Presented by Birmingham Repertory Theatre in association with Ramps On The Moon.
By Nikolai Gogol
In a version by David Harrower
“It’s not good, gentlemen. That’s why I’ve gathered you all here. An Inspector is coming… a Government Inspector!”
The Mayor is in a cold sweat. News has reached him of an imminent visit from a Government Inspector. His fear is well-founded as he has been somewhat lacking in his official duties. The hospital’s a health hazard, the school’s a war zone, the soldiers don’t have trousers to march in and he never quite got around to building that church!
Surely the only possible solution is bribery; it seems to have resolved many a sticky situation for the Mayor and his team in the past! But a simple case of mistaken identity leads matters to spiral hysterically out of control. Could it be that they have met their match in the complicated business of deception?
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RAMPS ON THE MOON is a ground-breaking touring project that sets out to put more deaf and disabled people on our stages, in our audiences and our workforce. Bringing together seven major theatre companies, it will change the way theatre made by and for D/deaf and disabled people is seen. These companies are committed to putting D/deaf and disabled artists and audiences at the centre of their work and stimulating awareness of disability issues within arts and culture.
The Cast
With subtitles and signing throughout
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This was totally bonkers!
And the cast are all obviously bonkers too to carry it off so well.
As it says above a very mixed cast of various disabilities who were all great actors, the girl that played the mayors daughter had the most amazing facial expressions that I couldn't stop watching her even when she wasn't the one talking! The script was so fast and funny that most of the time their disabilities were totally irrelevant then they would add something hilarious that could only happen because of their challenges, when one actor just couldn't understand another because she only signed so she gave a huge sigh and spun him round and pointed up at the subtitles to say "just read it for yourself". Also when the main con-man who was very very tall promised to marry the mayors daughter after flirting with the mayors wife, both ladies are very short dwarfs which made for hilarious antics especially when the daughter just leapt about five foot up into his arms.
I'm sure I will keep giggling for some time as I remember other snippets.
We could all do with a bit more bonkers in our lives.
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2 comments:
Now I know what D/deaf means.
C used to do quite a few workshops with Chicken Shed in London (I think there are others in other towns - Milton Keynes has one). The HE kids would be directed by the students on their drama classes, as part of their course assessment, all of whom had some form of disability/medical need/impairment. It was great. The environment was so positive and enthusiastic. Wish we lived nearer to support it more.
Really good to see productions breaking away from a specific 'home' theatre and touring. Fab.
I've heard lots of great things about Chicken Shed. Important that everyone has the opportunity to show off and shine eh?
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