In the 1980s, the Doug Anthony All Stars (DAAS) trio were a renowned shock-comedy band. Reunited now, the passage of time has left them as a self-described 'pensioner, cripple and human being'. Lead singer Paul McDermott performs a purposely uncomfortable attitude towards his bandmates that, combined with parody songs and stand-up, highlights a society in which people are allowed to 'fade out' once they leave the realm of healthy prime of life.
Nils Bergstrand was the first disabled person to graduate from the musical theatre course at London's Royal Academy of Music. He auditioned after a passion for singing revealed itself through therapeutic exercises in acknowledging positive responses to the world, undertaken to cope with the post-traumatic stress of losing his leg.
Romina Puma enters the room using her wheelchair, stands up to get on stage and declares ‘a miracle’. Setting an extravagent tone for her latest show, Cook It How You Like, It’s Still a Potato. Puma quickly discloses as having muscular dystrophy - just in case we are under any illusion she's faking it.
