Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic
My Left Foot/Right Foot continues at the Theatre Royal, Brighton as part of the Brighton Festival until 18 May 2019.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
My Left Foot/Right Foot – The Musical (nominated for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018) is a joint production between Birds of Paradise and National Theatre of Scotland, written and directed by Robert Softley Gale with music and lyrics by Richard Thomas, Claire McKenzie and Scott Gilmour.
To win a drama festival a local am-dram society hits upon the idea of gaining more points by embracing the inclusion equalities agenda through the adaption of the Christy Brown film My Left Foot and by using an actually disabled young man.
Chris may have cerebral palsy but he has no acting experience. A battle follows with the actors who want to present an idealised version and Chris, wanting to do justice to the real Christy Brown and to disability itself. There are further complications when a love triangle erupts.
The musical throws aside political correctness as it disputes the notion that disabled people are victims, trapped inside bodies and needing pity.
Gale, having cerebral palsy himself, has the licence to use non-PC comedy in the hope of getting people to look at disability from an angle other than their own. Despite its serious intentions it is a wickedly funny musical that pokes fun at the attitudes and assumptions of non-disabled people and is not afraid to shock.
The production neatly allows all members of the audience to appreciate the show (including those living with a disability) – surtitles spell out the lyrics and the dialogue while a signer escapes from the usual far corner of the stage to be part of the cast. Even the pianist is used to provide verbal description for the sight impaired. None of these are intrusive. In fact they are often sent up themselves.
The musical numbers are well delivered by the cast and lively choreographed by Rachel Drazek. They range from the hilarious rollicking ‘Irish jig of Drinking Song’, ballads including ‘Look at You’ and ‘On the Outside’ and ‘Spasticity’ which begins as a floor exercise class and leads into a moving declaration by Chris as to how it feels. ‘Why Does the World Have to Change So Fast’ has the shy and self-conscious Ian make a decision about his life. Richard Conlon delights as he captures both the comedy and pathos of the character.
There are fine contrasting performances from Gail Watson (Sheena) and Shannon Swan (Gail). One, overprotective, who sees Chris as the son she never had, the other who only has eyes for his body.
There is a third person interested in Chris’ body, trainee physical therapist Amy who seeks to make him ‘normal’. Katie Barnet literally lets her hair down in ‘Spastic Finger’.
Neil Thomas captures all the egoism of Grant, a one-time professional actor seeking to emulate Daniel Day-Lewis, as he tells the audience in ‘I’m An Actor’.
As Chris, Christopher Imbrosciano, with his own disability, fully emphasises the message being given out by Gale. His performance is full of anger, comedy and sexual frustration.
Completing the cast is Natalie MacDonald, as Nat, who also signs the show and Alex Parker. What a pleasant surprise to see him performing on stage as an actor rather than just conducting. He adds to his duties as MD and pianist the role of commentator and visual describer – all with his tongue firmly in cheek.
The show’s coarse language and humour may be strong but so is the entertainment factor. Its brilliant cast does the material full justice.
Barrie Jerram
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