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Rebellious Bodies and Radical Acts

Edited by: Debbie Patterson

A revolutionary anthology of essays and dramatic works by contemporary Disabled theatre artists

Rebellious Bodies and Radical Acts brings together some of the most innovative minds working in the realm of Disability theatre today. Through essays, poetry, interviews, and critique, these artists pull back the curtain on the creative process, revealing how they engage in the practice of performance. As Disabled people, their bodies and abilities defy the status quo, lending their exploration of this embodied artform an essential and overlooked perspective.

Each writer brings their expertise as an artist to the task of defining what is most urgent, compelling, and relevant in the ongoing evolution of their artform. The centrepiece of this book is the complete text of Alex Bulmer’s Perceptual Archaeology (or How to Travel Blind), a richly layered exploration of her experiences travelling across differing geographies and unexpected emotional terrain. Other writers share excerpts of their work, including Niall McNeil’s Beauty and the Beast: My Life, Debbie Patterson’s How It Ends, Audrey-Anne Bouchard’s Camille, and more.

These bold artists are pressing in from the margins, demanding a new era in the creation of live performance: one that engages a broader scope of lived experience, one that embraces Disability as opportunity, and one that welcomes the adventure of travelling in the unfamiliar.

Available in accessible digital formats.

AUTHOR

Debbie Patterson

Debbie Patterson is a Winnipeg playwright, director, and actor. Trained at the National Theatre School of Canada, she is a founding member of Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR), and the founder and current artistic director of Sick + Twisted Theatre. Playwriting credits include How It Ends, Sargent & Victor & Me (both for Sick + Twisted Theatre), the musicals Head (SIR) and Molotov Circus (SummerWorks), and numerous TYA shows for Prairie Theatre Exchange. In 2016, Debbie became the first physically disabled actor to play the title role in Richard III in a professional Canadian production. She was honoured with the United Nations Platform for Action Committee Manitoba’s 2014 Activist Award and the 2017 Winnipeg Arts Council Making a Mark Award. She was twice shortlisted for the Gina Wilkinson Prize. She is the matriarch of a family of artists and a proud advocate for disability justice, living a wheelchair-enabled life in Winnipeg and in a cabin on the shore of Lake Winnipeg with her partner and collaborator, Arne MacPherson.


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Details

Dimensions:

26 Pages
8.5in * 5.5in * 0.7in
0.79lb

Published:

March 17, 2026

Publisher:

Coach House Books

ISBN:

9781552455135

Book Subjects:

LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama

Featured In:

All Books

Language:

eng

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Other books by Debbie Patterson

How It Ends

By (author): Debbie Patterson

Foreword by: Michael Sobota