Imperfect deserves a standing ovation for demanding action and progress in changing the cultural landscape of disability in the arts. Bravo! Encore! I say.
William Shakespeare famously wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts”. I doubt many of you would disagree with these words spoken by Jaques in As You Like It; after all, our lives are, indeed, a play split into many acts. But while the whole world may be a stage, many of us are still denied entry to our theatres and artistic venues due to a disability. At the same time, disabled representation remains far from where it should be in TV, theatre and film. When did you last see a Broadway or West End show with disabilities actively represented in the cast? Last year? Sometime ago? Never?
I am not saying progress hasn’t been made; after all, we just had our first deaf Strictly Come Dancing winner here in the UK, and the National Theatre has progressed in providing inclusive programming, relaxed performances and representation. Across the pond in Colorado, the Phamaly Theatre Company has provided an essential home for theatre artists with disabilities since 1989. Their affirmative model of inclusion and representation is aimed at transforming the perceptions and barriers to disability on stage, and it’s here that Regan Linton and Brian Malone’s documentary Imperfect picks up the story of Phamaly as it prepares to produce the musical “Chicago”.
Imperfect is not just the story of a dedicated, talented cast and crew who happen to have a disability, from physical impairments to sensory loss, spinal injury, autism, and Parkinson’s; it is a defiant roar to remove the barriers, challenges and obstacles society still places in the way. Linton and Regan follow several cast members as they prepare for the upcoming performance, exploring their lives outside of the theatre. They include Lucy, Adam, Megan, Sam, Laurice and Leonard, all of whom refuse to allow ongoing discrimination to define their opportunities or talent.
The result is a documentary that lifts the curtain on a need for full representation and equity across the arts. At the same time, it asks us all to reflect on the social barriers that force an individual’s exclusion. Regan and Malone’s documentary goes beyond merely celebrating Phamaly and its work, tackling broader themes of representation, opportunity, and inclusion. Imperfect deserves a standing ovation for demanding action and progress in changing the cultural landscape of disability in the arts. Bravo! Encore! I say.
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