Paul Stands Up and is Counted

REVIEW Unshakeable
Bluecoat

Gatecare-born Paul Betney performed his one-man show Unshakeable at this year's Da Da Fest.
The world premiere production at the Bluecoat was written and performed by a confident Paul with Laurnce Clark script editing.
It is based around Paul's experiences with Parkinson's Disease which he has had for the past 20 years.
A slick stand-up show directed by the well-respected Ian Kellgren uses background footage and slides to convey this unique, moving story of how it took doctors 18 years to figure out that Paul had Parkinson's.
He spits out the word 'disease' and is adept with dealing with hecklers and he is brave enough to relay some incidents from his past that others would hide away from.
"Although. to be fair, I had suspected all along that something wasn't quite right." he says - just on one of many self effacing yet poignant remarks in 80 minutes.
After living with a debilitating tremor since his early 20s he was finally given the diagnosis and medication that brought it under control.
Overjoyed by a 'miracle' that he never dreamed possible he didn't suspect that this was the first step on a strange journey of self discovery of getting back to "normal".
Unshakeable is Paul's true story of how his life was dramatically changed by some little yellow pills.
You will be uplifted when his ship comes in, literally.
It should tour the UK to educate and entertain - a tricky combination, but Paul pulls off the challenge with style.
9/10 Betney's Stand Up Stands out.