In these days of social media perfection the real story is often invisible.
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2006 when I lost the use of my right eye and my right leg. My neurologist said my case was serious and that I had around 4 years of mobility left. At the time I was a working artist with a postgrad in electronic imaging and suddenly my life hit a brick wall – I couldn’t see properly, or drive, I couldn’t stand up in fluorescent light, or work on a computer. So I did what anyone should do At age 36 I travelled 3000 miles to New York and became a stripper!
That decision changed how I view disability, and how I view gender, sexual representations, and art. This research and development is building towards a show which explores those themes in a wild, moving, silly and uplifting way.
VIEW is a research and development project exploring what it means to have invisible barriers, and how we choose to deal with them
My own journey was with Multiple Sclerosis and I chose to create an alter ego, to be a sassy showgirl on the outside and a crumbly wreck on the inside. For me the invisible journey was how to dance naked while at the same time being unable to stand up properly. I learned how to bullwhip a flower out of an audience members hand … when I cant see properly! Sometimes our only good choice is to take a leap of faith, and to discover who we can become when faced with adversity.
I’m interested people who struggle with adversity, disabilities, and how they have overcome them or learned to manage them to live their best life.
I’m happy to say the project will draw on the expertise of many artists to ensure the resulting show is the best it can be. I’m also happy to have the support of
This Research and Development Project is supported by
The Multiple Sclerosis Trust
DaDa Fest
The Everyman Theatre Liverpool
The Arts Council
Follow my progress as I chat with people about their own struggles, how they over came them in surprising ways. There will be more to come here
[FACEBOOK] [ INSTAGRAM ] [YOUTUBE – PODCAST]