FORGED (in the tender heat of your embrace)

FORGED (in the tender heat of your embrace) is a performance installation by disabled dance artist Laura Fisher, which will be in the Upper Gallery space, at Tramway, Glasgow, from Sat 21 - Sat 28 October 2023, as part of Take Me Somewhere festival.

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On Saturday 21 October, live performances will occur in the installation between 2 pm and 5 pm.

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More information about FORGED at Take Me Somewhere here

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This webpage provides access information for audiences attending the installation for the PERFORMANCES.

 

You can also download this information as a PDF here

 

ABOUT

FORGED (in the tender heat of your embrace) is an ongoing choreographic collaboration between artist Laura Fisher and seven sheets of copper metal. Drawing parallels between the material properties of the sheet metal and Laura’s body which experiences chronic pain, the collaboration utilises body heat to create an intimate relationship of interdependency. Through cycles of moving and resting together, body and metal shift in supportive relation to one another from which sculptural forms gradually emerge and change.

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Access Overview – Live Performances on Saturday 21 October

The performances all have a creative use of Audio Description integrated into the performance (without the use of headsets). See below for more info on how Audio Description is used in this work.

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The performances are free and not ticketed. The audience can come and go from the space as they like.

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There will be a total of four performances throughout the afternoon. The performances will be around 25 minutes long with rests in between performances.  Audiences are welcome to stay in the installation during performances and rests.

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Performances will begin at:

• 14:00 – Performance 1 to hold with Ellen Renton

• 14:30 – Performance 2 to lean with Ellen Renton

• 16:00 – Performance 3 to listen with Simone Seales

• 16:30 – Performance 4 to reciprocate with Simone Seales

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Each performance is different. They have been created by Laura to be performed in a sequence, but can each be experienced individually, or dropped in and out of at your comfort.

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Audio Description

The performances experiment with creatively integrating live Audio Description into the work. Audio Description is delivered over a microphone for all to hear, without the use of headsets.

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Each performance will begin with an Audio Introduction of the space, costume, materials and performers and a brief overview of the next performance.

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There will be a member of staff available to offer touch tours of the installation, between performances. They will be in the Tramway Foyer, by the Box Office when you arrive.

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There will be friendly FOH ushers at the entrance to the Gallery, who can assist you in finding a comfortable place to watch the performances if this would be useful for you.

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The performances are rooted in process, with some improvised moments and encounters, therefore there is an element of unpredictability to the material. The Audio Describers are working from a pre-written script but will be adapting and improvising their description to reflect the performance. This means it may not be a perfect description of what is happening, but rather an attempt to capture the performance.

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The Guest Audio Describers are Ellen Renton and Simone Seales.

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Ellen Renton is a poet and writer. She is approaching her audio description through poetic, at times abstract language and imagery, which speak to the ways she views the images and relationships as they unfold. 

Ellen is describing performances 1 & 2 – at 2pm & 2:30 pm.

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Simone Seales is a cellist and musician. They are approaching their audio description through a combination of words and improvised cello sounds which aim to evoke the quality and feeling of the movements.

Simone is describing performances 3 & 4 –at 4 pm and 4:30 pm.

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Seating

The audience will be seated within the installation.

There are a range of options to sit, lay down, stand or rest while watching the work: including yoga mats, cushions, benches, chairs and stools.

 

There is seating available for 30 people, with additional standing capacity (max 50 people in the space).

 

As the performance is not ticketed, there is no reserved seating. If you wish to reserve a space or particular seat for access reasons, please contact laurafisher_assistant@outlook.com and we will be happy to save you a spot.

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There will be a FOH usher in the gallery space to help anyone who needs it to navigate the space or find a comfortable place to site.

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Below are some images of seating options for audience.

 

• 3 x 2-seater benches topped with pink molded foam 

• 1 x 4 /5-seater bench topped with foam and blue fabric

• 6 x thick pink yoga mats 

• 10 x chairs without arms, covered in pink foam and blue fabric

• 3 x chairs with arms, covered in pink foam and blue fabric

• 4 x large square floor cushions in blue fabric

• 4 x large foam wedges

• 2 x large velvet 1 – 2-person bean bags

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Lighting

During performances, there will be some additional lighting put in the Gallery Space. This includes some theatre lights on the floor around the performance area and on the scaffolding rig above the performance space.

There are three fluorescent strip lights permanently on in the gallery space.

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The lighting will not change during the performances.

 

Sound

The performance uses a microphone to deliver live audio description which is played through speakers in the gallery space.

 

The metal sheets make sounds such as clanging, scraping, clunking and reverberating. At points, a loop pedal is used to layer the sounds of the metal or spoken words.

The metal sheets can sometimes fall over creating a sudden clatter or crash. While Laura works hard to prevent this from happening often, it is part of the nature of working with the sculptures, and so if a metal sheet falls over during a performance, this does not mean that something has gone wrong. Examples of what this might sound like will be demonstrated at the start of the performance.

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During the performances described by Simone Seales (performances 3 & 4) there will also be live and amplified cello sounds which may at times be looped or have effects added to them.

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The Tramway Upper Gallery is not a contained space. It has two open entrances with no doors and so there may be some noise from the foyer and café at times.

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Ear defenders will be available in the space, for anyone who would like to use them.

 

 

Pre-show access

There will be a member of staff available to offer touch tours of the installation, in between performances. If you would like to participate in a touch tour, please speak to a member of the team at the foyer when you arrive at Tramway.

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There will be an access table at the side of the installation, to the left of the entrance if you enter via the lift access. On this table there will be:

• Printed information about FORGED

• MP3 players & headphones with more detailed audio description information about the installation, sculptures and textiles

• High contrast tactile button MP3 players and headphones with more detailed audio description information about the space, sculptures and textiles

• NFC tags (which work like QR codes) to access the Audio Description of the Installation on your own smartphone

• Ear defenders

• FFP2 face masks

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 The table will be staffed during the performances, so you can ask any questions.

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Building access at Tramway

FORGED is in the Upper Gallery Space at Tramway (Floor 1). All public areas in Tramway are wheelchair accessible, with lift access to the mezzanine and first floor (where the performance is located). View Tramway's full access statement here

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Accessible toilets are available on all three public access levels and come equipped with handrails and emergency pull cords. All accessible toilets are single cubicle and gender neutral.

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Assistance dogs are welcome at Tramway and in the performance space (please note, due to the nature of the building and The Hidden Gardens, ONLY Assistance dogs are permitted.)