Thursday, August 9, 2012

Unlimited Under the Sea

What makes London 2012 special is that there seems to be a strong focus on promoting and showcasing the arts alongside the sports.
The most exciting series of cultural events this summer for me are the Unlimited commissions, which are projects by disabled and deaf artists in the UK.
Some of the commissions are being shown right now around the country: comedian Laurence Clark and dancer Caroline Bowditch have taken their shows to Edinburgh, and 'In Water I'm Weightless, written by the welsh playwright Kaite O'Reilly and starring, amongst others, Mat Fraser, is on at the National Theatre Wales.
During the time the Paralympic games are on, all the commissions will be shown in London, and most of them at the Southbank Centre.
In the next few weeks, I hope to post many reviews or articles about the Unlimited, as I am very excited about it. Most projects seem absolutely amazing, and there should be something for everyone, regardless your interests.



The most stunning image I have seen so far of the Unlimited, and its main marketing image, is a Little Mermaid-esque performance with a self-propelled underwater wheelchair by Sue Austin.
When I was a little girl, I used to be obsessed with Disney's Little Mermaid, and to be honest, I still am - Ariel is the main reason I dyed my hair red. But I always thought that if only Ariel had gotten herself a wheelchair to go around on land, instead of those legs sponsored by the sea witch, she could have saved herself a lot of trouble. For that reason, Sue Austin's project resonates with me, and I can't wait to see more of it. Her 'Creating the Spectacle!' project will be shown in the Southbank Centre from the 1st of September until the 9th.
You can see Sue's, and many other projects, for free, but some events require tickets. More information on the Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre can be found here.

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