You describe yourself as a ‘perfectly normal queer, fat, functionally blind, Autistic, ADHD, chronically ill, mentally ill, nonbinary person. Is that a lot to come to terms with?

I had an interesting childhood, with the worst OCD ever, so I was lucky to have the most amazing parents who helped me understand there’s nothing wrong with being disabled. That it’s actually society, in a lot of instances, that disables people like me.

That’s an excellent point. How can society help make things simpler? Or more inclusive?

It’s more like, why is there so much stigma to disability? Because I’m like just everybody else and yet, many things are made so much harder than they need to be.

The title of your play Illegally Blind, can you tell us about that?

I have a complex neurological condition, a rare version of visual snow syndrome. This means I see visual disturbances all the time, like static on the TV and in my case, light in my eyes makes me really sick. Just 30 seconds of daylight can put me to bed for a week, so I was given a choice between keeping my vision or living without light and not being in as much pain. 

How long ago was this?

I’ve been functionally blind for six years and I’m 30 now. Although when I first become low vision, I did sulk for a year. 

How do you manage your environment, having gone from sighted to low vision?

I have blackout curtains in my house, although I can handle light in the next room or from the microwave. Amazing technology means I can use my computer and phone. I’ve learned to adapt to different levels of low light, at home, but when I’m out and about, I can’t see anything at all. Although it’s actually more of a struggle for me being autistic and ADHD than it is being blind.

Do you perform your play in the dark?

The play is not in the dark, because our incredible set designer Becky came up with a tiled grid using Velcro and foam that runs beneath my feet, so I perform in bare feet with double lines at the front, back and sides so I know where I am. It’s like pictures for my feet. 

When did you first get in interested in theatre?

I discovered performance in pre-school then, when I was nine, we moved to Levin where there was the most incredible drama teacher Shirley Sylvester who did low-cost classes that were amazing.  I also did speech and drama and a couple of years ago I started doing stand-up comedy.

How did you create Illegally Blind?

I always knew I wanted to create a piece that combined stand-up with theatre. Then, when Touch Compass [Aotearoa’s leading disability professional performance company] advertised for submissions for their Lumana’i project,  offering support to disabled artists to help develop projects, I pitched them this idea that had been in my brain for a while. I told them it would include stand-up, and sock puppets and they said yes.

Accessibility is a big part of this show. How accessible is it?

When we created the season in Wellington, from a visual point of view, we set out to create a show that was more accessible for blind people than sighted. Like when we talked about building elaborate sock puppets, we decided not to because the sighted audience members can just imagine how elaborate they are.  Although it’s still completely accessible for the sighted.

Will you provide audio description?

We actually provide audio description for the entire audience and use it as another character. Sometimes it will even describe extra elements that sighted people will have to imagine, like blind people always must do, so sighted and blind people can have a shared experience. Braille programmes will be standard but if you can’t read braille, we’ve gone to all the bother of making printed programmes, if you really need them. And large print too.

What makes your show a must-see?

Number one. You definitely haven’t seen this before. And number two. Even if I say so myself, it’s hilarious and has massively broad appeal. Our youngest audience member was 10 and the oldest 94 and they both loved it, because it’s a show about being human, and living on your own terms. It’s also a show about disability, but not in the, ‘oh my god, disability is so inspiring, you’ve made me feel so much better about my life’. It’s more about how being disabled is an experience and it’s not the same for everyone. It’s also as queer as heck!

How hard has it been for you, carving a path in theatre?

When most performers enter a room with a director, when they go in, it starts with a ‘maybe’, whereas when I go in it starts with a ‘no’ and I have to try to convince them I’m a maybe. Some directors have been on board from the get-go, but some of the barriers I face are attitudinal so the more shows I do, the more people will see what I’m capable of.

What are you most looking forward to about Elemental AKL?

This is my first proper tour, aside from one theatre festival and speech and drama competitions, so that’s exciting. Also, it’s the third time in my life I’ve been to Auckland, so I’m excited about that too.

And the future?

I want to keep balancing advocacy work with making theatre and to get more opportunities to create things. I'd love to take this show to small towns like one I grew up in, as we didn’t get a lot of touring shows in Levin. I’d also love to encourage other people with disabilities to get on stage, as we don’t always see ourselves onstage, because there are extra barriers.

I know you hate this, but do you mind if I say that the show does sound a little bit inspiring?

My problem with inspiring, the word is used against us a lot, like we should exist specifically to inspire other people. But what I want, is for the disabled community to feel welcomed and that we can create our own theatre and tell our stories without having to make other people feel better about themselves, that we can just do it for its own sake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illegally Blind

When: July 27-30, 8-9pm; Friday 29 July features a relaxed performance. There is a matinee on Saturday July 30 at 1pm. (Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the shows start.)
Tickets: $15-$40