Birds of Paradise Theatre Company

Scotland's touring theatre company promoting disabled artists and supporting the arts sector

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Sam and Dave the alien are next to each other holding hands. Dave's legs are straight and spread apart, their free hand is held in front of their face doing the ok sign (three fingers up, thumb and forefinger touching) and she has her mouth open wide as if singing. Sams's free hand gripping the wheel of her wheelchair and her face looks very concerned. Standing behind them is Yvonne the BSL interpreter, doing the same sign as Dave.

Productions ►  

Super Special Disability Roadshow: Live

A global tour trying to find out why disability equality is still lightyears away

The Super Special Disability Roadshow is on a global tour trying to find out why disability equality is still lightyears away. It’s even caught the attention of an intergalactic visitor, who needs to report back home to explain this Earth phenomenon ‘disability’. Join BOP for the full SSDR experience in this funny and engaging show packed with info, songs and the odd argument!

Drawing on stories and experiences of disabled children and adults, the show explores what it means to be disabled and how different generations of disabled people feel about their identities, with characteristic BOP humour, heart and honesty.

SSDR: Live is a hybrid showing incorporating the original film and live performance.

Written and directed by Robert Softley Gale
Dramaturgy by Joe Douglas
With original songs by Sally Clay

Find out about Super Special Disability Roadshow: the Film

Sal, Rob, Oona and Ollie pose with big smiles, and smile for a photograph. They are backstage and there is lighting and sound equipment in the background all set against a greenscreen. They are posing with a large rainbow tube around them.

Schools & Family Resources

Super Special Disability Roadshow This page has information on it to help you have conversations about Super Special Disability Roadshow and the ideas in […]

Super Special Disability Roadshow is both a live show and a film.

To enquire about booking either the live show or the film, please email michelle@boptheatre.co.uk, or download the tour packs –

SSDR Hybrid Tour Pack.pdfDownload
SSDR Film Tour Pack.pdfDownload

The Team

Annaliese Broughton – Live Performer
Katie Anna McConnell – Live Performer
Yvonne Strain – Live BSL Interpreter / Performer
Robert Softley Gale – Film Performer
Sally Clay – Film Performer
Oona Dooks – Film Performer
Oliver Martindale – Film Performer
Natalie MacDonald – Film BSL Interpreter / Performer
Robert Softley Gale – Writer & Director
Joe Douglas – Dramaturg
Sally Clay – Composer
Mairi Taylor – Executive Producer
Michelle Rolfe – Producer
Ali Maclaurin – Set & Costume Design
Cynthia Cheung – Production Stage Manager
Finley Dickins – Technician
Ella Bowsher – Personal & Production Assistant

Access

Audio Description introduction

Transcription of Audio Description introductionDownload

BSL trailer

Super Special Disability Roadshow – BSL Trailer
Plain language and Visual Synopsis for SSDR LiveDownload

Tour Dates

Thursday 9th March 2023
Lanternhouse at Cumbernauld Theatre
Friday 10th March 2023
The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Fri 17th to Sun 19th March 2023
No Limits Festival, Hong Kong
Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd July 2023
Latitude Festival, Suffolk

Audience Reviews

“This show is a MUST WATCH! Loved it!”
“The Super Special indeed !! First show of the tour, and it is really worth going to! If you are interested in understanding more about disability, especially if you have children, truly educational”
“We enjoy the show. How nice the message, element of empowerment and the social issue could be incorporated in a funny and entertaining way. Good if the show can enter into schools and reach out to more communities!”
“I’ve just watched #SSDR and I really can’t recommend it highly enough, for both adults and children. The show grapples with some of the most difficult questions around disability in a completely upfront way, while still being hugely entertaining, funny and very moving. Massive congrats to @BOPTheatre, Urbancroft Films and @ ImaginateUK for making this show. I really implore you to watch it.”

Photos and Videos

Close up of Katie from the shoulders up, her head is tilted to the side and we can see her hands gesticulating as she speaks. In the background we can partially see the SSDR logo on a large screen.
Photo of Dave the alien from the waist up. The background is all black and they have been spot lit. They have one hand in their jacket pocket, and the other hand pointing at something infront of them. Their lips are slightly pursed but with their mouth open.
Photo of Katie from the waist up, she has a neutral expression and appears to be speaking, her hands are raised just above her lap and are close together, the fingers facing each other. Standing behind her is Yvonne, the BSL interpreter, in the middle of signing.
Photo of Dave the alien from the waist up. They have their arms out to the side, their right hand in a claw pose, a bag of skips in their right hand. Their mouth is open wide while their eyes are shut.
Photo of Sam from the waist up. Their hands are loose fists and rest on their knees. Their face is angled slightly to the left and they have an open, neutral expression. Standing behind them is Yvonne the BSL interpreter in mid sign.
Dave the alien sits on the floor, side on to the camera, their green legs stretched out in front of them, and their arms out behind them holding them up. They have a melancholic expression. The background is in total drakness but they have been spot lit.
Dave the alien and Yvonne the BSL interpreter stand side by side. Daves hands are out to the side with their elbows touching their waist and their fingers spread wide. They have a confused expression. Yvonne is signing and also has a confused expression.
Sam sits in her wheelchair, side on to the camera. She has her hands in fists, slightly out to the side of her body, and an expression of energetic can-do energy.
Photo of Dave the alien from the waist up. They have their arms out to the side, but with their elbows pressed to their side. One finger from each hand is pointing away from their body. They are facing slightly to the left of their body, with their eye squinting and a cheeky grin on their face.
Sam sits in her wheelchair, side on to the camera. She has one hand in her lap, and the other hand points at herself. Her mouth is wide open, mid speech.
Sam and Dave the alian are next to each other holding hands. Dave's legs are slightly apart and bent at the knees, their free hand points upwards, and they have a cheeky grin. Sam's free hand grips her wheelchair wheel tightly and she had a nervous expression.
Sam and Dave the alien are next to each other holding hands. Dave's legs are straight and spread apart, their free hand is held in front of their face doing the ok sign (three fingers up, thumb and forefinger touching) and she has her mouth open wide as if singing. Sams's free hand gripping the wheel of her wheelchair and her face looks very concerned. Standing behind them is Yvonne the BSL interpreter, doing the same sign as Dave.
Sam from the waist up, in a spotlight. Their left palm is held upwards, just out to the side of their body, while their other hand is on their leg. She has a neutral expression with a very slight smile. Standing behind her, to the side, Yvonne signs something.
Dave the alien, Yvonne the BSL interpreter and Sam are grouped together on stage. Dave has their hands in their pockets and slightl smile on the lips. Yvonne is signing and has a wide open smile. Sam is slightly in front of them, has her hands held together in her lap, and is speaking with authority to the audience.

Rehearsal Photos

Photo of two people. On the left is Annaleise, a white woman in her early 20s with short curly blonde hair. She has a worried look on her face and is stopping over leaning over to the side with her hands grasping the arm of Katie's wheelchair. On the right is Katie, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair. She is seated in her wheelchair and has a confused look on her face and has one hand out in front of herself with her palm facing up.
Photo of two people. In the foreground is Katie, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair, she sits in her wheelchair with her arms crossed and held at an angle, and a smirking expression. Behind her on one knee is Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s with curly blonde hair. She has her arms open wide and her mouth open equally wide, as if in song.
Photo of Annaleise, a white woman in her 20s with short curly blonde hair. She stands defiantly with her fists on her hips, with a stern look on her face as if telling someone off.
Photo of Katie, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair. She sits in her wheelchair, with her elbows on the arms rests and the hands up in the air with the fingers splayed apart. She has a look of wonder as if she is telling an exciting story.
Photo of Robert, a white man in his 40s with short brown hair and glasses. He is sitting and has a wide open smile. He facing another person but we can only see their back and they are out of focus.
Photo of Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s with curly bonde hair down to her ears. She is stooping at the waist and has her fingers in her ears. Her lips are pouted in a "shhhh" shape.
Photo of two people. Finley is a white person in their 20s with shoulder length brown hair and glasses. Ella is a white woman in her 20s with shoulder length golden brown hair, wearing glasses. They are both seated as a table and appear to be in conversation.
Photo of Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s with curly blonde hair. She stands in a theatre seating bank and has her arms stretched out wide, her eyes shut with an expression of contentment.
Photo of Cynthia, a Chienese person in their 20s with should length blonde hair with a pink tint. She sits at a desk and concentrates on a laptop screen.
Photo of Katie from the waist up, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair. She sits in her wheelchair with both arms extending down out of shot. She has a look of shock on her face.
Photo of two people. On the left is Annaliese, a white woman in their 20s with curly blonde hair. They are stooping at the waist and holding both their hands up to their face, with closed fists with the little fingers on both hands extended and being held side by side. She has a bit of a sneer expression on her face. On the right, facing away from the camera, is Katie, a white woman in hers 20s with long brown hair. They are out of focus and all we can see is their left shoulder and the back of their head.
Photo of three people. In the centre foreground is Robert, a white man in his 40s with short cropped hair and glasses. He sits in his wheelchair, side on to the camera, laughing and looking at something out of shot. Standing in the background on the left is Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s with ear length curly blonde hair. Sitting in her wheelchair in the background on the right is Katie, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair, who is swigging from a bottle.
Photo of Annaliese from the waist up. She is a white woman in her 20s with curly blonde hair. She has a wide grin and both hands held to her head as if itching her scalp.
Photo of Cynthia, a Chinese person in their 20s. She is seated at a table and concentrating on a laptop.
Photo of Katie from the waist up, a white woman in her 20s with long brown hair. She sits in her wheelchair with a hand raised infront of her face, with a single finger pointing upwards.
Photo of Annaliese from the waist up, a white woman in her 20s with curly blonde hair. She has her eyes screwed shut and a big grin.
Photo of five people. In the foreground is Robert, a white man in his 40s with short brown hair and glasses. He sits in his wheelchair. Behind in in a theatre seating bank are Michelle, a white woman in her 30s, who is seated with a laptop balanced on her knee, and Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s, who is standing up. On the other side of Robert two people are seated at a table, Cynthia is a Chinese person in their 20s and Ella, a white woman in their 20s. They are all looking at something out of shot with expressions of interest.
Photo of Michelle, a white woman in her 30s with shoulder length golden brown hair and glasses. She sits in a theatre seating bank with a laptop balanced on her knees. Her expression is neutral.
Photo of Mairi, a white woman in her 40s, with shoulder length golden brown hair. She is sitting in a theatre seating bank and is working on a laptop perched on her knees.
Photo of Annaliese, a white woman in her 20s with curly blonde hair down to her ears. She sits cross legged on the floor and is twisting, smiling at something out of shot.