• Welcome to Autism Forums, a friendly forum to discuss Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, High Functioning Autism and related conditions.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Private Member only forums for more serious discussions that you may wish to not have guests or search engines access to.
    • Your very own blog. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon! Please also check us out @ https://www.twitter.com/aspiescentral

Puppet to play autistic child in stage play

Should we assume there exists a shortage of talented boys in the UK that could portray the boy blessed with autistic traits? Or are my thoughts not all in a row?
 
Fridgemagnetman said:
referring to your Mary Poppins thread :

Is it a sooty puppet? :)
Click to expand...

It was funny in context :)
So I shall respond with...
"No - and it isn't Sweep either"
Sweep_and_Sooty.png
 
Last edited:
Personal Opinion:
1.) Just how does using a puppet remove stereotypes when they use it to reinforce said stereotypes.
2.) Why are they not looking at the bigger picture that the parents can't handle the fact that their child is different to the point they would cast it aside?
3.) Why does this make me irrationally angry?
 
ICK

*slightly removed from being real*??????

No kidding.:neutral:

What a gross representation of a child.

Maybe the majority of the cast should be puppets.
And the child be a human.
 
I'm not sure what to say about this without seeing the play. Some of the things the woman in the video said really got under my skin though.
People will never really get it..
 
I feel like the writer just exploited the autism spectrum once again, so in actuality, they are no different than any that came before them.
 
Last edited:
I wonder how many autistic children are shipped off into care?
Signed over to a care home?


I’m don’t feel like they’re being truthful when explaining why they use a puppet as the son.
I can’t help but wonder if that’s an (alleged) clever script that may have seen independent legal advice first.
(But that’s just my opinion)

I might have been tempted to watch if the parents were puppets in the play.
 
If he's so concerned about disability and representation he shouldn't make the only disabled character a puppet for the stated purpose of making the character less real because he does such "shocking" things....

So to give autistic/disabled people representation you are going to dehumanize the autistic character and their behaviors on purpose? That makes no sense.....seems like a load of self-serving double-speak nonsense to me.
 
Dehumanizing the child and making it a puppet makes it easier for the people to agree with the idea that the child should be put into care...but I did not see the video, it is just a thought.
I would not like to see such a video.

Sorry I need to ask:
What exactly does it mean in English to be put in to care? Does it mean to have help by professionals at home a couple of hours a day or does it mean to send the child away to an institution?
 
Last edited:
I sometimes have a problem picking things up, so I'm not sure if I am on the same page as you guys...
If I dehumanize any group of people I can do what I want with them and feel justified. I can put a puppet in a box. Or in the attic. I can throw it in the trash. It's a puppet.
The playwright is not making a mistake; it's easier for the audience to handle, it divorces them from the child's humanity. They can go with the decision without it being too traumatic. Of course this is what is important, the general populations comfort while those in charge deal with the problems.
Ken S. said:
Why are they not looking at the bigger picture that the parents can't handle the fact that their child is different to the point they would cast it aside?
Click to expand...
It is unbelievably sad...
Ken S. said:
Why does this make me irrationally angry?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm so angry I can barely stand up. What a crock.
tree said:
*slightly removed from being real*??????
Click to expand...
Not slightly removed. Completely removed from being real. A thing. No rights. This could be our future. And it is scary.
So sorry for the rant. Watch A.I. Breaks my heart.
 
the_tortoise said:
If he's so concerned about disability and representation he shouldn't make the only disabled character a puppet for the stated purpose of making the character less real because he does such "shocking" things....

So to give autitistic/disabled people representation you are going to dehumanize the autistic character and their behaviors on purpose? That makes no sense.....seems like a load of self-serving double-speak nonsense to me.
Click to expand...

You echo my own suspicions there. The playwright, on face value seems well intentioned, but the representation is questionable at best. To compound this, the actress playing the mother (Charlie Brooks) is best known for playing a major role in "Eastenders" for several years, which is one of the most viewed soap operas in the UK, so generates a lot of curiosity interest from people who know her from that show, and of course adds to the tally of column inches the show will generate.
 
Utterly heartbreaking that people appearing to be articulate could make such an error in judgment regarding casting. To use a puppet rather than a human being? Did they ever consider what message they are sending?

<FACEPALM>

WE ARE REAL HUMAN BEINGS. Is it so difficult for society to treat us as such ? :mad::mad::mad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom