Can be performed in Hebrew, English, French or Spanish
Louis Braille was only three when he lost his sight. He developed within his world of shadows and touches, but understood that there is a hidden treasure in the world of books just beyond his reach. His bravery and endless passion for learning, as well as the support of the environment in which he lived, served Louis to invent something marvelous - an alphabet for the blind. Patricia O'Donovan combines materials from the world of books - paper, black ink, pencils and uses light with plasticity. Accompanied by original music, the images, the shadows and the words form an enriching play in a poetic spirit.
It has been acclaimed by critics and the public since its inception and has been invited to participate in all major international puppet theaters in the world. In France it has performed over 2000 times and has been accepted by the League of Teachers as a recommended spectacle.
Link to Patricia O'donovan website: www.patriciaodonovan.com
Link to the Eng show page in Patricia website: http://patriciaodonovan.com/theater/1569/
Link to the Spanish show page in Patricia website: http://patriciaodonovan.com/es/theater_es/2474/
Written, directed and designed by:
Patricia O'Donovan
On stage: Patricia O'Donovan
Music: Rachel Yatzkan
2011. TOT Festival Barcelona
We, a family of 5, have seen the performance at the TOT Festival in Barcelona (in Spanish!) All of us were very touched by this very intense, emotional and amazing act. We as parents, but also the children (8 and 5 years). Even the youngest, almost 3, was fascinated following the whole show. A wonderful story (and educational at the same time), beautiful music, and the amazing performance of Patricia O’Donovan who made become the paper-cut dolly's (and pencils(!)) to real living persons!
Translated from French
Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace
"What to say and what to do when you have to write about a show which leaves you speechless? Everything, from the words to the gesture, from the objects to the ideas, everything is at the right place. With so little means, the show reaches the Essential."
Le Monde
She has eliminated any pathos and "lachrymal" compassion. As a kind of theatrical asceticism, A Touch of Light is an anti-spectacular show, which succeed to deeply move the children as well as to make them laugh.
Translated from German
Theatre Monthly Theater Heute
"...By comparison, Patricia O’Donovan of Ambulo / Train Theatre displays weightless magic with the story named "A Touch of Light", written and played by herself. The stage is a sandbox. Patricia O’Donovan crouches in it, lights a candle, moves small walls, builds houses, schools, dormitories and puts them aside. She lets shadows grow
and moves around mysteriously, holds figures in her hand - as light as a feather, flat, cut from paper like material, with plastically prepared small heads.
The narrator brings it into play and into life, often for a few moments only, and lays it to rest again. The secret of magic awakening and disappearance grows from the reality of the acting persons, who are materially real and, at the same time, sheerest products of fantasy. It is her task to convey to us how Louis Braille, who lost his sight at the age of three, invented the Braille system at the age of fifteen.
O’Donovan tells her story calmly (and in German), without any sentimentality, almost in a matter-of-fact way. But touching fantasy and warm-hearted humor live in the gentle, tender handling of the paper creatures. The "director" presents a School class by sticking groups of pencils into the sand - during the break the pencils fly happily around, land in a complete muddle with their points directed forward, trickling. When Louis Braille plays in the blind children’s school, together with a companion, the taking by storm of a knight’s castle, the small castle in the loose soil burns with smoke. A small electric light, a couple of candles illuminate this adventure of playful simplicity. "A Touch of Light" - this was something of a wonder in the crazy
world of technology."
Die Tageszeitung, Berlin
"...Therefore, one takes special pleasure in the charm, the fantasy and the
Enthusiasm in playing, which are at the peak when Patricia O’Donovan of Jerusalem tells, using simple paper figures and pencils, how the blind young Louis Braille invents the Braille system at the age of fifteen. "A Touch of Light", the title of the play, was translated "A Gleam of Light" in the German program. How true!"
"...A miracle is the third Israeli contribution, the play by
Patricia O’Donovan (Ambulo Company/Train Theatre, Jerusalem) with white and black, paper-thin figures before and behind candles - and modest spotlight. It is as if a child in the small sandbox proceeds with the creation of worlds. People, animals, plants appear, cast shadows, are mysteriously carried away and, at the same time, remain tangibly real in the form of flat, vulnerable paper figures with plastically shaped small heads..."
Gently, though without any sentimentality, the actress plays episodes of this lifespan, which is presented in German in this guest performance. It is touching how she handles the delicate figures lovingly, gives them life, frequently for a few moments only, and how every event becomes sensory by magical inventions and the simplest means: once a tiny knight’s castle burns in a gun battle, as imagined by two blind young men. The spectators were spellbound."
* The International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jerusalem 1994 [Premiere], 2004, 2009 * Performed in international festivals with great success in Europe, including Switzerland, Belgium, France, Austria, Ireland and Canada. * TOT Festival Barcelona, 2011
* "A Touch of Light" officially opened the 2000-2001 children's theater season in France and it has performed since than over 2000 times and been accepted by the League of Teachers in France as a recommended spectacle.
The show can be represented in barely furnished rooms.
A podium is needed of 1.8m depth x 2.4m width x 0.5m hight painted black or covered with black cloth.
Stepped up seating is essential for good visibility.If the room is flat, Samia are needed to elevate the podium another 60-80 cm.
Seating for the public will done from carpets for children to sit on the floor, to gradually higher seating. In all cases, consult the company.
80 kg of dry fine beach sand (dryness essential).
Black back and side curtains preferable.
Total darkness is essential.
Duration of the show: 55 min.
Set up time: 2:30 hours
Dismantling time: 1 hour
Consider time after the show for a discussion between the company and the audience.
Ages: for all public over 6 years of age
Blind or visually impaired can follow the show without any problem and after the show are invited to feel the puppets.
If a person is invited to translate the show for the hearing impaired and needs a light, please consult beforehand with the company to arrange the best place that will not affect the lighting of the show.
Maximum audience: 150 people
2-4 projectors minimum illumination for the greetings and room lighting. controlled together with the sound by the stage manager from the back of the room.
The company provides its own illumination (220V 16A).
CD player and amplifier and mixer are needed on a table for the stage manager.
Speakers on the plateau on either side of the stage.
Safety: a candle placed in a glass jar glows continuously. Two
candles are lit briefly twice and a small piece of paper burns for some
moments. They are all planted on sand
A liter of mineral water on stage. No sweets but fresh fruit is welcome.
The company consists of two people: the actress/puppeteer and the stage manager.
