Theatre company Grand Ambition has partnered with charities Cerebra, Learning Disability Wales, Swansea Carers Centre and Swansea Parent Carer Forum to bring a play with a powerful message to the stage. MumFighter explores the obstacles faced by the mother of a disabled child, fighting for the support needed for them to reach their potential. It’s a moving, exhilarating and essential play about resilience, hope, and going the distance.
It’s a story that resonated with Carmarthen based charity Cerebra, whose mission is to support families who have children with neurological conditions, such as Cerebral Palsy, to overcome challenges and discover a better life together.
Cerebra Trustee and parent, Isabel Shapiro, explains why the play is so powerful and why it will strike a chord with so many families: “Life as a parent-carer is a rollercoaster. The everyday experience of caring for a disabled child is full of love and joy. But there can also be isolation and despair - daily battles for the care that your child needs and for the wellbeing of the whole family. To see these ups and downs brought to life so powerfully on stage is rare. By putting the spotlight on the shared experience of parent-carers, Mumfighter brings hope through solidarity, motivating anyone who is lucky enough to see the play to demand change”.
Beverley Hitchcock, Head of Research and Information at Cerebra, explains how the partnership came about:
“MumFighter is a story close to Cerebra’s heart. Every day we hear from families who are struggling to access the services they are entitled to. The challenges they face can be overwhelming and to see the struggles that families across the country face on a daily basis portrayed in MumFighter is very powerful. Through our work we not only give individual families support, but aim to break down barriers, change policies and implement changes that will benefit society as a whole. After attending the Research and Development staging of the play last year we knew we had to be a part of bringing this important production to a wider audience”.
The play is rooted in real, lived experience that resonated with the whole team – from the writer, the director and production team to the families who took part in research for the story.
MumFighter’s critically acclaimed playwright, Tracy Harris, who is originally from Swansea, is a writer, theatre-maker & award-winning filmmaker. Director Richard Mylan has a longstanding connection with Cerebra and explains:
“Mumfighter is rooted in writer Tracy Harris’s lived experience of parenting a child who has Cerebral Palsy and was written following research and consultation with other parents across South Wales. It explores the obstacles faced by the mother of a disabled child, fighting for the support needed for them to reach their potential. As a parent of an autistic child myself, it feels very personal to be sharing this story on home turf”.
Cerebra Ambassador and actress Cara Readle has been involved in the project from the start and joined the production as Associate director, giving her the opportunity to develop her directing skills alongside Director Mylan and assistant director Dena Davies.
“I was a part of the research and development process on MumFighter last year as a consultant, someone with lived experience of Cerebral Palsy. This year I was lucky enough to be invited back as Associate Director for the rehearsals ready for the first run of the show. This is my first time in a role like this and I'm so grateful to Grand Ambition for the opportunity. Mumfighter quickly became really close to my heart and I feel privileged to be a part of it and with such an amazing team. It is so important to have a piece of theatre like this, it is a truthful story written beautifully by Tracy Harris and will resonate with so many people”.
The innovative partnership has not only led to Cerebra’s Innovation Centre part-building the set, but also to the charity offering free tickets to the parents and carers it works with across the region. The involvement of carers in the project has been of key importance with community carers events planned for people to share their stories and view rehearsals of the play.
Learning Disability Wales and Swansea Parent Carer forum have been key advocates for the piece, alongside Swansea Carers Centre who have provided free tickets to unpaid carers across Swansea through the Carers Wales funded Amser scheme, which provides invaluable respite for unpaid carers through free days out, trips and experiences.
Actress Katie Payne wowed audiences across Wales and in Edinburgh in Dirty Protest’s My Mixed Up Tape, Payne’s self-penned one woman comedy drama, having previously performed with Frantic Assembly and National Theatre Wales.
MumFighter is designed by Elin Steele Lighting design will come from Cara Hood; Ian Barnard and Georgina Nobbs will co-sound design, Dena Davies is assistant director, Cara Readle is associate director, Nia Thompson will be production manager and Tom Bevan produces. Grand Ambition co-director Steve Balsamo has created music for Mumfighter alongside Swansea Valley music producer Dai Griffiths.
This premiere production of MumFighter has been developed following a creative research and development period co-directed by Richard Mylan and Deborah Light at Swansea Grand Theatre in November 2023.
MumFighter has received National Lottery and Welsh Government funding via Arts Council Wales, UK government SPF funding via Swansea Council, as well as funding and support from Ty Cerdd, the Postcode Lottery Community Trust, Aligra, Cerebra, Swansea Carers’ Centre and Learning Disability Wales.
MumFighter runs until Friday 25th October 2024 at the Grand Theatre in Swansea.