Aaron Pang to bring bold autobiographical show Falling: A Disabled Love Story to the Edinburgh Fringe this August
One accident. Two stories. Based on writer and performer Aaron Pang’s own experience, Falling: A Disabled Love Story is a bold and provocative solo show that unravels the complexities of love, lies and life after disability. In this uncomfortably sexy and hilariously vulnerable show, we are told a story heard a thousand times and one never heard before.
Consistently faced with the question ‘What happened?’, Pang begins with the comforting lie people want to hear —a feel-good tale of overcoming adversity and finding love. But the true story lies within the messier, morally grey tale. Falling challenges the disabled narrative, offering an unflinching exploration of online dating, paying for sex and navigating intimacy when faced with an unfamiliar disabled body following a spinal cord injury. The audience is taken on a rollercoaster of awkward encounters, tedious physical therapy, and the harsh realities of a world that craves ‘happy endings’.
Playing on society’s preconceptions and the persistent tropes of ‘inspiration porn’, Pang leads the audience through moments of physical and narrative misdirection, forcing them to confront their own biases. Through sharp humour, raw honesty and varied participation, Falling playfully manipulates expectations to expose how society reduces disabled lives to simple, palatable stories. It is about the truth of falling in love, falling with a disability and falling for the lies we wanted to hear.
Writer and performer Aaron Pang comments, Because I walk with a cane, I can get anyone to help me. I just need to look sad and pathetic, and people will trip over themselves to carry my bag, open the door, or just hover uncomfortably around me. It is this power that I wield as a disabled performer that first inspired the writing of Falling. I wanted to show and undermine the idea that I am always in need of ‘help’. Edinburgh Fringe has been known to be a place where riotous, subversive theatre thrives, with audiences hungry for something different. I am excited to confront and play with the audience and hopefully tell a story that can change the way they think about disabled people and stories.
As a disabled storyteller, Pang uses this autobiographical show to break away from the limitations of how disabled stories are told and received to shine a light on the pivotal chapters often left out of the story.