Here We Are

“here we are

soundless

lain flat in the blue light of the internet

in our corners of endless privacy

we are present but absent

close but far

full but empty

alone in a sea of millions

stars

each of us

shining

pulling

reaching through darkness

dying, some of us

before our light is ever perceived”

"Here we are" is a piece I have been writing throughout this past year. It was not a commission, nor did I have a theatre or audience in mind as I wrote. It was more like an unstoppable outpouring of words and thoughts and emotions to try to make sense of the upheaval of the world as we knew it. "Here we are" is an expression of pain and longing. It is an act of empathy. It is a search for community in a time of profound isolation and division. There is something intrinsically flawed about this text which aspires to dissolve boundaries between individuals and expose the interconnective tissue between us all. But that’s okay, I think. This text is as much about failure as it is about success; about the journey rather than the destination, and besides, this is only my third draft. I considered printing a hundred copies and snail-mailing it to a hundred friends and colleagues I’ve missed over this past year. But there are more than a hundred. And there are so many people I still haven’t met. So ... on the anniversary of the great lockdown, I share with you: "Here we are."

Production History

Crow’s Theatre (Chris Abraham AD, Sherrie Johnson ED) produced Here We Are in March 2021 with writing/vocal recording by Erin Shields, music by Thomas Ryder Payne and book design by Alfred Mulroy. It continues to be available free to read and/or listen to.