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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,itsProspero-

likefacilitatorandorchestrator.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

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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?

(1.2.388)

EnterARIELwithmusicandsong.

(2.1.288)

Thisisthetuneofourcatch,playedbythepictureofNobody.

(3.2.127-8)

Benotafeard.Theisleisfullofnoises…

(3.2.136)

Butstill,IwonderasIsit,watching:howmuchofthisisaboutGabriel,andhowmuchaboutme?

WhatunfoldsoverthecourseofthenexthourorsoisnotaproductionofTheTempestin

theconventionalsense,butadistillationofkeyepisodeswhichareapproachedasaseriesof

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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

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mind’7inautism.Hunter’sobservationisconfirmedbysocialcognitionresearch,whichhasseen

problemsofcommunicationandsocialinteractionasinparttheconsequenceofdisorderedpatterns

ofsynchrony.Inthatinterpersonalsynchronization,whetherintheatre-makingorinreallife,isa

matterof‘socialcommunicationactivitiesandconstructsincludingjointattention,imitation,turn-

taking,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

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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

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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

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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

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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:

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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

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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

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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,butithasbeenmobilizedelsewhereinmodernverse-

speakingtraining.Forleadingvoicecoachandauthorofanumberofwidely-usedactingmanuals,

PatsyRodenburg,the‘fundamentalrhythm’oftheiambicisthe‘life-givingbeat’,‘thefirstandlast

wehear–thatofourheart.Itreleasesthephysicalpaceandmomentumoftheverse,and

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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,isthatitishard-

wiredintothewayswethink,28theethicalone,surely,isthatifthisiswhatittakestomake

Shakespeare’sworkavailabletothosewhoareotherwiseexcludedfromit,thenthatisallthe

justificationitneeds.TakingacuefromthedeclarationinArticle30oftheUnitedNations

ConventionontheRightsoftheChild,that‘participationintheartsisaright,notaprivilege’,Blythe

A.Corbetthasarguedthatmakingtheatreaccessibletoautisticpersonsisnotjustamatterof

adjustingnormativeperformanceconditionsandconventionstomakeittemporarily,‘specially’,

available,but,moreradically,oftransformingourunderstandingofwhatmainstreampracticeis:

‘perhapsthemostimportantquestionis:whyissuchaccessexceptional?’29TheTempestprovides

13

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)

14

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

15

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.

16

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.

1TheNationalAutisticSociety,‘Aboutautism’,www.autism.org.uk/about.aspx.Accessed

22February2017.

2LornaWing,TheTriadofImpairmentsofSocialInteraction:AnAidtoDiagnosis(London:

NationalAutisticSociety,1992).

3FrancescaHappé,‘Foreword’toAdamOckelford,Music,LanguageandAutism:

ExceptionalStrategiesforExceptionalMinds(London:JessicaKingsley,2013),9-10.

4PenelopeWoods,‘SkilfulSpectatorship?Doing(orBeing)AudienceatShakespeare’s

GlobeTheatre’,ShakespeareStudies43(2015),99-113:99.

5KellyHunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat:Dramagamesforchildrenwithautism(London:

Routledge,2015),20.

6Ibid.,5.

7Ibid.,4.

8TonyCharman,‘Commentary:glasshalffullorhalfempty?Testingsocialcommunication

interventionsforyoungchildrenwithautism’,JournalofChildPsychologyandPsychiatry,52

(2011),22-3:

17

9PaulaFitzpatricketal.,‘ImpairmentsofSocialMotorSynchronyEvidentinAutism

SpectrumDisorder’,FrontiersinPsychology,7(2016),1-13:1.

10Ibid.,9.

11SeeSimonBaron-Cohen,Mindblindness:AnEssayonAutismandTheoryofMind

(London:MITPress,1997).

12SabineC.Kochetal.,‘Fixingthemirrors:Afeasibilitystudyoftheeffectsofdance

movementtherapyonyoungadultswithautismspectrumdisorder’,Autism,19(2015),338-

50:350.

13WilliamH.McNeill,KeepingTogetherinTime:DanceandDrillinHumanHistory

(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress,1997).FortheShakespeareanramifications,see

RobertShaughnessy,‘ConnectingtheGlobe:Actors,AudienceandEntrainment’,

ShakespeareSurvey68(2015),294-305.

14HelenNicholson,AppliedDrama:TheGiftofTheatre,SecondEdition(Basingstoke:

PalgraveMacmIllan,2014),4.NicholsonquotesJudithAckroyd,‘AppliedTheatre:Problems

andPossibilities’,AppliedTheatreJournal,1(2000).

15TheoriginalcastwasGregHicks(Caliban),ChrisMacdonald(FerdinandandStpehano),

KevinMcClatchy(Prosepero),MahmoudOsmart(Ariel),RobinPost(Trinculo)andEvaLily

Tausig(Miranda).

16MargaretH.Mehling,MarcJ.TasséandRobinRoot,‘Shakespeareandautism:an

exploratoryevaluationoftheHunterHeartbeatMethod’,ResearchandPracticein

IntellectualandDevelopmentalDisabilities,18(2016),1,12.

17Hunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat,4-5.

18Ibid.,1,238,239.

18

19Mehling,TasséandPost,‘Shakespeareandautism’,2-3.

20RobinPost,‘ShakespeareandAutism:ReenvisioningExpression,Communication,and

InclusiveCommunities’,inCreativityandCommunityamongAutism-SpectrumYouth:

CreatingPositiveSocialUpdraftsthroughPlayandPerformance,ed.PeterSmagorinsky

(NewYork;PalgraveMacmillan,2016),105.

21NicolaShaughnessy,‘DancingWithDifference:MovingTowardsaNewAesthetics’,in

AppliedTheatre:Aesthetics,ed.GarethWhite(London:Bloomsbury,2015),111.

22DennisKennedy,ForeignShakespeare:ContemporaryPerformance(Cambridge:

CambridgeUniversityPress,1993).

23DerekJarman’sfilmofTheTempestwasreleasedin1980;PeterBrook’sLatempête

premieredattheThéâtredesBouffesduNord,Paris,in1990;GregDoran’sRSCThe

TempestopenedinStratford-upon-Avonin2016.

24Examplesaretoonumeroustolisthere,butincludetheSocialCompetenceIntervention

Program,devisedbyLauraA.Guli,AlisonD.WilkinsonandMargaretSemrud-Clikeman, in

theUnitedStates,andtheSesameApproachintheUnitedKingdom.

25Hunter,Shakespeare’sHeartbeat,230.

26PatsyRodenburg,SpeakingShakespeare(London:Methuen,2005),97.

27W.B.Worthen,ShakespeareandtheAuthorityofPerformance(Cambridge:Cambridge

UniversityPress,1997),99.

28Inthenewafterwordtotheirground-breakingworkMetaphorsWeLiveBy(Chicago,IL,

andLondon:UniversityofChicagoPress,2003),GeorgeLakoffandMarkJohnsonwrite:

‘metaphorisanaturalphenomenon…whichmetaphorswehaveandwhattheymean

19

dependonthenatureofourbodies,ourinteractionsinthephysicalenvironment,andour

socialandculturalpractices’(247).

29BlytheA.Corbett,‘ImagesofHealingandLearning:Autism,Art,andAccessibilityto

Theater’,AMAJournalofEthics,18(2016),1232-40:1234-6.

30LynGardner,‘TheTempestreview–groundbreakingShakespeareforautisticaudiences’,

Guardian,31October2016.

31Ockelford,Music,LanguageandAutism,226.

32NickHornby,31Songs(Harmondsworth:Penguin,2003),127.

33Ibid.126-7.