For the artistic creation of Border Control, we consider as the complementarity between Border Control concept as the understanding, dialogue and harmony than was intended by the event Ao Alcance de Todos (Within Everyone’s Reach) in which it occurs.
Border Control is, in our opinion, corporated either symbolically or metaphorically in a desirable reality that is reachable for everyone, confronting us with problems that allow us to reflect between what is desired in an integrated and inclusive society and the one with which we face in everyday life.
Being an art project and educational within the area of musical theatre, directed by Tim Yealland and Rachel Leach, that explored the collective creation, either by involving 25 users of CerciGaia and trainees of the 5th Training Course for Musical Youth Workers, it made sense the formation of collective R de Nós responsible for creating and running the artistic structure of the show, adding in a single name a group of students and former students of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto, where the guiding and coordinating teach was in charge of Rute Rosas.
Thus, and synthetically, we reasoned that the freedom and scope are reached at the level of the dream, thought, creativity, but that may be contagious to the social realities, notably through the Culture and Education for a Culture.
Border Control was presented at the annual event Ao Alcance de Todos promoted by Casa da Música Education Service, in Sala 2, 1 and April 2, 2010.
© R de Nós, Maio 2010
Border Control
artistic direction
Tim Yealland e Rachel Leach
musicians/actors
V Curso de Formação de Animadores Musicais da Casa da Música, CerciGaia e Factor E
sets, costumes and props
© R de Nós
How does a human being react when observed, literally searched and dissected by others? What emotions do people feel when the finger of suspicion might point towards them – for example, when passing through airport security? This is the subject addressed in Border Control, a musical play which metaphorises the way in which society regards those who are different. Resulting from an artistic and educational project headed up by Tim Yealland and Rachel Leach, the show involves around 25 users of CerciGaia, an institution which supports the mentally disabled. They are joined by the 15 students who enrolled on this year’s 5º Curso de Formação de Animadores Musicais (5th Training Course for Musical Youth Workers) given by the Casa da Música Education Department. Border Control is also the result of a partnership with the Faculdade de Belas Artes do Porto (Porto Faculty of Fine Arts). Within this context, students taking the options “Scenography” and “Art and Space” were given the challenge of creating the scenographic structure of a show which incorporates music, theatre and movement.
Casa da Música Education Service
Border Control has been created with two groups of mixed ability working together alongside professionals. The sessions have included songwriting, dance and drama improvisation, as well as work with instruments. The piece has been created also in collaboration with fine art students, and many of the scenographic decisions have influenced the story of our piece. The process of creation has been fast, inclusive, and joyous. The themes that we are exploring in the piece are based on the idea that we take many of the freedoms of modern life for granted. For some people the issues of travelling across borders, of fulfilling your dreams, even of getting an old cupboard home, can be problematic!
Regarding the story, a man is given a cupboard, and tries to take it home. He needs help. He is caught up in the rush hour, and exhausted he gets home, and with everyone else falls asleep.
The dreams that come in the night all point to the need to cross the border. Unfortunately we don’t have money or tickets. As if by magic the cupboard reveals tickets, and we go to the airport. When we go through the scanner we are stopped, and sent to a room for interrogation.
Questions are asked which are impossible to answer. The pressure builds until finally we retreat to the reality of our imaginations, the one thing that we own and that is free.
Tim Yealland
Border Control - a limit of the control that is inseparable from life, particularly by the relationship between the elasticity inherent and control of each one. For more elasticity there, the barrier persists, captures... we are left with the freedom to create and to dream.
The project results from the interaction developed inside a heterogeneous group and specially human.
The coexistence and dialogue established over nearly four months in a large group gathered fascinating resourcefulness of each of these participants, allowing the incorporation of everyone in the working process of a group of professionals in the fields of theatre, music and visual arts, whose shared practices and experiences over several rehearsals, culminate in the presentation of a musical theatre that tries to materialize the result of links established between reality, fantasy and dream.
© R de Nós
Ao Alcance de Todos 2010
Música, Tecnologia e Necessidades Especiais
The importance of music in the rehabilitation and integration of those with special needs will be apparent in several events being held at Casa da Música from the 1st to the 3rd of April, under the banner Ao Alcance de Todos (Within Everyone’s Reach). Shows, workshops and conferences validate an initiative intended to raise public awareness of an issue which has a human, social and artistic dimension. Reflecting the continual work in this field by Casa da Música’s Education Department, each edition of Ao Alcance de Todos will present various different projects developed over several months together with institutions which provide support for those with special needs. This is also a place for discussion between professionals who either directly or indirectly deals with what it is like to be different: points of view are shared and new work processes presented, which unite Art, Technology and Special Needs. Within this context, this year’s highlight is an international RESEO conference – European Network for Opera and Dance Education. Although more geared towards a specific group, this initiative deserves the attention of the general public, who will be able to attend the première of Viagem and Border Control, two shows which bring together professional artists and people with special needs.
Casa da Música Education Service
© R de Nós
The formation of collective “R de Nós” appears for the relationship established between Rute Rosas and a group of students, former students and technical staff of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto.
This project starts with the invitation that was sent to Rute Rosas as a Plastic Artist - Sculptor by the coordinator of Educational Services of the Casa da Música in November 2009 to develop and carry out the scenery, props and costumes for the play Border Control included at the event “Ao Alcance de Todos”, 2010.
After presenting the proposal and the assumptions and principles of “Ao Alcance de Todos”, Rute Rosas, as Faculty of Fine Arts professor, took the initiative to propose a protocol between Casa da Música and the Faculty of Fine Arts in order to enable the inclusion of the project Border Control of Curriculum units Set Design and Art Space and the Undergraduate Fine Arts.
This proposal intended to be and it was a chance to participate in creating a concrete art project, enhancing relations with other institutions introducing young people in the professional areas of their education or others who affix their training as human beings and creators.
Therefore, and concisely, began the process of protocol between two educational services, coordinated by Professor Rute Rosas.
Of designated classes, several students responded to the initial idea of creating plastic thrown in a meeting with Tim Yealland and Paulo Rodrigues in December 2009 in Faculty of Fine Arts.
After information, elements screened in classes, requests to students for reports about the concept Border Control, tour to Casa da Música, 1st trial with all elements involved, it was clarified the method of work and the first ideas appeared, interested involvement, the meetings of extra-curricular work.
The other participants, former students, joined the group on their own.
In February the task force was set.
During these months gave up the contact and dialogue between the different actors in creating the show through several sorts of experiments involving actors, musicians, art direction and the group. Was during this time and thanks to those holdings that, spontaneously, it was build the group that would eventually take the name of “ R de Nós”.
Thus, and for space chart reasons, The Education Department of Casa da Música has proposed that the brochure of “ Ao Alcance de Todos” just figured the group “R de Nós” and that the leaflet of Border Control contain all the names of either “R de Nós”, as all those who participated and made up the musical theater Border Control.