Birds of Paradise Theatre Company

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

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The woman is standing on the left behind the musical equipment that is covered in a blue sheet. She is smiling. On the right, the man in the wheelchair is holding a microphone with his mouth wide open and his head thrown back. In the middle of them, there is a screen on wheels with two people on it against a white background. One of these people appears to be holding a white toy pony.

Productions ►  

Super Special Disability Roadshow

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!

Recommended for ages 7+ and their humans

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

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.
Project

School & Family Resources

The Super Special Disability Roadshow film features Rob and Sal, two disabled individuals, discussing accessibility and disability experiences in schools. The resources on this page encourage conversations and actions to enhance accessibility for all.

The Team

Robert Softley Gale – Writer & Director
Robert Softley Gale – Performer
Robert Softley Gale – Artistic Director

Access

To listen to an Audio Description introduction to SSDR please click the play button below, or for a transcript of the text, click the button below the audio link.

Super Special Disability Roadshow – BSL Trailer

Tour Dates

Thursday 9th March 2023
Lanternhouse at Cumbernauld Theatre
Friday 10th March 2023
The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Friday 17th, Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th
No Limits Festival, Hong Kong
Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd July 2023
Latitude Festival, Suffolk

In the Media

“[An] exploration of the changing politics of disability”
Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
“… a collision of memories, bickering, songs, animations, jokes and serious commentary.“
Mark Fisher, The Guardian
“Smart, funny and nuanced online show exploring lived experiences of disability“
Thom Dibdin, The Stage
How the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival is gearing up to stage live performances
Preview: The Scotsman

Photos and Videos

  • 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.

Production Story

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
Annaliese BroughtonLive Performer
Katie Anna McConnellLive Performer
Yvonne StrainLive BSL Interpreter / Performer
Robert GaleFilm Performer
Sally ClayFilm Performer
Oona DooksFilm Performer
Oliver MartindaleFilm Performer
Natalie MacDonaldFilm BSL Interpreter / Performer
Annaliese is a white woman in her 20s, with platinum hair tied back, with two fronds falling down to frame her face. She stares quite intently in to the camera.
Katie anna is a white woman in her 20s. She has dark brown hair, partly tucked back behind one ear on one side, and partly cover her face on the other side. She is giving a slight, cheeky grin to the camera.
Yvonne is a white middle aged woman with long light brown hair falling past her shoulders. She wears large lensed glasses and has a small nose piercing. She is smiling at the camera and giving a double thumbs up.
A photo of Robert Softley Gale. He appears to be white and in his late 30s. He has brown hair that is spiked up at the front. He is wearing a blue top and is smiling widely.

Annaliese Broughton

Katie Anna McConnell

Yvonne Strain

Robert Softley Gale

Sally is a white middle aged woman. She has golden hair falling down to her shoulders, she is smiling warmly.
People sit around a rehearsal room. In the foreground is Oona in her chair, in the background is Joe, holding an iPad and Sal facing Oona with her back to the camera.
A photo of Ollie backstage. He is doing a wheelie on the large back wheels of his wheelchair with the small front two up in the air. He has a facemask pulled down at his chin
A close up of an actress in a yellow top on stage. She appears to be singing and signing.

Sally Clay

Oona Dooks

Oliver Martindale

Natalie MacDonald

Robert GaleWriter & Director
Joe Douglas – find out moreDramaturg
Sally ClayComposer
Mairi TaylorExecutive Producer
Michelle RolfeProducer
Ali Maclaurin – go to websiteSet & Costume Design
Cynthia CheungProduction Stage Manager
Finley DicksonTechnician
Ella BowsherPersonal & Production Assistant
A photo of Robert Softley Gale. He appears to be white and in his late 30s. He has brown hair that is spiked up at the front. He is wearing a blue top and is smiling widely.
Joe Douglas is a middle aged white man, with long cruly grey hair falling past his shoulders. He stares neutrally into the camera.
Sally is a white middle aged woman. She has golden hair falling down to her shoulders, she is smiling warmly.
A black and white photo of Mairi Taylor that look to have been taken on a ferry. She appears to be in her mid 30s, white, she has medium length dark hair and glasses. She is smiling at the camera.

Robert Softley Gale

Joe Douglas

Sally Clay

Mairi Taylor

Michelle is a white female in her mid 30s. She is smiling at the camera and the picture if of her head and shoulders. She has light brown wavy hair down to her shoulders. She is wearing dark rimed glasses that much the bedded necklace she is wearing and her brown eyes. She is wear a pink top which is dotted with blue and white.
ali is a white middle aged woman. She has short cropped grey hair and is wearing long dangly metal earings. She is looking neutrally into the camera.
Cynthia is a Chinese woman in her 20s. She has light brown hair cropped hust to her shoulder. She has her head slightly tilted to side and is smiling very wide.
Headshot of Finley, a white woman in her 30s with shoulder length brown hair and glasses, smiling widely into the camera
Ella is a white woman in her 20s. She has brown/ blonde hair that falls just past her shoulders. She has glasses with large lenses and thin frames, and is smiling at the camera.

Michelle Rolfe

Ali Maclaurin

Cynthia Cheung

Finley Dickson

Ella Bowsher

Robert Softley GaleArtistic Director
Mairi TaylorExecutive Producer
Michelle RolfeProducer
Callum MadgeEngagement Manager
Morna McGeochDevelopment Officer
  • Written by Robert Softley Gale
  • Directed by Joe Douglas
  • With original songs by Sally Clay
  • Film made in association with Urban Corft
  • An original commission by Imaginate for Edinburgh International Children’s Festival

[toggle title_open=”Director’s Note” title_closed=”Click here for the Director’s Note”]

Our show goes wrong…at least, that’s what Rob would say. 

He would sit there, with a star on his chair, telling everyone who cares to listen about what is right and wrong about disability.

But the show doesn’t ‘go wrong’, it’s just different from what was expected. It becomes different because Ollie and Oona, the young heroes of the story, speak up and say what they believe to be true, how being disabled affects them and how it is different from Rob’s experience.

Sal’s experience is different again – she doesn’t use a wheelchair like the others do – she is blind, which shapes how she accesses the world around her. For years, she has been Rob’s smiling, singing sidekick, trapped in a show that doesn’t express what she is really feeling. Rob doesn’t really listen to her, until the children’s words make her feel more brave.

Oona says that the key message to pass on to children about disability is: “talk to one another”. 
Talking only works with a lot of listening. And then understanding. And then changing what you do as a result, how you act. Put it all together and you have COMPASSION, which is really what The Super Special Disability Roadshow is all about.

Joe Douglas 
Director of Super Special Disability Roadshow

[/toggle]

[toggle title_open=”Writer’s Note” title_closed=”Click here for the Writer’s Note”]

At BOP we’re constantly trying to reach new audiences in ways that are engaging and entertaining – trying to make the stories of disabled people more part of wider society so that barriers begin to come down. And like most messages, the key to getting this one across is to ‘get them young’. I used to be asked for my views as a ‘young disabled person’ all the time and then, one day, I realised that didn’t happen anymore – because I wasn’t young. So I wanted to find out how things have changed for young disabled people nowadays – have they got better or not?

Through workshops in schools and with groups of disabled young people we gathered stories and found some potential performers – Ollie and Oona stood out from the first time we met as being great examples of what today’s young disabled experience is. This show has taken a few years in the making as we knew what we wanted to say but not exactly how to say it. Everyone involved – the director, producer, designer…everyone – has brought so much to this show but my costar and the songwriter extraordinaire – Sally Clay – is probably our secret ingredient. Her generosity, amazing musical skills and cutting wit are so much of what this show is about. A huge thanks to her and to everyone else.

We’d love to be sharing this show with you ‘in the flesh’ right now but, until that’s possible, please sit back, hit the play button, and enjoy MY show! 

Robert Softley Gale
Artistic Director – Birds of Paradise Theatre Company

[/toggle]

[toggle title_open=”Set and character descriptions for context” title_closed=”Set and character descriptions for context”]

The following slideshow contains a series of images from the Super Special Disability Roadshow production.

The stage has a keyboard on stage right covered in a light blue cloth and the floor matches the colour of this cloth. For the backdrop there is a large rainbow arch with the letters ‘SSDR’ painted in a bright graffiti design in the middle. The D has the silhouette of a person in a wheelchair in it. There are a few black flight cases for equipment dotted about the place.

Rob is a middle aged white man with short brown hair and glasses in a wheelchair. He is wearing a bright blue t-shirt with the same SSDR graffiti logo as the set. Sal is a middle aged white woman with blonde hair who is blind. She is wearing a bright pink tshirt with the same SSDR logo and a yellow baseball cap sideways. Ollie and Oona are two children who appear in the show via video chat. Ollie is ten, a wheelchair user, with short blonde hair and glasses. Oona is seven, a wheelchair user, with a short bob haircut.

[/toggle]

  • The woman is standing on the left behind the musical equipment that is covered in a blue sheet. She is smiling. On the right, the man in the wheelchair is holding a microphone with his mouth wide open and his head thrown back. In the middle of them, there is a screen on wheels with two people on it against a white background. One of these people appears to be holding a white toy pony.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • A close up of Sally behind the music deck. She appears to have a keyboard in front of her. Her mouth is open as she appears to be singing.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • Robert and Sally are sitting in foldout chairs in front of the aforementioned set. His seat is much taller than hers. He is looking down at her as they appear to be having a conversation. On set there is a woman with short dark hair sweeping the stage.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • Sally and Robert are positioned at the front of the stage. Robert, on the right, has his arms positioned in an X as he looks over at Sally. Sally, on the left, is smiling and has her hands lifted at her sides as if mid gesture.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • Sally stands behind the music desk. There is a long fluorescent light bulb running across the top of it that lights her face. It is giving of a lilac glow. Her mouth is open and she appears to be mid song.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • A close up of Robert on stage. He is smiling with his mouth wide open and his hands open at either side of him.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • Sally stands behind the music deck with the fluorescent light on top of it. On the floor in front of the desk, there are 3 long lights with 4 different coloured bulbs in each of them: red, yellow, green and white. The white bulbs are lit up. Robert is near the front of the stage and is looking back at Sally with one of his hands opened and raised.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker
  • A shot of Robert near the side of the stage. He has both of his arms stretched up high in the air. To the right of him, there is the screen on a wheelchair. The wheelchair has various brightly coloured stickers all over it. The screen is split with video feeds of Ollie and Oona, at the top is Oona with a dark bob haircut holding a white toy unicorn. Beneath her is Ollie.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Shots from filming the show. Photos by Niall Walker

[toggle title_open=”Descriptions for context” title_closed=”Descriptions for context”]

The following images are taken in different backstage rooms at Screen Skills Academy, where the SSDR film was made. Some of them are taken at some of the location shoots for the filming. The pictures feature Rob, Sal, Ollie, Oona (described above) and Joe Douglas – the director – a middle aged white man with a tight pony tail, and other various members of the crew.

[/toggle]

  • Sal, Rob, Oone 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.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • A swing set outside. There are two very young toddlers, each in their own swing with behind pushing them. In front of them there is a man on one knee holding a camera filming them. Everyone is wearing thick winter coats.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • A rehearsal room full of people spread out on chairs. The camera is focused on Joe (the director) middle aged man with long grey hair that is pulled back. He is wearing a green patterned mask and is looking at something off camera. He has one hand reached out and is touching something large and blue on the floor.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • Oona sits backstage. She is holding a large red and green tube in their hands as if about to dunk her head in the end. It is about large enough for a person to crawl through.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • A photo of Ollie backstage. He is doing a wheelie on the large back wheels of his wheelchair with the small front two up in the air. He has a facemask pulled down at his chin
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • A photo taken outside of a small building. Rob and Sal are surrounded by a camera crew. There is a camera and a mic on a boom pointed at them. Joe and Oona watch on from a distance.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • People sit around a rehearsal room. In the foreground is Oona in her chair, in the background is Joe, holding an iPad and Sal facing Oona with her back to the camera.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • A shot of a cluttered corridor. There are various things lining it, such as: lights, cardboard boxes and pieces of furniture. In the middle there is Ollie in a wheelchair looking down at their phone.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • Sal, Rob, Ollie and Oona pose in front of a green screen in a diamond formation. They are all wearing different coloured T shirts that have ‘SSDR’ written on them. Sal is at the back, smiling with her arms outstretched and a folded cane in one hand. In front of her there are Roba dn Ollie, who are both smiling. At the very front is is Oona, who has her arms in the air.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova
  • Seven people sit around two white round tables in front of a large window. There are various food and drink items on the tables. Everyone is looking towards Joe who appears to be reading off of an iPad.
    The Super Special Disability Roadshow: Filming behind the scenes. Photos by Katerina Barvirova

The video below is a Q&A with Joe, Robert and Sally, hosted by Noel Jordan, Festival Director – Edinburgh International Children’s Festival

[toggle title_open=”The Cast” title_closed=”The Cast”]

Robert GalePerformer
Sally ClayPerformer
Oona DooksPerformer
Oliver MartindalePerformer
Natalie MacDonaldBSL Interpreter / Performer

[/toggle]

[toggle title_open=”The Creative Team” title_closed=”The Creative Team”]

Robert GaleWriter
Joe Douglas – find out moreDirector
Sally ClayComposer
Lewis den Hertog – go to websiteAV Design
Ali Maclaurin – go to websiteSet & Costume Design
Natalie MacDonaldBSL Interpreter
Emma-Jane McHenryAudio Describer
NovaSound – go to websiteSound Design & Production

[/toggle]

[toggle title_open=”The Production Team” title_closed=”The Production Team”]

Niall Black – go to websiteProduction Manager
Avalon Hernandez – find out moreStage Manager
Siobhán Scott – find out moreStage Manager (on book)
Andy ReidAV Technician
Guy Coletta – go to websiteProduction Sound Engineer
Urban Croft – go to websiteFilm Makers
Niall Walker – go to websiteMarketing Consultant

[/toggle]

[toggle title_open=”For BOP” title_closed=”For BOP”]

Robert Softley GaleArtistic Director
Mairi TaylorExecutive Producer
Michelle RolfeProducer
Callum MadgeEngagement Manager
Morna McGeochDevelopment Officer

[/toggle]

The Super Special Disability Roadshow film comes in three different versions:
1 – with Captions; 2 – with BSL interpretation (there are 2 BSL options to choose from); 3 – with Audio Description.

Once you make a booking for the performance, you will be sent the option of each of the above versions for you to choose from. Watch the BSL trailer below.

Now that you have watched The Super Special Disability Roadshow, we have a whole host of different ways young ones can continue to think about and explore the issues raised in the film.

WE DIDN’T MAKE IT ON OUR OWN:

The Super Special Disability Roadshow was commissioned by Imaginate and produced as part of the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival 2021

[toggle title_open=”A quote from Robert” title_closed=”A quote from our Artistic Director, Robert Softley Gale, about being part of the festival”]

Large graphic of a quotation mark in dark blue

“Birds of Paradise were delighted to be commissioned by Imaginate to take our approach of adult theatre to younger audiences. Working with young people in making this show has been incredible fun. We like being honest and so do they! We are excited to bring conversations about disability into schools because we’ve been doing it far too long for adults and the world isn’t changing fast enough! Maybe the future will be accessible? We think we have made something that will make everyone laugh and think – and leave with a better understanding of disability.”

You can find out more about Edinburgh International Children’s Festival 2021 here.

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