Rhythms of the Heart
From time immemorial, we have questioned our conscious experience of ourselves and the world around us - what our instinctual being knows and what our rational minds think…is there a connection and if so, what exactly is it?
This is a unique show where Performing artists, scientists and philosophers take inspiration from each other and offer different insights into ‘Heart, Emotions and Rhythms’.
Inspired by everyday life and informed by specialist research, we invite you to celebrate both your emotions and intellect through performance spanning theatre, music, dance, spoken word, circus and shadow puppetry, all navigated by multi-media interactive talks from experts.
Drink it all in with our sense-boggling cocktails designed just for you by mixologists, to titillate and tempt you, confuse and confound you until you can’t quite believe your tongue, nose or eyes!
Consider the thought experiment ‘Floating Man’, by 11th Century Persian philosopher and polymath Avicenna, who asked if someone suspended in air, cut off from all external sensory experience, could possibly be aware of his own existence. Reminiscent of the popular 17th century philosopher Descartes’ famous ‘Brian in a Vat’ thought-experiment or the arguably more popular film ‘The Matrix’, which present that our brains are capable of a complete illusion of the external world, including all bodily sensations, this seems an insolvable metaphysical conundrum, except children when posed this experiment at schools, often insist they KNOW their internal heartbeat…
Explore with scientists as they delve into ‘Interoception’, the physiological detection of one’s internal bodily processes — the ‘sixth sense’ through which we feel our heartbeat without taking a pulse and…
Share in an experience of collective group empathy, as a choir synchronises their heartbeats and connects us all…
Featured in British Science Week, you will have two opportunities to attend on Fri March 20th at 7.30pm and Sat March 21st at 2.30pm (matinee). Additionally, we will be running a pioneering free workshop on Sat March 21st at midday where you will get the chance to gain in-depth ‘embodied’ learning of neuroscientific research of ‘Interoception’ through hands-on theatre and storytelling activities specially chosen for their effective, fun and inclusive participation process. This workshop was premiered and oversubscribed at the British Science Festival 21014, and is open to everyone with no prior performance experience and is suitable for families and children. Book now to avoid disappointment!
