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Realwheels Theatre
“ Hell is other people .”
This classic line from Jean-Paul Sartre ’ s classic No Exit has seen a lot of milage over the years . Used bitingly , it ’ s often sighed by those who feel they have to suffer through the actions or company of those they dislike , but that couldn ’ t be further from the truth .
In actuality , “ Hell is other people ” refers to the inescapable gaze of others in how they perceive you , their never-ending judgement and scorn and how this can eventually restrict your freedom , leading to an isolated and lonely life .
Judgement , scorn , and isolation are three things that the disability community faces on a daily basis . With 25 % of Canadians identifying as disabled , they face constant systemic exclusion from much of the world around them and seclusion has become a much bigger problem for the disability community in the past few years due to the ongoing pandemic .
From Zoom to Google
Hangouts to Skype to Facebook Live , there ’ s almost no limit to the ways we can , pardon the old phrase , reach out and touch someone . It ’ s how we make daily connections , have work meetings , or connect with our families . Even live entertainment has turned to online meeting platforms , theatres and clubs offering virtual performances . While they can help unite us , online meeting platforms can also remind us that we are quite alone , trapped in little boxes or bubbles while still lacking that fundamental human contact .