In 2001, at the age of 20 New York born Brian Lobel was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Almost immediately he began to write BALL, which became the first part of a trilogy in which he discusses thoughts, ideas and stories inspired by his experiences as a cancer survivor.
Unexpected, quirky and provocative, BALL & Other Funny Stories About Cancer is a unique performance about illness and the way all our bodies change over time.
‘a raw, powerful piece’ ‘deeply touching in more ways than one’ Guardian
For the first time this trilogy about his experiences with, and beyond, cancer will be performed together. BALL & Other Funny Stories About Cancer challenges the well known stories of cancer survivors and the canonisation of cancer martyrs that have come before – sometimes it seems that merely surviving the illness isn’t enough, you’ve got to win the Tour de France too!
‘endearingly brave’ The Economist
Lobel infuses the ‘cancer story’ with an urgency and dangerous humour that’s fun, accessible, brave, sexy, complicated, dark, and, at times, inspirational - but always, above all else, honest and open. Starting from the moment of diagnosis, the show goes beyond stories of cancer treatments to explore sexuality, gender and politics and the extraordinary concern that the medical profession showed for Brian’s sex life!
Each of the three performances has toured independently throughout the world to theatres, cabarets, medical schools and galleries. In presenting the three shows as one Brian explains that surviving cancer is only half the battle, it’s what comes next that is the hardest part.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to perform a self-exam.
‘Lobel has a commanding presence... an admirable eagerness to speak ugly, improper truths’ Chicago Reader Critics Choice
Brian Lobel makes work about bodies; politicised bodies, marginalised bodies, dancing and singing bodies, happy bodies, sick bodies and bodies that need a little extra love. Following his cancer experience, he became fascinated with unique bodily experience and how it is conceived, discussed and witnessed by others.
Tickets
£10, £8