Puppetgate
Those of you who aren’t on autistic twitter are missing out on Puppetgate.
Hold onto your pants because this is going to get UNREAL.
1. A London playhouse reveals that it will be doing a play about a family whose non-verbal autistic child is being sent to an institution.
The autistic child will be represented by a puppet.
2. Autistic Twitter: “A puppet? What the fuck? Like we already feel like we are treated as inhuman things with no voice.”
3. Play supporters: “but Julia from Sesame Street is okay right?”
4. Autistic twitter: “…true but why a puppet?”
5. Playhouse: “because of child labour laws. You can’t ask a non verbal autistic child to perform in a play day after day.”
6. Autistic Twitter: “but why couldn’t a small adult actor just…”
7. Playhouse: “okay and here is the puppet!”
8. Autistic Twitter: “Oh dear god what is that unholy abomination?”
9. Playhouse: “it’s great right? This puppet is going to be SO MUCH more like an autistic child than a human could ever be!”
(Seriously)
10. Autistic Twitter: “how could that creepy goblin represent an autistic child better than an actor could?”
11. Playhouse: “Well you see because he’s a non verbal autistic and aggressive so things get pretty physical and also it would be stereotypical and insulting to make a human play an autistic person but if we use an inanimate object it’s fine.”
12. Autistic Twitter: “We are NOT okay with this.”
13. Playhouse: “You haven’t even seen the play. We consulted with so many autistic people.”
14. National Autism Society: “Yeah you consulted us and we told you that this play was problematic and that you should make some major changes including dumping the puppet.”
15. Playhouse: “And we took those notes under advisement.”
16. NAS: “But you didn’t make the changes.”
17. Playhouse: “No. Because you just a read a script and we know you’ll all feel differently when you see it.
18. Autistic Twitter: “So… can autistic theatre critics get free tickets so we can see if?”
19. Playhouse: “No we can’t afford to give out free tickets to critics.”
20. Non-Autistic Critic: “Actually you offered ME free tickets and I turned them down saying you should give them to an autistic critic.”
21. Playhouse: “…Hey look, opening night!”
22. Non-Autistic Critic: “So I went to see it and… it’s really weird. The parents are terrible people and I cannot for the life of me understand why they thought an adult man with a grey faced goblin sprouting from his groin making autistic noises was more realistic than an autistic actor playing the child themself.”
23. Non-Autistic Autism Advocate: “I went to see it and it was SO GOOD. I totally forgot that Laurence was a puppet he seemed so much like a real autistic child in that he was not human and he didn’t even feature that much in the play.
The heartbreak of the family dealing with the tragedy of autism was so real and honest and I have NO idea why people are offended by this wonderful play that portrays autism as a family-destroying evil.
24. #ActuallyAutistic Critic: “GUYS I WENT TO SEE IT AND OMG. Theatre isn’t sensory friendly, non sensory friendly performances, no trigger warnings on anything even though it’s full of ableism and screaming people.
Plot of the play is that the kid is being taken by social services to go to an institution.
Big plot twist is that the mom called them herself because she couldn’t handle the autism anymore.
Puppet just flaps around and occasionally attacks people. I actually really love puppetry but this was messed up and not well done AT ALL.
These people are all terrible. Dad has been taking shits on the Mom’s pillow and blaming it on his non-verbal son.
Puppet gets pinned to the ground in that move that can kill people.
The puppet’s care worker says that autistic people are animals who have reincarnated as people, and he’s still the best human being in this play.
This is play is an ableist shitfest written by allistics for allistics about the tragedy of autism and how it destroys families.”
25. Autistic Twitter: “Sorry, did you say the Dad SHITS ON HIS WIFE’S PILLOW AND BLAMES HIS SON??”
26. Allistic Twitter: “This play was SO brave to be so honest about how awful autistic children are! So refreshing to see a play showing the PARENTS’ viewpoint for once!
(SERIOUSLY)
So that’s where we are right about now. If you want to go be angry the hashtag on twitter is #puppetgate
Here is a link to Shaun May’s amazing and horrifying review of this tire fire of a play.
