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Words by Andrea Drobna

First performed almost 20 years ago, Kaite OÔÇÖReillyÔÇÖs award-winning play Peeling is a revolutionary performance focused on womenÔÇÖs and disability rights. Through incorporating audio/visual cues as well as sign language throughout the production, the show had been made accessible to all audiences, outshining the production of many mainstream theatre performances. Recently, the play has been reworked by Taking Flight Theatre Co., a team of over 30 inspiring women passionate about presenting the ideas brought to life by OÔÇÖReilly to todayÔÇÖs audiences. The stars of the show, Bea Webster, Ruth Curtis, Steph Lacey and Erin Hutching are a cast of D/deaf and disabled women, brilliantly unapologetic about the struggles that their disabilities present and how they cope with the challenges faced by women everywhere. Despite the lapse in time from the original airing, many of the issues apparent in the early 2000s are still relevant, making for a timeless play that can be revisited by todayÔÇÖs audiences. Starting on the 9th of March, Peeling will be touring across Wales with a week-long run in CardiffÔÇÖs Chapter Theatre between the 30th of April and the 4th of May.

The press night for Peeling took place on March 8th, 2019, celebrating both the rebirth of the production as well as International WomenÔÇÖs Day. The evening was filled with wine, arts and crafts, and poetry readings, closing off with the two-hour showing of the play. The events before the play were an amazing way to meet some of the members of the audience, as it was quite a small group of people were invited to the viewing. The audience included an array of deaf, blind and disabled individuals, all extremely excited to view a production that accompanied all their needs. I went into the theatre without any previous expectations, as I had never experienced a play presented in an accessible theatre. I was curious to see if any of the added elements to the play would be distracting, and how it would be interpreted by the other audience members.

Overall, I absolutely loved everything about the production. Throughout the duration of the play I was at the edge of my seat, always waiting for what would come next. The actresses tackled issues of reproduction rights, abortion and overall feelings of feeling left behind brilliantly, often speaking directly to the audience members, bringing them into the scene taking place. I found that the use of sign language and audio cues added to the merit of the performance, really highlighting the talent of the actresses. There wasnÔÇÖt a point where I felt like the added audio or visual cues were distracting, confirming that these elements could easily be added to any theatre production, and revolutionize the way that disabled audiences experience live theatre. The production also taught me a lot about how unaware I am about the issues that those with disabilities face daily and made me more aware of how much I take for granted. Everything from the layout of the theatre, to the kindness of the cast of Taking Flight Co. and the diversity of the audience was flawless, and I wouldnÔÇÖt change a thing. I will definitely be back to experience this production again in Cardiff, and I highly recommend that everyone joins me.