Rain

Research Background "Rain" is a performance installation project designed for babies and their carers a development between Drop Bear Theatre Company (an independent children's theatre company), The Seam (installation artists) a cellist (Edwina Cordingly) and myself as lighting designer. Performance, or theatre, for babies is an emerging art form in Australia, having enjoyed significance in Europe for several decades. Theatre for babies is not only about creating a world for babies to experience an entirely safe stimulating environment that is created especially for them but also for carers to connect with their little ones and feel at ease to let them explore with them. As a lighting designer question the specific impact of lighting design on a performance space and in this instance, what role that has to play in creating a "world" for babies to be immersed in. Research ContributionTheatre for babies is under researched in Australian Performing Arts, which creates potential for investigation, perhaps alongside early learning experts. The contribution of lighting design to performance, whilst well known and documented in the theatre design community is not deeply researched. One of the integral components of Rain's lighting design was to create a transition space for babies and carers to enter the space gently. The transition space created a liminal space between the outside world and the performance. One participant who arrived late, skipped the transition space but then went back into it because their baby was upset. In the transitional space the baby calmed very quickly and then was able to happily enter into the performance. This innovative concept developed by myself in collaboration with Drop Bear Theatre tested the importance of a transition space, this innovation could become the norm in designing performance for babies.Research Significance - Evidence of ExcellenceInitial feedback from carers indicated a desire for theatre for this age group. Drop Bear Theatre received a residency at ArtPlay, Melbourne, a purpose built children's art space, and invited me as a guest artist, funded by Melbourne City Council. From this we developed and performed a season of Rain in February 2013 and due to popular demand it has just performed a second season also at ArtPlay (October 2013). Rain has been invited to tour to several children's festivals (Fun 4 Kids, Warnambool 2014 & Come Out Festival 2014) around Australia in 2014. Rain also received excellent reviews. You can watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qei2okTHvKUDrop Bear Website: http://dropbeartheatre.ning.com/The Seam website: http://theseam.com.au/