The Theory of The Theory of Everything – My Review from this issue of PosAbility

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Mik Scarlet

This week Eddie Redmayne won yet another award for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the Theory of Everything. My review has just been published in this issue of PosAbility magazine, but as so many of you have been asking to read it I thought I would also put a scanned version up online. As well as my thoughts on the film I explore the wider issue of non-disabled actors playing disabled, and chat to disabled acting talent to find out their views.

I’d also love to know your thoughts on the issue, so please send me your comments.

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the image.

If you are having trouble reading these images here is a PDF version. Theory-of-everything-review-posability

You can purchase a hard copy from PosAbility.

Huffington Frenzy and other stories.

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Mik Scarlet

Chained to my desk

I have been a busy boy recently.

As August drew to a close, I found myself reflecting on what it means to be getting old. I had just celebrated my 49th birthday, and as my parents were told I wouldn’t make it past the age of 5 the fact that I am nearly 50 really hit home. So I wrote it all down in a piece called Aren’t You Lucky? or Another Birthday, Another Miracle.

Something that I really enjoyed was reviewing some of the shows put on as part of the Unlimited Festival at London’s Southbank at the start of September. In case you missed them here they are;

The Dinner Party Revisited – Katherine Araniello’s fun filled anarchic video performance show.

Guide Gods – Claire Cunningham’s exploration of religion and disability using dance, music and spoken word.

Let Me Stay – Julie McNamara’s one woman show about her Mother and the impact that Dementia has had on her the wider family.

I’ve also written a round up review for PosAbility magazine, that will be in the next issue.

My monthly column in Disability Now covered a recent trip to sunny Margate, and I had another arts review published on the Huffington about the wonderful Penny Pepper’s show Lost In Spaces.

Just as I thought it was time to focus on a series I am currently writing on the topic of bionics (perfect for someone who dreamed of being the Six Million Dollar Man as a child) I found that I had to put finger to key board in reply to an article in The Guardian called “Don’ts aren’t working: Here’s five things you can say to someone with a disability” as I so disagreed with it. As I run training sessions which revolve around techniques for both discussing disability and how to talk to disabled people I thought the piece was troublesome to say the least and so I gave my views on the issue in Cute… But Wrong!

On top of that I carried out some training for Network Rail up in York, and shall be back in October.

Phew, it’s been a busy few weeks. But there can be no rest for the freelancer, and so I shall leave you and get back to work!

New Article Round-Up

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Mik Scarlet

Here’s a round up of some of my recent articles.

First is a piece on Wheelchair Dance in Disability Now, as it doesn’t matter whether you live on wheels, legs or both you can cut a rug on the dancefloor.

Then I have an article on sex and disability published on Miss Alice Gray‘s website. It’s the first of a two parter, with the second art being more of a “how-to” guide to sexiness and disability.

I have also joined the writing team at Disability Horizons as an occasional contributor. My first story for them was about dressing up for the party season if you are disabled, called Festive Fashion, but it works for all times of year. You know me, I never need a reason to dress to impress… or shock! The next article for DH is on the recent casting at the BBC for the cream of disabled acting talent which asks Is It Time For Our Close Up? Ages back I wrote my views on Assisted Suicide, so if you missed it maybe check it out.

You can also check out my column in PosAbility magazine at their online portal. It’s not the most recent, but keep checking back as they update it regularly.

So that about it for now. Got loads of new articles coming up, so I’ll keep you all posted.

Huffington Frenzy

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Mik Scarlet

Recently I’ve had a few comment pieces published on the Huffington Post website.

Most recent is one about an experience going for an MRI scan at a private health clinic through my GP. Called “Is The A Taste Of Tomorrow’s NHS? it describes my nightmarish trip to be scanned in all it’s glory.

Before that I wrote about some people’s obsession with the idea that faith can cure disabled and sick people in “Faith? Please Cure Us Of This Myth“. It might seem that there is truth in the idea but I ask is that right or even helpful?

To start the whole frenzy off I had my ode to love, luck and my wonderful wife Diane “Oh, Lucky Man” published. So glad they accepted it as it was our 8th wedding anniversary that week. Di loved it, I hope you do too.

On top of that I had my travel article on our recent trip to Barcelona published on Disability Now Online, “La Merce: a weekend in Barcelona” and if you want to read back issues of PosAbility magazine with my column in you can do it online now.

All this of this writing was drafted using a pen and paper. Old fashioned I know but I am currently studying a Creative Writing course at the OU and they advise students to do it this way. It really helps too. You can get those ideas out without fighting with a keyboard or other bits of tech. I really am a Luddite Mik eh?