The Reason I Jump: A Review.
Anyone who knows me (either online or in 'the real life') will know that I spend (far too much) time reviewing films that most folk would class as unreviewable - and in some cases unwatchable - this is probably because I'm very easily pleased when it comes to cinema but mostly because the remit for my film blog is to be as funny (OK as childish) as possible.
Plus other than saying 'I like that!' I actually find it really difficult at times to express how much I love something in words, it's much easier to flap about and cry if somethings brilliant*.
Which is hard to put across in a blog I'm sure you'll agree.
Which is probably why it always ends up reading like a rejected Talbot Rothwell Carry On script.
All that changed tho' when I discovered that the National Theatre of Scotland were staging an outdoor production/adaptation of Naoki Higashida’s book The Reason I Jump, especially when I found out that our twin engines of destruction had being doing some sound effects work for the app. that accompanies it.
Apologies in advance if this post goes off at random angles or appears to be more like a stream of consciousness than my normal well-written overviews, it's just that I really want to express not just how brilliant the performance was but more importantly how deeply affecting I found it.
For those of you who haven't read it - or skipped the last post, or are lazy - the book was written by Higashida when he was 13 years old and addresses in question and answer form, everything you could ever want to know about being Autistic.
Frankly it's brilliant and you should go buy it now.
I'll still be here when you get back.
But how do you go adapting what is, in reality a list of 58 questions regarding Autism into an interactive, outdoor performance without it being more of a lecture or - Heaven forbid - somewhat preachy?
Well director Graham Eatough and his team have managed to achieve just that in a way that surprisingly makes you lose any doubts you had about the whole thing being possible.
The entire production not only has an incredibly organic feel to it but also seems to belong perfectly in its environment.
It should be there because it is.
Everything about it, from the front of house staff, to the wonderfully simplistic yet intricately designed labyrinth and the natural charm and honesty of the performers is just so right as to feel that the whole thing has always been a part of the landscape.
And there is something decidedly low-key and intimate about the leisurely pace at which you explore the woods and follow the paths leading to each performer, you almost forget that you're in the middle of a bustling city, the trees acting as a natural soundproofing that leave you immersed in the environment.
Taking the books questions as a starting point, each performer talks about their own experiences, interests and beliefs in an open and honest way that succeeds in showing the reality of Autism in a way I'd never experienced before, truly it was like coming home.
I could go on and on about the production but to be honest that's not important and you can find that information out anywhere, what I want to stress is the fact that this adaptation of The Reason I Jump is quite possibly the most perfect encapsulation and expression of being Autistic that I've ever experienced, overwhelming, funny, confrontational and cosy in equal measures it needs to be experienced.
I really think that in the future this production will be seen as far more important than anyone realizes.
If you have any interest at all in Autism in all its glory (and if not then why?) you really have to see it and if there's any common sense in this NT world then it would be a permanent fixture in every woodland or park in the country.
Sheer, unadulterated joy.
*You can probably tell that I don't imagine Mark Kermode having many sleepless nights.
Plus other than saying 'I like that!' I actually find it really difficult at times to express how much I love something in words, it's much easier to flap about and cry if somethings brilliant*.
Which is hard to put across in a blog I'm sure you'll agree.
Which is probably why it always ends up reading like a rejected Talbot Rothwell Carry On script.
All that changed tho' when I discovered that the National Theatre of Scotland were staging an outdoor production/adaptation of Naoki Higashida’s book The Reason I Jump, especially when I found out that our twin engines of destruction had being doing some sound effects work for the app. that accompanies it.
Apologies in advance if this post goes off at random angles or appears to be more like a stream of consciousness than my normal well-written overviews, it's just that I really want to express not just how brilliant the performance was but more importantly how deeply affecting I found it.
For those of you who haven't read it - or skipped the last post, or are lazy - the book was written by Higashida when he was 13 years old and addresses in question and answer form, everything you could ever want to know about being Autistic.
Frankly it's brilliant and you should go buy it now.
I'll still be here when you get back.
But how do you go adapting what is, in reality a list of 58 questions regarding Autism into an interactive, outdoor performance without it being more of a lecture or - Heaven forbid - somewhat preachy?
Well director Graham Eatough and his team have managed to achieve just that in a way that surprisingly makes you lose any doubts you had about the whole thing being possible.
The entire production not only has an incredibly organic feel to it but also seems to belong perfectly in its environment.
It should be there because it is.
Everything about it, from the front of house staff, to the wonderfully simplistic yet intricately designed labyrinth and the natural charm and honesty of the performers is just so right as to feel that the whole thing has always been a part of the landscape.
And there is something decidedly low-key and intimate about the leisurely pace at which you explore the woods and follow the paths leading to each performer, you almost forget that you're in the middle of a bustling city, the trees acting as a natural soundproofing that leave you immersed in the environment.
Taking the books questions as a starting point, each performer talks about their own experiences, interests and beliefs in an open and honest way that succeeds in showing the reality of Autism in a way I'd never experienced before, truly it was like coming home.
I could go on and on about the production but to be honest that's not important and you can find that information out anywhere, what I want to stress is the fact that this adaptation of The Reason I Jump is quite possibly the most perfect encapsulation and expression of being Autistic that I've ever experienced, overwhelming, funny, confrontational and cosy in equal measures it needs to be experienced.
I really think that in the future this production will be seen as far more important than anyone realizes.
If you have any interest at all in Autism in all its glory (and if not then why?) you really have to see it and if there's any common sense in this NT world then it would be a permanent fixture in every woodland or park in the country.
Sheer, unadulterated joy.
*You can probably tell that I don't imagine Mark Kermode having many sleepless nights.
Comments
Post a Comment