A slapstick comedy on disability that is full of twists and delivers a meaningful message
Lights, narration, action! Cured premieres in the Liverpool Royal Court with a statement on misogyny that sets the tone for the rest of the show. Julie Mac stars in her role as the narrator and God with Naomi Gray backing her up as the British Sign Language interpreter- a massive plus for accessibility to all. When it comes to accessibility, they score full marks with all corners have been covered: changes of scenes are vividly described, props and sets are designed with high contrasting colours and subtitles projected on the screen above the stage.
Inspired by real life experiences of people with disability, Cured takes on the challenge of delivering an impactful view on society’s view of disability, with a side of comedy and drama that would keep most on the edge of their seats. Reese Pantry plays Connor, a lad who hopes to score love and action with Rose, played by Maisy Gordon, on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. His efforts are thwarted by Sister Mary, played by Pauline Daniels, who follows every commandment in the bible down to a T, with some additional interpretations of hers. What follows is a rollercoaster of events that eventually lead to all the characters realising the importance of acceptance, viewing some with disability for who they are instead of their disability, and tolerance of differing opinions.
Laurence Clark’s experience with stand-up comedy shines through the script as tense and serious moments are often interjected with slapstick humour that never felt too crude. The show would benefit from a longer run time or a tighter focus as while characters such as Connor and Rose were written for a deeper level of connection, there were times when it felt like there could have been more time spent towards developing their back story, allowing the audience to empathise with their struggles through shared experience instead of exposition. There was a respectable attempt to discuss many progressive topics such as religion, freedom of expression, individuality, freedom of sexual orientation, with a large focus on being able to look past the disability and viewing an individual as a person. Pacing was generally on the faster side, with appropriate slowdowns when exploring more intricate topics, but it never felt too rushed.
Trying to redefine societal views on disability through comedy, and in a format that appears less like a documentary and more an interesting adventure is a challenge. The effort and consideration that underpins this production is commendable, especially with the careful thoughts towards accessibility. Areas for improvement in character development keep it from being a perfect watch, but it still remains recommended viewing for those with limited awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities.
This show runs at Liverpool’s Royal Court until 6th June. Tickets here