GRAEAE’S REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL: AN APPRECIATION THREAD!!

I’ve streamed my fair share of virtual culture during Lockdown but of all the online theatre & gigs I have checked out over the last few months l’ve enjoyed none more than . @graeae’s #ReasonsToBeCheerful...

..One of the best, most joyously entertaining & powerfully inclusive pieces of theatre I have ever seen. A raucous, radical & rib-tickling musical coming of age tale, overflowing with the iconic, witty & timelessly infectious tunes of Ian Dury & the Blockheads...

..The cast & musicians were nothing short of incredible. Leading man Stephen Lloyd gave an awesome performance as Vinnie, imbuing the character with the perfect blend of lovable gawky charm & rowdy punk spirit. In the role of Janine, . @BethHintonLever set the stage alight with...

..her vivacious vocals on the classic, Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick & delivered a deeply resonant, nuanced performance throughout. Then of course, there’s Colin, the wild-haired anarchist with a heart of gold & penchant for Walnut Whips. This character is brought to life...

..By the immensely talented, comedic tour de force that is . @BeingStephenC Bravo. A loud & tuneful shout out must also be given to the legendary John Kelly (. @rockinpaddy) the multifaceted singer/actor/disability rights activist plays a pivotal role in the production...

..belting out all of the Blockhead’s best-loved numbers & keeping the play’s rebellious momentum going with his utterly captivating, uproariously energized stage-presence that the great Ian Dury would be proud of!..

As well as its numerous memorable characters, gloriously anarchic humour, tremendously skilled musicians & blood-pumping soundtrack, the thing that thrilled me most about Reasons to be Cheerful was how brilliantly inclusive it was on every level...

The creative powerhouses at Graeae seamlessly weave BSL through the entire piece as well as running a transcript of the play’s dialogue & song lyrics during the show in order to make it accessible to people of all abilities. This production is a perfect example of...

..the vast amount of talent & creative diversity there is within the deaf/disabled community as well as proving exactly why Graeae is *THE* leading light of D/Disabled theatre! As an up-and-coming disabled writer myself, this play lifts my heart & makes me so proud of...

..the wonderful, multifaceted & boundary-smashing D/Disabled arts scene in Britain! I doff my hat to . @GraeaeJennyS & all the team at Graeae for making the kind of art that fills me with hope, joy & inspires me to keep on scribbling. You are all amazing!!..

Reasons to be Cheerful is available to stream via Graeae’s website until this Monday (3rd August). Have a watch! You’ll love every minute of it! Check it out here & support this awesome company in any way you can!! https://graeae.org/reasons-to-be-cheerful-available-to-watch-online/