about
Two Men Talking
Johannesburg 1974: A teacher asks two rival schoolboys to tell each other a story. Decades later, they meet by chance in New York as Oscar®-nominated filmmaker and psychiatrist and set out to transform the world through their real life storytelling.
Two Men Talking is a live unscripted performance in which two men weave their life stories into a production that captivates audiences. Their story takes place between South Africa and New York City touching on issues of personal identity, HIV/AIDS, being Jewish in South Africa, and the creation of a lifetime friendship.
“Two Men Talking is our way of making sense of growing up white, Jewish, gay, and privileged under apartheid. Over the many years of creating our storytelling performance, we have listened to one another openly and non-judgmentally so that anything can be spoken. Our stories deal with difficult issues including harassment, homophobia, racism and AIDS, each of which has deeply touched our lives. We invite audience members to intimately share in our experiences. Two Men Talking combines elements of theatre, therapy and real life.
Our intention in performing is to create a sacred space, a moment of possibility that is healing for people and inspires audience members to tell stories of their own, and to value their own relationships. Each unscripted performance is absolutely unique in this continually transforming theatrical experience.”
Jump to: Video | Biographies | The Talk | Tech | Press | Photos | Client Stories
Video
Biographies
Two Men Talking BiographiesPromotional Material
Two Men Talking Promotional Kit Two Men Talking One-Sheet (double-sided)The Talk
"The Talk" DescriptionResidency Information
Two Men Talking Residency & Workshop ActivitiesTechnical Rider
Two Men Talking Technical RiderPress Reviews
What the Critics Say... (various press quotes) Letter from Overlook Medical Center Audience Comments from the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Forbes - Narativ feature New York Times - Performance Review Time Out The List Scots GayPhotos
photo: Judy Schiller
photo: Judy Schiller
photo: Judy Schiller
Client Stories
Paul Browde and Murray Nossel of Two Men Talking have developed in-depth workshops on listening and storytelling that help foster effective communication, team-building, collaboration and leadership. Through Narativ, a company they co-founded, they share their unique method with diverse community, educational and business organizations. The following is a sample of representative client stories.
Story #1: Fortune 500 Media Company
Numbers tell stories: Coaching auditors of Fortune 500 media company
We were hired to improve communications in the auditing department of a Fortune 500 media company. In the assessment phase auditors described feeling misunderstood and unappreciated in the organization. They wanted to learn how to communicate their value to work more efficiently with colleagues in other departments.
By the end of the workshop, each of the auditors had developed their own way to talk about their work in relation to the organization. The result was improved communications, time and cost savings in the auditors’ work in the organization. In post-workshop surveys 90% of participants said they had learned how to communicate their value through this workshop.
One auditor said, “In 14 years of attending corporate trainings this is the best I’ve ever been to.”
Story #2: Disney
Paphos, where East meets West: Building a global team for Disney
The emerging markets division of Disney planned a conference in Paphos, Cyprus to connect 97 corporate leaders from 42 different countries. The task was to create a team-building program to energize and incorporate new members into this rapidly expanding division.
“I learned that there are shared human experiences despite differences in culture, upbringing, life philosophies and belief systems and values.”
Story #3: NY Habitat
Stories connect across the globe: Creating a shared vision for NY Habitat
A NYC based realtor with offices in Paris, Sydney and London came to Narativ with a challenge – the financial crisis of 2008 was affecting the morale of the company which had until that point grown very rapidly.
“We need a new set of guiding principles that all the staff can believe in,” said Marie Jezequel, the company’s founder and CEO.
Narativ worked with 10 company leaders to create new sales stories from their own experience and perform them to inspire and reenergize their staff. Based on these stories the full staff collaborated to create 10 core values that they adopted as part of their mission and vision. Participants reported leaving with a newfound motivation to go beyond their performance goals.
Several months later, Jezequel reported
“Narativ delivered the most inspiring training we’ve ever had, impacting each of our staff from offices around the world. My company overcame uncertainty and disconnection to go beyond what we thought possible in an economic downturn in a matter of weeks. Narativ’s program renewed our members’ belief in the company and rallied everyone around a strong set of core values. Two years later, our staff continues to draw their motivation from Narativ’s program to exceed their performance goals.”
Story #4: International Transport Workers’ Federation
Watch the video below or read the article about Narativ’s storytelling project with the International Transport Worker Federation to combat HIV/AIDS stigma in Kenya.
Narativ founders and trainers have worked in community settings around the globe to teach individuals and groups to advocate for themselves. At the core of the Narativ methodology is each person’s ability to transform their life and the world around them through listening and sharing personal stories.
- In Kenya, we worked with the International Transport Federation Workers to encourage HIV testing
- In Senegal, we helped HIV+ women to advocate for themselves and their communities
- In Croatia, we worked with intellectually disabled adults to foster improved communications and self-advocacy.
Each community building workshop is designed to meet the specific needs of the local community, working to empower individuals and community organizations to work together.
“What an absolute pleasure and enriching experience it was for all participants present! The day was filled with rich knowledge and understanding of the human condition. Narativ created an environment that was safe and secure, which resulted in individuals feeling that they could easily share their stories with each other. Although the stories told were sometimes painful and at other times humorous, they were all heart-warming and left each and every individual with a deeper understanding of what it really means to listen to another tell her or his story.”
- Triangle Project, South Africa