REVIEW: MINE or UNAPOLOGETICALLY AUTISTIC by Daniel Toney at Bridge House Theatre 4 – 6 April 2024

"creates a valuable space to be heard, to listen and cultivate a greater understanding of Autism in adults." ★★★

A bloke with a ponytail nurses a pint as he sits at a table surrounded by pub hubbub. This can be an irritating background noise for many people, especially if attempting a conversation. The neurotypical majority are wired to screen it out but for Daniel Toney, the writer and performer of Mine or Unapologetically Autistic, who has Asperger’s Syndrome and a heightened sensitivity to sound, it’s an entirely different experience which takes considerable resilience and “seven times more mental energy.”

Candid and engaging, this one-man show is a personal journey through the lived experience of a 23-year-old autistic adult. Toney’s T-Shirt sends a message to anyone who might have missed the play’s theme proclaiming: WARNING: NATURALLY RESISTANT TO ALL SOCIAL CUES. Through an hour of straight talking and reflection, Toney acts out pertinent moments in his childhood, school life, university, dating, house sharing and work highlighting funny anecdotes, some obstacles and numerous “sadnesses.”

An ABBA tribute act might be a hellish proposition for some even without the challenge of Autism but for Toney it presented a specific type of torture that left him screaming under the furniture - and the fact it was his mum’s birthday treat was no deterrent. Confused parents, condescending bosses, furious flatmates, there’s no shortage of conflict in this narrative. What is distilled into sixty minutes is a lifetime of being patronised, misunderstood, stereotyped and misrepresented.

If one of the key purposes of theatre is to facilitate empathy between performers and audience, then Mine or Unapologetically Autistic does this. You leave knowing a lot more about the autistic experience than when you came in. Hour long monologues are a tough call, and here, the commentary sometimes flattens with more laughter stacked at the beginning before becoming in turn, sombre and angry.

Mine or Unapologetically Autistic feels like the beginning of a life’s work, a play that could develop and lead to all kinds of scenarios, situations, off shoots and spins. There was, perhaps too much emphasis on what Autism isn’t rather than what it is. What is unique and different about this type of neuro divergence? In Toney’s experience, what are the superpowers connected to this condition? What makes him special or better than the neuro-typical masses? If Autism is a gift, what has it taught him?

Toney is the Sound Designer for this production which feels significant. Given the vivid illustrations of noise sensitivity, the fact that sound has been creatively harnessed and steered is a triumph in itself. Toney has utilised the medium to not only create greater empathy in an audience but reminds us of the boundless potential of ‘life as art’. This play creates a valuable space for Toney to be heard, for us to listen and will cultivate a greater understanding during Autism Awareness Week and beyond.

Reviewed by Nilgin Yusuf