FESTIVAL OF THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS
During the month of August every year, since 1947, Edinburgh (where I live) is saturated with culture in all its forms and expressions. Music, comedy, theatre, dance, opera, literature and any new form of communication you can think of. And had not thought of.
The concept was set up in the wake of the Second World War to ’provide a platform for the flowering of the human spirit’. And it does. It is simply outstanding in its exciting offerings from all corners of the world.
Juxtaposed between a Gospel opera and a mesmerisingly hilarious Aussie comedienne, Felicity Ward, who once asked someone if they spoke HongKongese, I went along to see a play, EXPECTATIONS, about the complexities of giving birth to and then caring for a disabled child. Actually, the play centres around two couples, with the other couple deciding to terminate the pregnancy when they find out that the baby is severly disabled. Not exactly a subject matter that lends itself to a lighthearted hour at the theatre. However, Kristina Branden Whitaker of The Gothenburg English Speaking Theatre, has written, and performs in, a very, very powerful play about the randomness of life and the unimaginable challenges that comes with the territory of parenting a child with Special Needs. Emotionally exhausted, but grateful to Kristina for writing such a morally challening yet uplifting (and quietly funny) play about a subject matter that needs to be highlighted, I am so pleased the play won ’The Fringe Review Award for Outstanding Theatre’ 2010.
Even the Scottish Parliament is festivaling, with its own ‘Festival of Politics’. It’s their way of engaging with the public. They too deserve an award, as their varied and interesting programme really reflected the title of this years festival, ’Changing Politics’. Unfortunatley I missed Annie Lennox speaking, great I heard, about her AIDS campaign.
However, I did hear the formidable Jackie Baillie, MSP co-chair a session called The Trouble With Transition – about growing older with a Learning Disability. A very relevant subject matter to my family, as we find ourselves right in the middle of that Bleak Landscape Called Transition.
The majority of the speakers, ranging from school age to middle age and representing the various and perilous periods of transition, had some form of impairment. They all spoke with courage, honesty, humour and enthusiasm about their experiences (good and bad) and so sent us, the audience, off inspired to keep the pressure up.
The two school girls who spoke, summed it up though;
It’s all about having a choice. The right to choose school, education, life style, profession, habitat, support etc.
If that was the status quo, then we would have equality.
