Theater that unites all abilities

On Dec 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a new song titled I've Decided to be Born was released. The track was performed by Chinese pop star Vinida and members from the Leyi (Pleasure) Theater Troupe, a unique theater collective of drama enthusiasts with pan-disability.

"We hope to bridge the worlds of those with and without disabilities through theater, helping more people truly understand what disability means," said Sun Yan, the 37-year-old founder of the troupe. "Disability is not a condition affecting only a few; it is a part of the human experience that many people may face at some point in life."

Sun is often called "Yaoyao", a nickname inspired by yaojing (mystical beings) from Chinese mythology, symbolizing her resilient spirit in the face of adversity.

She lives with situs inversus, a rare congenital condition in which her internal organs are reversed — the heart, liver, and other organs are on the opposite side of the body from where they normally would be — and she also has severe heart complications.

"My condition is an invisible challenge. I may look perfectly healthy on the outside, but my body struggles with everyday physical activities," Sun explained. "I want to bring these hidden barriers to light on stage."

Theater became a powerful medium for Sun to overcome hidden obstacles. In 2023, she founded the Leyi (Pleasure) Theater Troupe, bringing together a diverse group of theater enthusiasts with varying abilities — including those with hearing, vision, and mobility disabilities, as well as rare diseases — and non-disabled participants. Most of the members are amateurs from different backgrounds.

"Our troupe is dedicated to breaking down all barriers and creating an environment where everyone can integrate with a sense of joy, just as our name suggests," said Sun.

Finding voice on stage

Wang Xiaomin, a 28-year-old actor with low vision, is also an audiobook narrator. Since childhood, he has been passionate about language arts, especially Chinese comedy forms like xiangsheng (crosstalk) and pingshu (storytelling). However, he never imagined he could perform on stage.

"When performing comedy, audiences often hesitate to laugh when they see an actor with a disability — they worry it might be offensive," he explained.

In 2023, a friend sent him a recruitment notice for the Leyi troupe, and Wang decided to give it a try, hoping that learning acting would improve his audiobook narration skills.

Since joining, Wang has participated in nearly 20 performances of the troupe's original plays, The Reversed Future and The Decision.

One of his most memorable roles was in The Decision, a play set in a future where parents can communicate with their unborn children through brainwave technology. This allows the child to understand the world they will soon enter and decide whether to be born.

In one performance, Wang portrayed "Little Monkey", an unborn child whose mother is pressured to carry the pregnancy to term despite her own reservations.

As someone who was abandoned at a young age, Wang felt a deep personal connection to the role. "People often ask ifiresent my parents, but I don't," he said. "I understand they probably made that decision because they couldn't afford to raise a low-vision child."

With this understanding, Wang chose to portray Little Monkey's emotional journey through "compassion" rather than "resentment".Sensing his mother's sorrow, Little Monkey ultimately decides not to be born, hoping to spare her the pain.

Wang Yi, 33, who works in a stable business career, has also found empowerment through theater. Diagnosed with hearing loss at the age of four, she underwent a long rehabilitation process. "My parents taught me how to speak and listen again, fighting against fate," she recalled.

Her most frequent role is Luo Tianran, one of the main characters in the sci-fi play The Reversed Future. In the story, people with disabilities can receive body modifications, while non-disabled individuals like Luo are marginalized.

"This role resonates deeply with me because it reflects the struggles individuals with disabilities face in real life," Wang Yi explained. "When I went for job interviews, I was often rejected as soon as they learned about my hearing loss, without any consideration of my qualifications or abilities."

For Wang Yi, theater gave her the courage to embrace her true self. Through her performances, she realized that "imperfection can also shine as a brilliant part of the show".

"The scriptwriters and directors create roles inspired by the unique experiences of our actors," she said. "Through our performances, we bring these one-of-a-kind characters to life in a way that non-disabled actors simply cannot replicate."

Unity in diversity

Collaboration among troupe members with different abilities presents unique challenges on stage. In The Decision, for example, blind and low-vision performers must work alongside with deaf and hard-of-hearing colleagues — a situation that initially seemed impossible.

"Blind and low-vision individuals are unable to see sign language, while deaf and hard-of-hearing members can't hear spoken dialogue," explained Wang Xiaomin.

The actors managed to overcome these challenges by incorporating both visual and physical cues into their scenes, bridging the communication gap seamlessly. For instance, deaf and hard-of-hearing performers might gently tap a colleague's shoulder after signing, serving as a subtle prompt.

"The understanding we share comes from our close relationship offstage," Wang Xiaomin said. He noted that troupe members never focus on their disabilities but instead foster a comfortable, inclusive, and welcoming environment for everyone.

Sun believes this is the troupe's true goal: "It's not about showcasing people with disabilities on an awareness day and saying, 'Look, we need to help them.' True equality is when we treat each other as equals, as friends."

She proudly shared that many of the troupe's videos are edited by their blind and low-vision members.

"The public often holds prejudices against blind and low-vision individuals, assuming that because they can't see, they can't do anything," Wang Yi said. "But everything we can do, they can do too — and they even do it better."

Art beyond boundaries

Sun recalled that in 2023, the troupe was invited to perform at a public welfare event in a forest on the outskirts of Beijing. The uneven ground posed a challenge for wheelchair users, making movement difficult.

"But we still decided to take the opportunity," Sun explained. "Physical barriers should never stop Leyi from performing anywhere."

This "nothing-is-impossible" spirit also resonated with audience members. Each Leyi performance is supported by volunteer sign language interpreters and bilingual Chinese-English subtitles, ensuring accessibility for all.

Today, the troupe has performed in theaters across China and showcased their work at several prestigious festivals, including the Wuzhen Theater Festival and the Prism Mini Theater Festival.

One unforgettable moment for Sun came when the troupe won the best play award at the 2024 Nanjing Festival of New Theater.

After the performance, a member of the audience with a disability approached the troupe, saying, "This is the first time in my life I've seen people with different abilities shining on stage, showing their fullest, most powerful selves. I'm so proud."

"I hope our work not only boosts the confidence of our actors but also inspires others, helping them experience the diversity and vitality of life," Sun said.

mengwenjie@i21st.cn