EDINBURGH 2013 - BWW Reviews: IF THESE SPASMS COULD SPEAK, Pleasance Courtyard, August 4 2013

On paper, a one-man show on the subject of disabilities doesn't really sound like a comedy. Yet it turns out to be very touching, utterly fascinating and surprisingly hilarious.

Robert Softley begins with explaining to the audience that he has cerebal palsy and a speech impediment. He requests that if anyone has difficulty understand something he says, please let him know and he will repeat it.

He explains how his disability affected him as a child, how insensitive even some doctors can be and why his teenage daughter absolutely should not mess with him.

My favourite part of the show was when he described what other people with disabilities had told him about themselves. This was a response to a situation where a man was involved in an accident and was rendered disabled and he committed suicide within a year. Softley had asked people who had a disability what they liked about themselves and added a positive view to the subject.

The performance is beautifully executed and Robert Softley is a fantastic storyteller. This is a very unusual and brilliant piece of theatre.

If These Spasms Could Speak runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until August 26th. More information on tickets and show times is available here.

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