SENSE I was a multimedia touring piece created and developed by LEVEL. It was approximately 45 minutes in duration and designed to explore our (human) senses through physical theatre, sound, vision, smell, touch and taste. SENSE does not follow a narrative and makes absolutely no sense as a story. This is deliberate, as we want to provide an environment where audience members have the opportunity to use sensory stimulation to make their own personal connections and meanings. These could range from triggering memory and emotion to exploring connections between people, objects and sensory stimulation. SENSE tries very hard not to tell you what these may be – it’s up to you.

SENSE is performed by four people, two on stage and two digital performers (creating live sound and images – off stage). Each performer has a specific character and therefore a different way of relating to the audience. As a sensory performance you can expect loud sound, vibrant colours, powerful smells, taste and elements involving touch. It has been created for specifically for people with profound and multiple disabilities and we recognise that this audience may experience the world very differently from many people. We have therefore chosen to experiment with the structure and form of the performance and wish to enable the sensory stimulation to speak for itself. Some people may find parts of the experience peaceful and serene, others unsettling or even disturbing – SENSE is designed to elicit a reaction.

We are pleased to announce that LEVEL has been awarded a two year Arts Council England Strategic Touring grant to tour this work across rural Derbyshire and Derby City. This will take place between September 2018 and June 2020 and is focused upon engaging people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and complex needs, from children to older people. However, SENSE is a universal non-narrative sensory experience providing an intriguing, powerful and stimulating performance suitable for many different audiences.