Act Naturally - With Alex Bulmer and Shayla Brown

The holiday season is upon us once again, and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to do an episode all about theatre and the performing arts. After all, there is nothing like a good movie, play, or television program to compliment the cold, snowy winter. And so, this month, Naomi Hazlett is joined by stage and film actresses extraordinaire, Alex Bulmer and Shayla brown, to talk all about navigating the vast world of performing arts when you have low or no vision.

Named one of the most influential disabled artists by UK’s Power Magazine, Alex Bulmer has over thirty professional years’ experience across theatre, film, radio and education. She is fuelled by a curiosity of the improbable, dedicated to collaborative practice, and deeply informed by her experience of becoming blind. She is activated by obstacles, well exposed to the absurd, and embraces the disciplines of generosity, listening, and uncertainty within her artistic and personal life. Alex is co-founder of The Fire and Rescue Team, former artistic director of Common Boots Theatre, and was recently lead curator of CoMotionFestival 2022 with Harbourfront Centre. She is an award winning actor, playwright and a BAFTA nominated screenwriter.

Shayla Brown is an actress who has appeared in various film, television, and theatre productions. She is known for her supporting role in Sarah Polley’s Women Talking, as well as appearing in The Apple TV original series, See. She is also an up-and-coming performer in the Canadian Theatre seen, starring in the world premiere of George F. Walker’s orphans for the Czar in Toronto. When asked about working with Shayla, Sarah Polley, an academy award nominee and the director of Women Talking, said “she brought this wisdom, vulnerability and strength. She was also deeply attuned to the dynamics in the room, which is so important on set. She’s incredibly generous, and she’s a couple of steps ahead of most actors. A lot of actors will bring up the problems they’re facing, Shayla also offers solutions, and that’s incredibly helpful as a director.”

Together they talk to Naomi about how they got started in the performing arts, the similarities and differences between live theatre and film and television, and tell stories about experiences working with directors and set designers in order to ensure they had accommodations on set, even mining them for creative gain.

Finally, they provide some advice to those getting started in the performing arts, and share their recommendations for the media and performing arts industry going forward, particularly in the realm of casting blind and low vision actors across all types of roles, and creating inclusive environments where everyone can excel. As Alex herself puts it, “You are not playing blind, but rather you are playing a character who is blind.”

Follow Alex Bulmer on Facebook and Instagram, her website at alexbulmer.co.uk, and Perceptual Archaeology.

Follow Shayla Brown on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and IMDB.

What did you think of this episode? Get in touch with the podcast by joining our Listeners Facebook group, or by sending us an email at LivingBlindPodcast@BalanceFBA.org.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and twitter, by searching Balance For Blind Adults.

The show notes and transcription for this episode can be found at BalanceFBA.org/Podcast.

Donate to BALANCE: BalanceFBA.org/donate