Sightless Cinema
Sightless Cinema presents In the Dark
A live audio play by Ciarán Taylor and Sightless Cinema Members with music by Roger Gregg
Bringing to life dramatic turning points in the lives of five people who are blind or visually impaired, this is an immersive surround sound experience where the audience can wear blindfolds, and all the sound effects and music are performed live. They are stories of adversity, adventure and determination.
A man in his thirties hopes to regain his sight in a transplant operation, another loses his in a matter of weeks, while one young girl dreams of riding a bicycle again after her brain operation, another faces a cruel medical system, and a young man must go to a cliff edge in Wales to find his limits.
Sightless Cinema under the direction of theatre-maker Ciarán Taylor, was established in 2015. They have presented programmes of surround sound plays at Lighthouse Cinema and IMC Cinemas. In 2020, they moved online to make lockdown comedy The Covid Tapes, and presented Ballymuck Exchange - a telephone comedy, at a listening event for Culture Night 2021. The Sightless Cinema performance company White Cane Audio Theatre featured in the Abbey Theatre Dear Ireland 3 online video, and development of In the Dark was supported by Abbey Theatre 5x5.
Ciarán Taylor also creates original theatre with his Carpet Theatre, including 'Breath - A Music Play'
Roger Gregg is a writer for radio, voice performer, sound designer and musician. He created many radio dramas for RTÉ, including live productions with his Crazy Dog company. He performed in The Flood - a live audio play in the dark, devised with Ciarán Taylor which toured Ireland in 2016.
Sightless Cinema Network
Sightless Cinema Network is a collaboration between South Dublin, Meath and Laois County Council Arts Offices, and theatre artist Ciarán Taylor, in partnership with Solstice Arts Centre, Dunamaise Arts Centre and The Civic Theatre, with the National Council of the Blind of Ireland.
In the Dark - an immersive surround sound experience where the audience wear blindfolds, and all the sound effects are created live by the blind performers – was created in Civic in 2022 and will tour to Dunamaise in Spring 2024.
‘…It was really fantastic, deeply moving with a beautiful intricate sound design’ - audience written response to ‘In the Dark’
"Really exciting experience and the stories really resonated" Audience Review
In the Dark – Promo LISTEN - RAY D'ARCY SHOW
In the Dark Tour is supported by Rethink Ireland.
Original production funded by Creative Ireland South Dublin, with Rua Red Arts Centre, and Contact Studio. Development supported by Abbey Theatre 5x5.
Sightless Cinema is supported by South Dublin Arts Office in partnership with the NCBI.