Paula's Story is a true and moving drama telling the story of Paula Rees, Chickenshed's Writer in Residence. Set in the late 1970s and 1980s, Paula's Story takes us on an incredibly journey of love, courage and commitment in the belief that every human being has the right to be nurtured. It tells of the magical breakthrough moment when a mother and daughter communicate for the first time through to the discovery and blossoming of Paula's talent as a poet, write and lyricist. The fight for all human beings to be acknowledged for what they can do runs to the core of Chickenshed's ethos, making this play as relevant today as it was when first performed in 1993. Paula was born with cerebral palsy. Medical experts tell her family that there is little hope of her ever leaning or understanding anything. However, spurred on by the love for their daughter and convinced that there is a connection and understanding - Paula's parents fight for her to be appreciated as something more than a statistic. Paula's Story was the very first production in our Studio Theatre and we are very proud to be putting on this play as a part of our 40th Anniversary Year. The play is directed by Mary Ward, Chickenshed's Artistic Director and will see the return to the stage of Louise Perry, Chickenshed's Head of Performance. This play with music by Jo Collins and lyrics by Paula Rees herself is both a powerful, and at times, humorous tale of one family's fight for their daughter's talent to be recognised.| 30 Apr 14 to 17 May 14 | ChickenShed Outer London, Greater London Performance Details => Venue archive |
