In Disability for Dunces, Lost Voice Guy, a 2014 BBC Comedy Award winner, presents a vicious show which unapologetically confronts the nondisabled people he encounters everyday. Lost Voice Guy’s guide demonstrates the often silenced voice in society and how it responds to ignorant comments from wankers (his words). The piece is similar in tone to Franchesca Ramsey’s “Shit White Girls Say to Black Girls” which exposes people to the permissible micro-aggressions experienced by others everyday. And in a climate of decreased benefits for disabled people, and an increased rhetoric around ‘scroungers’ in media and in government, Lost Voice Guy’s comedy is a bold retort, far from the inspirational tomes of many others. Even his occasional, casually misogynistic language works to prove that he is the empowered bastard (his words) he claims to be.

His descriptions of looking at himself in the mirror are pointed and reminiscent of the work of Lucy Grealy who, in Autobiography of A Face, describes what it’s like to have an unconventional, or non-normative, appearance. And other potent reflections, on the ‘fixing’ of disabled people, feel to be sharing excellent artistic company with documentaries like ‘Fixed’, the play ‘Telethon’ and (plug for future Sick of the Fringe talk) activism by people like Liz Carr. The hour of standup reminds people to engage with all voices, even silent ones.

DISABILITY FOR DUNCES, Lost Voice Guy, Stand Up Comedy Club - 5 & 6, August 9-30 (various dates). Please contact venue for Accessibility

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/lost-voice-guy-disability-for-dunces

More information on Lost Voice Guy:

http://lostvoiceguy.com/

Liz Carr - Talk on 'Rather Dead than Disabled'

http://thesickofthefringe.com/people/liz-carr

Francesca Ramsey's "Shit White Girls Say to Black Girls"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylPUzxpIBe0

Lucy Grealy - Autobiography of a Face

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYgEYhAd1c

Fixed - Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TaYi15vps