Alan Dawson
Zoom read through
Performed by members of "Under The Headstocks" and Spectrum Wasp (We Are Special People), who provide support for families with children and young people under the autistic spectrum, this is a play which follows the early life of Graham Smith, from a young lad to him becoming a husband and father. Graham has Asperger's Syndrome.
One of the themes that run through this play is communication. Where would we be without some form of communication? Understanding each other and knowing how to communicate with different people, it's vital for us all to get on, not only in life but with each other.
Asperger's people can come across as very honest, which can also be translated as blunt, some may even say, rude. At the start we see Graham in the car with his Dad, Maurice, forever stressed and in the car. Maurice runs a red light and is stopped by the police. Graham lets the policeman know that Maurice was going faster than he should have done and has even swore in the car. Even this little opener gives us an incite into, not only Graham's life, but the people who surround him.
There are brushes with the law where the policeman doesn't understand Graham's condition and does not communicate the correct information in his questioning, and therefore does not get the required responses due to Graham not recognising the precise enquiry, so does not know the correct response to give.
We see how, in an interview situation, he is completely honest, which actually got him the job. His anxiety with a fellow interviewee and also how his new boss confesses that he had learned from the experience of having Graham working for him by re-thinking how he communicated to people. there is a lovely attitude change with the woman who he was trained up by from when she first met Graham up to his last day of the part time job. Graham changed lives and mind set, showing that the world is a better place for Grahams everywhere.
We see the affect that he has on his family and the stress that his mother, father and sister, Molly, experience and the isolation that family members experience with Graham having to be put first all the time. His father, Maurice even calling him a "nutcase", Molly despising him for his tantrum in the Asda car park which makes her late for her prom. And then there is the stress that Mum has to deal with from all corners. Mum is the juggler of the family.
I am so pleased that Alan created a happy ending to the play as we see Graham fall in love, get married and become a father.
Laura Scruggs
zoomed in from Chicago, and Marlow K Shaw zoomed in from Toronto to read the parts of the two Theorists, providing the facts of Asperger Syndrome.Narrating the links for the play was done by Connor Talbot.
Kian Staley
, Emma and Amy read various parts.Providing the facts behind the support for families who have children and young people were two ladies from Wasp, which was very informative to find out what role they play in real life.
Malcolm Seymour read the part of Maurice and really brought out the frustration of working long hours to pay for the family, holidays etc, or was there another reason that he stayed away from home so much!
Sandy Edwards-Walsh read Mum, and you could physically see the emotion that this play, and role brought out for Sandy.
Jack Liversidge
read Graham and what really impressed me was the vocal delivery of the character, showing that he really got under the skin of Graham.Standing in at the last moment though was a young man, called Josh, from Wasp, as the passenger on the bus that Graham got into conversation with. Looks like Josh could have a future on stage as he came across really well, a natural performer.
Directed by Christopher Neil.
I did wonder why the play was called "Marshmallow Sky" but that was revealed near to the end, which I won't reveal where it comes from.
Wonderfully written with sections that will make you smile but equally will make you think about how you speak and communicate with others, and parts that will make you feel for Graham. It makes you want to give Graham a hug, but he wouldn't like you to do that.
There are not enough new(ish) plays around at the moment that will make you think. This one will.
