Review: Tic Tic

Reviewed by Jodi Yeats

Tic Tic is a really awesome solo show co-written and acted by Paul Barrett. It is in turns touching, hilarious and beautiful.

Paul tells his own story of having Tourette Syndrome from a young age with it remaining undiagnosed until he sought treatment for depression, because he was having so much difficulty coping with its effects, in his late 30s!

He explains that Tourette’s gives rise to various types of physical tics, or uncontrollable twitches, and the uncontrollable swearing that it is so strongly associated with Tourette syndrome affects only about 10 per cent of those who have it.

While he does resort to using a model brain to explain the cause of the disease, by that stage the audience is engaged enough to welcome the information. What carries the theatre is the stories from Paul’s life, often very poignant, of the impact the disease had on his relationships, schooling and career.

That Paul has managed the very public life on stage and as a composer and musical director, perhaps the most challenging career option for someone with physical tics, is a tribute to his passion, fuelled by outstanding talent. However, difficulties with acting did lead to him doing a lot of acting work for radio and voice work in recordings, where his physical twitches weren’t a problem.

Paul shows what a maestro he is, both as an actor and accompanying himself with superb piano playing and singing, in this one-hour long show.

I really enjoyed the scripted, rehearsed, directed nature of the performance, which was very polished, and contrast to the stand-up I so often enjoy in a different way at comedy festivals.

To cap off a wonderful script co-written by Paul and writer Michelanne Forster is superb directing by Jennifer Ward-Lealand who has a marvelous knack for comedy. At times I could almost “see” Jennifer inhabiting Paul’s gestures and expressions.

This is a must see for an extraordinary evening’s entertainment, not to mention a good laugh.

Tic Tic

Written by Michelanne Forster and Paul Barrett
Starring Paul Barrett
Directed by Jennifer Ward-Lealand
Designed by Rachael Walker
Part of the 2010 New Zealand International Comedy Festival