Backstage In Biscuit Land, Beckett Theatre, The Coopers Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 13th 2016

Backstage In Biscuit Land, Beckett Theatre, The Coopers Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 13th 2016

"Backstage In Biscuit Land" by Touretteshero was presented at the The Coopers Malthouse Beckett Theatre as part of the Melbourne Festival on Thursday October 13th 2016.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Backstage In Biscuit Land" had no programme and so the information is from the Melbourne Festival brochure:  The show is written and devised by Jess Thom, Jess Mabel Jones and Matthew Pountney.  It is presented in conjunction with Theatre Works and supported by The British Council.

Upon arrival to the theatre a lady was in a wheelchair and another lady interpreting in Auslan. Off to the stage right you could hear a voice which we later learned was Jess Thom.  Occasionally she would peek her head to look at the audience.  We were told that the performance had not officially begun.  This was like a warm up.

The performance started officially at about 8.03 pm which is another record for the Melbourne Festival.  Three shows starting within three minutes is unheard of in its 31 year history.  Well done Jonathon Holloway for trying to get shows to start on time.

The show is a fun show with lots of laughs and poignancy.  We are introduced to Jess Thom and her co performer who holds an emergency script.  We are also introduced to the Auslan interpreter.

Our perceptions are challenged as the actress Jess Mabel Jones arises from the wheelchair as the show officially begins.  We are told background information about Jess Thom and her experiences of growing up.  

Jess Thom tells us about Tourettes' Syndrome and we are given lots of examples to be able to relate to her condition.  We join in with the various types of tics with vocal and physical examples.  We learn about her experiences of making the show and why it was made.  We do an audience Mexican Wave saying the word "biscuit" and even are offered a tin of biscuits to help ourselves to a biscuit.  Holistically an experience to help us remember the whole show and the beautiful messages it evokes - of inclusiveness.

The staring and no-blinking competition was a great piece of audience participation to emphasise aspects of tics.  We even had to use our hands and follow instructions of where to point.  Though we did not get to do the thumping of the chest activity - but I am sure many people did in their own private way.  All of these different example heightened our awareness and our empathy for people with Tourette's Syndrome or with anyone who is different to us.

Jess Thom demonstrated trying to eat.  She also used seven different toothbrushes to explain about her support workers.  Each of these toothbrushes was not only a different colour but came to life as real people.

Both my partner and myself found the last twenty minutes was hard to understand as the pace of dialogue increased.  We got the gist of it but missed some of the nuances and phrases. Others in the audience had the same difficulty following this last section as laughter came from pockets in the audience.

There were lots of props used to tell stories and created visual cues for us to remember this wonderful event.  I adored the use of the cushions to create a pond to allow the ducks to swim on water.  A half filled clear water-bottle and a light created the ripple effects of a pond. Magical, realistic and so simple.

Having worked with a few people with Tourette's Syndrome I can tolerate their tics more than I can tolerate the rude and obsessive mobile phone, iPAD or tablet "Twankers" who are learning their behaviour by their compulsion for the "Fear of missing out".  These "Twankers" should take a close look at themselves and their anti-social behaviour as they are feeding their obsession.

It is a terrific and fun filled show that is different at every performance but has a structure to follow.
A minor mobile phone and texting issue next to my partner.

"Backstage In Biscuit Land" is a highly recommended show.

I gave this a 7.5/10 as I missed the last twenty minutes in depth.  I could see her again.

NOTES:

"Backstage In Biscuit Land" had no programme and so it is easier to reference the following from the literature by both the Melbourne Festival and the Coopers Malthouse below:

The email sent from the Melbourne Festival to remind us of the performance included the following note:  "All performances will be Auslan interpreted. Jess is one of the 10% of people with Tourette's Syndrome who has swearing tics. This performance may include the involuntary use of words that some audience members may find offensive."

The following was from the Coopers Malthouse website which I know will be be deleted down the track:

"MELBOURNE FESTIVAL 2016 / BY TOURETTESHERO (UK)

Jess Thom finds going to the theatre difficult. So would you if your Tourette’s had you saying words like ’biscuit’ 16,000 times a day. Her solution? Take to the stage instead.

Backstage in Biscuit Land is a comedic tour-deforce that mines Thom’s unique neurology—and the tics it produces—to take you deep inside the rabbit hole of a much-misunderstood condition. Along the way you might encounter penguin gangbangs and squirrel knickers, but it’s hard to be sure when your star is neurologically wired to wander into associative absurdity.

As unpredictable as she is enlightening, joyous to watch even when what she comes out with is at times shocking, Thom is proof that creativity doesn’t stick to the script.

PLEASE NOTE

Jess is one of the 10% of people with Tourette’s Syndrome who has swearing tics. This performance may include the involuntary use of words that some audience members may find offensive."  http://malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/backstage-in-biscuit-land