Two years ago I went down to
Ingfield Manor School to see some Christmas plays. It was one of those days that stays with you for your whole life and represented a bit of a turning point in my life. You can find out more when/if you read
How Not To Grow Up (though you'll have to wait until May for that).
I had been moved by the performances and as I had sat there I had wished that a certain person could have been there to share it with me. I hoped that in the future she might accompany me to another show at the school.
Today she was there by my side.
Which was rather pleasing in itself.
I was very tired as it's been a busy week and we'd had to get up pretty early to make it here, and it had been a stressful drive, with my sat nav
once again trying to take me down the muddy back entrance to the school. By the time I had managed to find the front entrance the first play was all but over. But from what little we'd seen my girlfriend already seem captivated in the same way as I had been. I knew she'd like it.
The older kids at the school were putting on the second play and it was an ambitious attempt to stage a shortened version of the musical Grease. But they hadn't overstretched themselves. It was another triumph.
I recognised quite a few of the kids from two years ago - one of the Christmas Trees who had swayed along to the Toploader song was now a rocker, singing "Greased Lightening" (with some of the ruder bits extracted) and the wicked stepmother was now a cheeky and smiling Pink Lady. It was cool to see them growing up. And still getting as much out of these performances.
I loved seeing this version of the musical. Having all the parts played by disabled people gave it a whole new raft of meanings and possibilities. This story doesn't have to feature physically perfect or beautiful actors to work its magic. It's themes are universal. First love and adolescence is the same for us all. I think it would make a more amazing and interesting film if all the staff and pupils of Rydall High were played by disabled people. But it might also work if they were all played by fat people, or old people or babies. Any of them would make you think about the story in a new and different way and make you throw off your preconceptions.
The kids did an awesome job though and made me laugh and cry and again made me glad that my audiences and I have done a little bit to help keep places like this running. This year we've already raised £15,000 including gift aid and I haven't even done the tour yet. So as always if you want to make a contribution to this brilliant cause and these inspirational young people
then you can do so here.
