Позитивные изменения. Том 2, № 1 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 1 (2022)

The research showed that in spite of the fact that the audience of the play, film and training is prepared — participants know quite a lot about Down's syndrome and have a very good-natured attitude to such people — the project still opens something new for them and shows people with disabilities in an unexpected way.

Participants most often described people with Down syndrome as «sunny», "wonderful", «kind» and «nice». They also emphasized that people with Down syndrome are essentially no different from other people and have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else around them. Slightly less frequently there were opinions that people with Down syndrome are very interesting, special and even have more talents than people without the diagnosis. Very rarely were there opinions that people with Down syndrome are sick, unhappy, constantly facing difficulties and injustice to themselves.

It is important to note that before watching the film or performance the audience had rather abstract, generalized ideas about people with Down syndrome. After the events, there were more responses that people with Down syndrome were very different, had potential, acting abilities, their emotions became more understandable. Here is the conclusion: by observing a person with Down syndrome in specific situations (performance) the audience becomes more interested in the life of such people and gets to know them better from a different, less stereotypical side.

44 % of respondents admitted that they became more attentive to people with Down syndrome after the performance and, in general, believe that many people's attitudes will also change after the performance.

The main revelation for the audience who watched the film "Eat an Elephant” and the performance was the extraordinary acting abilities and the palette of diverse characters and emotions shown by the mentees of the” InterAction Project” project. The behavior of people with Down syndrome on stage aroused the greatest interest in the audience, and it did not matter whether the actor was in the framework of his role or improvised. Some audience members noted that they did not always understand when an actor was acting and when he seemed to "fall out” of his role.

Despite the high praise for the acting, certain aspects of the performance seemed unsuccessful to the audience: the lighting, the sound and the story itself. Here are some of the reviews:

"That last tirade certainly killed it. Because you just take a pair of scissors and cut it out, throw it on the rubbish bin. Who does that? I thought they were going to play it up. Because if such a common to vulgar text is introduced, it's usually played up somehow. Then they introduce on purpose or something opposite to show or add something that would add new meanings to it. That wasn't there, and she talks and talks. Standing on a chair and standing".

"I liked that the performers were as honest as possible, their utmost commitment of some kind. What I didn't like, I guess, was the construction itself. The construction itself is technical, the construction of the performances. Because it is misleading".

In the discussion that followed the performance many people in the audience admitted that people with Down syndrome now seem even more sincere, open and interesting to them. The acting sparked very serious interest and strong emotions. Some of the panelists even commented that the acting of people with Down syndrome is as good as that of professional actors, and it is a pity that there are no more interesting roles and scenarios for them. Here are the opinions of the audience: