Speaking about ‘Pool Piece’ Oily Cart’s Artistic Director, Tim Webb, commented: There are so many exciting features about this project. Firstly it sees us collaborating with artists from the eastern region of England, sponsored by the brilliant Theatre Is. Secondly it will plunge two performance poets from the Apples and Snakes live literature organization into the pool with us for one week. But best of all it allows these artists and the Oily Cart team to work with the young people with complex disabilities over a period of up to five weeks. That means that we can really get to know what makes them tick & they will be so much more at ease with us. 

We will transform the pools with underwater lighting, a great circular waterfall, mysterious mists, and giant bubbles gurgling through the water. Our live music will be created using authentic Indonesian Gamelan instruments as well as other especially made for this production.

All of our participants will be accompanied by a teacher or a family member. From experience we know that afterwards they will tell us: “Did you see her turning towards you? She never does that?” “Did you see how he gave you eye contact? I’ve never seen that before.”

What is certain is that the perceptions of the adults who work with these young people are likely to be changed radically, and young people too often categorised as having this syndrome or that disability will be seen in a new light."