Review: My Life as an 'Inspirational Porn' Star at Toronto Fringe
This one woman show explores life with autism in an autobiographical dark comedy
Gabrielle Leonore is autistic. For her, life continues at its own steady pace. But, to the rest of the world - a world that simply does not comprehend autism - she's an inspiration. The term "inspiration porn" was coined in 2012 by disability rights activist Stella Young to refer to the "objectification of disabled people as inspirations to non-disabled people on the basis of their life circumstances" (Wikipedia). In My Life as an "Inspirational Porn" Star, Leonore deep dives into the deep crevaces of her life with autism blending dark comedy, character work, projections, and sensual boudoir flair.
Told in chapters, Leonore details her life from childhood to bisexual adulthood navigating the world of sex, relationshiops, drugs, and all the other curveballs that life does not provide ample warnings for. While the world continues to approach autism with a steady amount of apprehension stemming from misinformation, Leonore's bold and unapologetic storytelling bares her soul and sets the record straight with thoughtfulness and humanity.
Leonore's storytelling is bold and captivating. Her sarcastic anecdotes, side winks, and cheeky use of props and costuming keeps the audience intrigued and locked into her story beat by beat. Each chapter reveals a new layer of vulnerability to her life coaxing the audience along to further appreciating the life of neurodivergency.
To say that Leonore's story is eye-opening is an understatement. My Life as an "Inspirational Porn" Star is educational but more so for the neurotypical world than it is for the neurodivergent. For those who may not have been diagnosed as neurodivergent but who always wondered why they felt they walked through life feeling different than many others, this is for you.
Photo Credit: Sorcha Augustine
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