Up Down Man comes to Salisbury Playhouse

The Playhouse is working with Bristol-based Myrtle Theatre Company to present Up Down Man, which starts today (Thursday) in The Salberg.

Written and directed by award-winning playwright Brendan Murray, Up Down Man asks the question that faces every parent of an adult with a learning disability — what will happen when I am not here?

The play is the sequel to Up Down Boy and once again stars Nathan Bessell as Matty Butler. Inspired by the real stories of families of young people with Down’s syndrome, Up Down Man is told from Matty’s point of view using a combination of dialogue, original music and dance.

Heather Williams returns to play Matty’s mother Odette in the production, which is set ten years on from Up Down Boy when Matty is nearly 30.

“People really expressed an interest in knowing what happened next. There were a lot of families that have children or adults with Down’s syndrome that came and saw it and it spoke to them. It spoke to the general public and really changed their perceptions,” she said.

“It is not in any way dependant on the first one, people can come to it fresh.”

Describing the story Heather said: “Matty has lost the significant person in his life but it then gives way for what now, what does he want, what does the family want for him, what did his mother want and how do all those concepts differ.”

“The one thing I hope is that people also see how the arts can really empower people with disabilities,”

she said.

Heather says the play illustrates how “people with learning disabilities can enhance our world in a way sometimes we never believe possible”.

She added: “Hopefully, it will make people think twice about what that person might be thinking and feeling because they may not be able to express themselvesthrough language.”

Up Down Man runs until March 12. For tickets call 01722 320333 or go to salisburyplayhouse.com