Daphne Does Good: New blog by writer Mandy Redvers-Rowe for Disability Arts Online

Check out Daphne Does Good, a new blog written by Pulp Idol Finalist Mandy Redvers-Rowe.

I first started writing Disability comedy back in 1989, when I joined two other disabled writer/performers Mandy Colleran and Natalie Markham – replaced later by Ali Briggs, to found  ‘No Excuses’.  In those days Disabled People had no rights and we were all involved in the political movement to gain legal recognition.
 In fact, we would regularly perform at rallies and events alongside civil rights speakers such as Jack Ashley. 

‘No Excuses’ started working for television as part of the output created by the disability Programmes Unit (DPU). At the same time I was asked to contribute in my role as Artistic Director for North West disability Arts Forum, to a new BBC Radio Merseyside Programme ‘Sounds Positive’ presented by Aidrienne Staniford.  As well as presenting I wanted to write and perform some kind of comedy.   The idea for Daphne – a non-disabled Agony Aunt who doesn’t hesitate to give expert advice to Disabled People - came from a group involved in setting up the programme.  Daphne went out over the radio waves for several series before the programme was pulled, but she had been so successful that she too was taken up by the DPU where she had three series and one half hour special between 1994 and 1998.  

I’ve gone on to develop my writing gaining an MA from LJMU, having some commissions and last year I was a finalist in the WOW Pulp Idol competition.  I decided to start a Daphne blog as I’ve been looking for a new outlet for some kind of Disability comedy.  Disabled People are once again under threat.  We are underrepresented in all areas of society, the Equal Opportunities in employment, education and housing once offered by the DDA is being curbed by austerity, and the benefits that were developed to allow us to live independently are being axed.  

Writing a blog has offered me the opportunity to directly engage with my readers.  In the past I used to have to make up fictional letters asking Daphne for advice as the time difference between writing and broadcast didn’t allow viewers letters to be used , but now I can invite people to comment and I can respond immediately.  This I hope will enable the work to develop more organically. 

Although Daphne isn’t an out and out campaigner in the true political sense, I hope she does raise issues in a fun and accessible way.  However, my main aim in taking her off the shelf and dusting her down, is to give us all a bit of a laugh!