The Graeae Theatre Company’s production of Kerbs starts its journey at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. What better place for the company to celebrate their 40th anniversary than the City of Culture? After watching Kerbs, their longevity doesn’t surprise me. They are a theatre company who represent and provide varied 3-dimensional roles for primarily deaf and disabled actors. Their work is varied, relevant and most importantly, entertaining. 

Kerbs, a new comedy written by Michael Southan, contains only four characters, with only three actors (you do the math!)  Lucy is 24 and has just recently started dating David. They dream of having some space to themselves which proves very difficult with Lucy’s Mum being her full-time carer. The 90-minute play explores the highs and lows of what it is like to be dating with a disability and the attachments we have to those who need us most.

The star of the show is the set.  The design by Amanda Mascarenhas is simplistic, yet is able to adapt to every scene and character’s needs.  A plain wall showcasing sparse tactile paving is much more intricate than first meets the eye. Indeed, these tactile pavements may represent the ‘kerbs’ our character’s face, but they also become cupboards, fridges and can even be propped up as a table by a well-placed crutch. It also acts as a screen for Joshua Pharo’s wonderful lighting.  Through lighting and video, we are transported onto a zoom call, intimate texts via a dating app, a train journey and even a karaoke screen with words and all.  

This wonderfully inclusive show caters for all needs: the dialogue is displayed across the set throughout and while our two young lovers are sending each other aubergine emojis, we are getting a full audio description: “aubergine emoji, can’t wait to see you later, wink face’.  The diverse audience reflected this inclusivity, some with visible disabilities themselves. 

The songs played before the show begins gives us a strong indication of the age of our characters and where the story might begin.  After a mix of modern R‘n’B and dance music, we go straight into Lucy and David’s dating app conversation, full of sexual innuendo and insecurity.  Maya Coates who plays Lucy and Jack Hunter who plays David have great chemistry. You are rooting for their relationship as soon as the lights go up. 

Lucy has a more severe disability than David and this is dealt with very honestly. Her Mum Carol and her part-time carer Toni are both played wonderfully by Rekha John-Cheriyan.  Each character Rekha plays are clearly different yet the care and trust shared between Rekha and Maya is hard to ignore and wonderful to see. In one scene, Lucy is helped into a hoist by Toni and the intimacy this requires doesn’t go unnoticed.  An extremely gentle yet ultimately natural scene with the two of them at its core.  It is surprising how you can be captivated by watching one person help another into a hoist during a theatre production, but it was.  Beautifully directed by Nickie Miles-Wildin and one step forward into normalising this very freeing device that many people rely on.

The script itself is wonderfully clear and directive and the humour is there throughout.  However, the play seems a little laboured at times and could perhaps be just as powerful slightly condensed.  A sub plot involving Toni having lost her wife, although moving, isn’t quite necessary as the theme of the play is strong enough on its own.

But this show truly is one of a kind and we suggest you go and see it and make up your own mind.  In the words of Lucy and David (who make many hilarious wheelchair puns throughout) – “you’re in for a smooth ride!”

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Sophie Eaton

Kerbs plays at Belgrade Theatre Coventry until 5 March before touring. For more information, please click here.