Learning Through Shared Laughter

SHOWCASING SOME OF Australia’s funniest comedians with disability or chronic illness, Are You Pulling My Leg? is a raucous accessible comedy show, boasting a line-up of award-winning performers. 

^{By Tierney White}

Presented by Accessible Arts and Crips & Creeps, in cahoots with Arts on Tour, it provides entertaining and uncensored insights into disability. 

Crips & Creeps is the brainchild of comedian Madeleine Stewart who was born missing her left hand and forearm, an inclusive comedy club in Sydney that champions accessibility and comedians who are marginalised due to sexuality, race, gender or disability. Are You Pulling My Leg? is Stewart’s baby, born from Crips & Creeps, who says comedy is a great conduit to discuss serious issues. 

“I think that comedy is the perfect medium to advocate for change. It’s not very preachy, we’re simply just sharing our experiences in a funny way, and people can let their guard down … we’re just sharing how it is in a very funny way, and also in a way that gets people thinking,” she says. 

“It’s really nice, it’s really chill, it’s a good way to talk to people about issues that otherwise would have made people feel uncomfortable.” 

The performance is live-captioned and Auslan interpreted, to help everyone get the punchlines. Stewart says the national tour is designed to highlight issues faced by artists where accessibility is concerned. 

“With our show, and our partnership with Accessible Arts, they come in and train every venue we visit on disability competence and accessibility … to make this kind of lasting impact in the arts scene, because it’s absolutely needed, especially in the comedy industry,” she says. 

“One of our acts on the line-up, Oliver Hunter, is a wheelchair user, and very few comedy clubs are accessible for him to do his work … We’re really trying to push for accessibility, not only in regional towns, but also cities.” 

Also joining Stewart and Hunter on stage to dish out the laughs is Bec Charlwood, Irene Nicola and Sam Wade. Head along and support this show and these award-winning comedians, and help make a difference. Stewart says you’re in for an informative time and a good chuckle. 

“If we’re going to learn and grow, I think humour’s the best way to do it. Learning through shared laughter is what I call it – we’re all together in a room having a good laugh!”

Are You Pulling My Leg? 
WHEN THU 11 JUL | 7PM 
AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE 
COST $35 | $30 CONC 
INFO yourcentre.com.au

^{Photo: Madeleine Stewart}