Language of the Birds is a research theatre performance developed by Boris Pavlovich in collaboration with The Centre for people with autism Anton’s Right Here, charity organization aiming at assisting in solving issues that people with autism face. The heart for the plot is a Sufi poem The Conference of the Birds, by a Persian philosopher and thinker Farid al-Din Attar that tells how birds traveled in search of their king. Young actors of Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre as well as students and teachers of the Centre for people with autism Anton’s Right Here perform Language of the Birds together. The ancient parable guides them to start looking for their own scenic language, their own language of birds. Theatre stage has helped them to initiate the search for their own selves in the world that is so often puzzling and scary.
BORIS PAVLOVICH, a theatre director; graduate of Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, St Petersburg. He was an Artistic director of the theatre On Spasskaya, Kirov, 2006 – 2013; nominee of The Golden Mask Theatre Award. Anton’s Right Here - is a charitable foundation that offers assistance on all levels to people with autism spectrum disorder – early detection as well as employment assistance. It helps those with ASD to discover and develop their potential and also informs society about autism.