Paper Birds to Bring BLIND to the Marlowe Studio, Oct 15-16

Following a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Paper Birds bring Blind to Canterbury for the second time this year.

UK Beatboxing Champion and star of National Theatre's Home, Grace Savage performs this most unlikely of musicals. An interrogation into the influences on young women today, Savage acts as quite literally a mouthpiece for her generation, exploring the songs, sounds and statements our world is making and the impressions these gradually form on our lives.

Powered by one woman's voice, Blind considers the things young women overhear, that they are told by their mothers, or learn in the school playground or the pop charts and asks how this background noise affects the people we become.

Savage said: "As a beatboxer and an actress, Blind is one of the most refreshing, unique and exciting projects that I have had the privilege to work on in my career so far. There are a few beatboxing shows floating around but I think we have created something truly unique and theatrical in a way that has never been seen before. I have admired The Paper Birds' work for years and working with them has allowed me to integrate beatboxing with narrative in a way that feels meaningful and impactful. Not just the fun party trick or gimmick it can often become. Blind is about challenging perceptions, exploring identity and just opening our eyes that little bit more - coloured with some serious bass from my face along the way."

The Paper Birds Artistic Director, Jemma McDonnell, said: "We know that young people are bombarded with images in the media of how they should look, what they should wear, the body shape they should aspire to have, but we became more interested, not in what in what young people are seeing in the world, but what they are hearing. Alongside this, we wanted to take beatboxing to a new level, as in the show it represents Grace's identity; it is her voice, and she wants to speak."

Savage is the UK's official female Beatbox Champion (2012 and 2013) and recently played Jade in a revival of Home at The National Theatre, following a sell-out run in August 2013. She has worked within such prestigious companies as The Vocal Orchestra (Headline act at E4 Udderbelly tent, Bristol Old Vic, QEH Southbank Centre), Lyrix Organix (Mayor of London Showtime festival tour and Glastonbury 2013) and The Demon Barbers tour of Lock In (Best Live Act Radio 2 Folk Awards 2009). She is also working on her solo album with producer Dee Adam (Newton Faulkner/Andreya Triana/Loick Essien) having recently supported Newton Faulkner on his UK tour which included two nights at Shepherds Bush Empire, London.

The Paper Birds strive to create and share devised work that is culturally, socially and politically observational and conversationally urgent. Their productions emerge from a female perspective, and aim to address and evoke discussion, thought, and emotion when and where it is most needed, whilst retaining the company's signature visual and physical approach.

The company enjoyed hugely successful sell out runs at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe with both Blind and also Broke. Previous performances include the critically-acclaimed In A Thousand Pieces (Fringe First and Fringe Review award winner, 2008), and the highly celebrated sell-out show Thirsty in 2011, and 2013's On the One Hand, with Northern Stage at St Stephen's. The company have been shortlisted for Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award, The Stage's Best Ensemble and Total Theatre's Best Young Company.

Blind, which previewed in Canterbury in April, is at The Marlowe Studio at 8pm on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October. There is a free, post-show question-and-answer session on Wednesday. Tickets are £12 (concession available, booking fee applies), from the Box Office on 01227 787787 or at marlowetheatre.com. It is recommended for those aged 15 and over.

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