Review: Sheltered
Picture: The quilt, blankets and puppets, exhausted after the performance (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Kathryn Hall’s Sheltered is a charming, clever, cheeky, and compelling show (beautifully directed by Andi Snelling).
Kathryn is disarmingly honest, speaking directly to the audience about the difficulties of leaving home, and establishing an independent life, while living with cerebral palsy. I cannot begin to imagine how tough it is to face such challenges, and am full of admiration for this artist who has created a powerful autobiographical show that both moves and entertains.
Don’t expect a show that focuses on the unfairness of Kathryn’s situation, and how difficult this particular life has been. Being thrown out of home (twice), running the gauntlet of railway lines (while on strong medication), having to learn the ‘rules’ of living in a shelter (and then alone) and breaking her teeth (when face-planting), are all mentioned in a straight-forward and often very funny, glass-half-full, self-deprecating way. Which meant that it was all the more impactful, encouraging the audience to reflect on the difficulties faced by so many members of our society.
Kathryn’s funny retelling of so many challenging situations is both uplifting and joyful. The pain of waiting 18 months for public health dental work is more about the joy at the new teeth; juggling the wearying demands of year 11&12 education is an opportunity for a funny heavy pen moment; the ever-changing roster of medical specialists is increasingly entertaining (thanks to Kathryn’s cheeky humour, and the use of the puppet therapists); and the transition through different housing options is upbeat, even when demonstrating the need to crawl up to the second floor room.
As Kathryn notes, ‘sometimes all you need is a simple adjustment.’ This artist may need a more visible Prompter and prompt cards, and a quick ‘disability break’ (complete with a ‘countdown’ clock moment), but these small modifications only added to the fun for the audience.
Movingly, at one point, Kathryn held up a sign reading ‘Disabled beggars can’t be choosers.’ This particular person with a disability is both blisteringly honest and incredibly positive about learning to live an independent adult life. With the help of a few friends along the way—including the wonderful community members who created a handmade and much-cherished quilt for a then-homeless young person—Kathryn’s view is that ‘the universe delivers.’ At the end of the 45 minute performance I think we all felt that we had been listening to a new friend, and would love to have spent some more time with Kathryn.
Just on the subject of time, it was unfortunate that a show which features the value of structure and timetable—including Kathryn’s entertaining run through of a typical day, and of her Undercover Artist schedule—that the Festival team delayed the start of this performance by almost 30 minutes. However, Kathryn rose to the challenge of the imposed delay in a truly professional way. And this was absolutely one show that was worth the wait.
Undercover Artist Festival is promoted as part of Brisbane Festival, with four days of works headlining artists with disability. Unfortunately many of the productions have only one showing in the Brisbane program, which means that if you missed out on seeing Kathryn Hall’s excellent Sheltered, then you need to book tickets for the Melbourne Fringe run (18-22 October).
The Undercover Artist Festival program runs until 23 September. Audiences are certainly spoilt for choice, with 17 ‘unique experiences across comedy, theatre, cabaret, dance, music, poetry and more,’ all presented by Access Arts (in association with CPL) in Queensland Theatre spaces. If you get in quick, tickets might still be available for some shows, including: Screech Arts’ Blind in the Rabbit Hole (theatre/dance, 23 September), The Jingo Brothers (music/comedy, 21 September, 8:45pm), Club Undercover offers a multicultural dance/music feast (22 September), and Wundersounds headliners include soulful acoustic sets, alternative pop, jazz, indie rock, RNB and everything in between (23 September).
Verdict: Kathryn Hall’s award-winning Sheltered is a charming, clever, cheeky, and compelling show, with tickets now on sale for the Melbourne Fringe run. Definitely worth your time.
Image source: https://undercoverartistfest.com/sheltered-a-heartfelt-journey/
Audience information: Sheltered, presented by Undercover Artist Festival, had only one performance at the Diane Cilento Studio, Queensland Theatre, 78 Montague Rd, South Brisbane. 45 minutes (no interval). No warnings, Auslan interpreted, and wheelchair accessible. Tickets $35-45 (plus $5 transaction fee).
The reviewer attended the 7:30pm(ish) performance, 20 September 2023.
The original version of this review first appeared at Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane.