The disappearing tail of the Tiger Dublin Fringe is quickly followed by the colossus that is the Dublin Theatre Festival, running from September 29th to October 16th. The programme this year is packed with festival favourites such as Brokentalkers, Anu Productions and a new Frank McGuinness play, along with contributions from international artists around Europe and beyond. But in the midst of sophisticated dance pieces, operas and theatrical spectacles, a rare gem of a show playing in the Axis Ballymun can well claim to be the most unique production of the festival. Why? Because each performance of the show is different. The performer is neurologically incapable of staying on script.
It is rare that an audience will be encouraged by a performer to laugh at their disability, but this is the first instruction of Backstage in Biscuit Land, Touretteshero’s two woman show performed by Jess Thom and Jess Mabel Jones (or “Chopin”) and devised by themselves and producer Matthew Pountney. Jess Thom has Tourette’s syndrome, which amongst other symptoms causes her to say “biscuit” up to 16,000 times a day. As well as verbal and physical tics, Jess will blurt out sentences without even thinking. She met her fellow performer, whom she refers to as Chopin, when she went to see her in a performance at the Young Vic and shouted “Keith Chenoweth is dead!” during a tense scene onstage. In other circumstances Thom has not had such happy experiences with live theatre, and this is the core issue she tackles in the show. Through comedy, puppetry and song, Thom deconstructs the myths around Tourette’s Syndrome and uses personal experience to discuss the issue of disability and the arts.
Each performance of Backstage in Biscuit Land is a relaxed performance with Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation. Expect laughter, challenges to your perspectives on disability, and of course, plenty of biscuits.
The show runs in Axis Ballymun from October 5th to 6th. Tickets may be purchased through Dublin Theatre Festival or Axis Ballymun box office.
