This production, in association with Birds of Paradise Theatre Company (BOP) has something for everyone, humour, religious ideology, satire and awareness of issues around disability.
Writer, Laurence Clark, a stand-up comedian, actor,
presenter, and disability rights campaigner was born with cerebral palsy and utilises
his work to help change perceptions of wheelchair users and people who are
physically challenged. He was inspired to write Cured by revisiting memories of
his own teenage trip to Lourdes, the holy Pyrenean pilgrimage site.
The plot revolves around a trip to Lourdes, France, generally
regarded by Roman Catholics as a holy pilgrimage but this group of disabled
Liverpudlians are less than reverent or respectful of the occasion or the historic
sanctuary.
Well-known local comedienne, Pauline Daniels takes the lead as
Sister Mary whilst Maisy Gordon, Julie McNamara (JulieMac), Sophia-Adzoa Moore,
Naomi Gray, Reece Pantry and Stephen Smith, using a speech synthesiser, play the motley crew of unbelievers, all with sex
on their minds wistfully hoping for a miracle of a relationship to happen,
whilst Oliver Mawdsley plays the young guitar playing ex rock band member, Father
Luke.
The set interchanges from a hotel bedroom to Lourdes gift
shop, the Lourdes chapel and St Bernadettes sanctuary.
Appropriately named hit songs such as The Beach Boys, ‘God
Only Knows’ and Barry Manilow’s ‘It’s a Miracle’ are interspersed throughout
the production.
The show has a BSL interpreter and text displayed for those
hard of hearing or deaf, audio description commentary provided by a female playing God describing
what is happening on stage and in-between scenes which is especially helpful for
visually impaired or blind members of the audience.
It’s a laugh-out-loud comedy, full of expletives, sexual
content and is not suitable for those easily offended by religious references
or sexual content.
The show, directed
by Robert Softley Gale, runs on
the main stage until 6th June 2026.
For more
details and tickets see https://www.boptheatre.co.uk/productions/cured/
Reviewer –
Anne Pritchard
On - 28th
May 2026
