautism:an
exploratoryevaluationoftheHunterHeartbeatMethod’,ResearchandPracticein
IntellectualandDevelopmentalDisabilities,18(2016),1,12.
17
Hunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat,4-5.
18
Ibid.,1,238,239.
17
19
Mehling,TasséandPost,‘Shakespeareandautism’,2-3.
20
RobinPost,‘ShakespeareandAutism:ReenvisioningExpression,Communication,and
InclusiveCommunities’,inCreativityandCommunityamongAutism-SpectrumYouth:
CreatingPositiveSocialUpdraftsthroughPlayandPerformance,ed.PeterSmagorinsky
(NewYork;PalgraveMacmillan,2016),105.
21
NicolaShaughnessy,‘DancingWithDifference:MovingTowardsaNewAesthetics’,in
AppliedTheatre:Aesthetics,ed.GarethWhite(London:Bloomsbury,2015),111.
22
DennisKennedy,ForeignShakespeare:ContemporaryPerformance(Cambridge:
CambridgeUniversityPress,1993).
23
DerekJarman’sfilmofTheTempestwasreleasedin1980;PeterBrook’sLatempête
premieredattheThéâtredesBouffesduNord,Paris,in1990;GregDoran’sRSCThe
TempestopenedinStratford-upon-Avonin2016.
24
Examplesaretoonumeroustolisthere,butincludetheSocialCompetenceIntervention
Program, devised by Laura A. Guli, Alison D. Wilkinson and Margaret Semrud-Clikeman, in
theUnitedStates,andtheSesameApproachintheUnitedKingdom.
25
Hunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat,230.
26
PatsyRodenburg,SpeakingShakespeare(London:Methuen,2005),97.
27
W.B.Worthen,ShakespeareandtheAuthorityofPerformance(Cambridge:Cambridge
UniversityPress,1997),99.
28
Inthenewafterwordtotheirground-breakingworkMetaphorsWeLiveBy(Chicago,IL,
andLondon:UniversityofChicagoPress,2003),GeorgeLakoffandMarkJohnsonwrite:
‘metaphorisanaturalphenomenon…whichmetaphorswehaveandwhattheymean
18
dependonthenatureofourbodies,ourinteractionsinthephysicalenvironment,andour
socialandculturalpractices’(247).
29
BlytheA.Corbett,‘ImagesofHealingandLearning:Autism,Art,andAccessibilityto
Theater’,AMAJournalofEthics,18(2016),1232-40:1234-6.
30
LynGardner,‘TheTempestreview–groundbreakingShakespeareforautisticaudiences’,
Guardian,31October2016.
31
Ockelford,Music,LanguageandAutism,226.
32
NickHornby,31Songs(Harmondsworth:Penguin,2003),127.
33
Ibid.126-7.
19