Our computers and TV screens might provide a window onto parts of the world we’d never otherwise see, but how much do those devices also separate our emotions from what’s before our eyes?

This is an especially important question when faced with images of disasters like the recent Haiti earthquake, and one directly addressed by Dutch artist Dries Verhoeven in ‘Life Streaming’. Investigating issues of ‘compassion fatigue’ and the media presentation of individuals as passive victims and statistics, for ‘Life Streaming’ Verhoeven has built an internet cafe 8000km away, where 20 local performers can interact online with an audience of 20 participants at a corresponding temporary internet cafe in the National Theatre.

Using technology to break down cultural and geographical barriers, ‘Life Streaming’ empowers individuals on both sides of the world to speak for themselves, asking both parties to reconsider their relationships with technology, each other and the outside world.

In association with the National Theatre.