An innovative new show from the The Paper Birds theatre company comes to Warwick Arts Centre this autumn.

Told through a stunning blend of live performance, film, projection, dance and music, Feel Me explores ‘the different lenses through which we are told, and connect to stories in the modern digital world.’

Audiences are anonymously asked to share how they feel about the story they are witnessing on stage at different moments using their phones, prompted to consider who they connect with, who they feel empathy for and why.

Data is gathered and measured using innovative software accessed by the audience during the show in a series of collaborative ‘check-in’ moments, with results creatively shared live as part of the production

Working in collaboration with academics from Essex University, the Company will use this data to measure the impact Feel Me has had on their audiences and their empathy levels immediately as well as post-show.

Overall, 72% of the audience so far have said they would probably or definitely show more empathy in the future and 81% said the show made them reflect on the world today.

Speaking about the inspiration for the show, The Paper Birds Co-Founder and Co-Director Jemma McDonnell said: “The idea for Feel Me started in 2015 when I saw a picture of a three-year-old boy, Alan Kurdi, washed up on a beach.

“It was a picture I couldn’t get out of my mind, there was something in that horrifying viral image that kept making me return to the concept of empathy and what it means to feel for another. Jump forward 5 years and sat in lockdown with my own small children to take care of I decided to revisit this idea.”

The idea has since grown even further, following the show’s initial preview tour and change of company. McDonnell elaborated: “The beauty of being a devising company and the show having a change of cast has allowed us to revisit the original show and to look at widening the lens, using the live and film elements of the show to explore through the character’s eyes, rather than the performer’s story – because that character could be anyone.

“We’ve also incorporated the new performers’ voices within the piece more. They are directly interacting with the audience more, which results in greater opportunities to discuss the barriers and complexities of empathy. It’s a show that encourages audiences to think, but ultimately empathy is about emotions and so we’ve been really working on ways in which we can encourage the audience to feel more.”

Feel Me comes to Warwick Arts Centre on Wed 6 Nov. Tickets are on sale now, grab yours using the button below.