Looking over the shoulder of Rachel and a mixing desk, a person sings into a hairbrush with projections of a photo collage of them
Past Event
Theatre

Perfect Show for Rachel

Zoo Co & Improbable
5 performances between Sat 4 - Tue 7 May 2024, 19:30
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Step into Rachel’s world in this experimental, joyful and critically-acclaimed show.

Following its sell-out run at the Barbican, this ‘joyous celebration of theatre without the rules’ (The Stage) comes to Brighton Festival.

Rachel is a theatre-loving, enigmatic, learning-disabled 33-year-old who loves Kylie Minogue, heckling from the front row and seeing people falling over. Step into her unique and often hilarious world as she commands the action, brought to life by a company of performers following Rachel’s direction to the letter in a skillful cabaret of song, sketch, comedy and memory.

From bar room brawls to a bourbon biscuit cabaret, a fart suspect interrogation to a Beyoncé number - this is Rachel’s Perfect Show. 

About the creators

Created by Zoo Co Theatre, a multi award winning company creating theatre that loudly champions access, in collaboration with Improbable, a pioneering company of improvisers and theatre-makers who have been making ground-breaking work for the past 25 years. Perfect Show For Rachel was developed with Rachel to create a show on her own terms, exploring who defines artistic taste, and questions who that currently excludes.

Zoo Co are running a Buddy System for Perfect Show For Rachel. If you are coming to see the show alone we can pair you with a friendly Zoo Co 'buddy' if you want, so you can meet beforehand, watch the show together and maybe chat about it after. Just email [javascript protected email address] and she'll sort it.

Access

Download show intro notes and character descriptions (word doc).

Audio Described: Mon 6 May

Touch Tour: Mon 6 May, 6pm

For further access information, email [javascript protected email address] or call 01273 261541

 

Who is Rachel?

‘Why can’t more theatre be like this? Open, relaxed, fun and full of love’
The Guardian
'A joyous piece of anarchic knockabout fun'
The Stage
'it’s a joyful space facilitated that enables Rachel to share her memories and interests in real time. Her direction is intentional, resulting in wildly funny scenes and heartfelt memories.'
Broadway World

Inside Rehearsals:

Behind The Scenes: Perfect Show For Rachel

Meet Flo O’Mahony, the Artistic Director ripping up the theatre-making rulebook for her sister Rachel to take the wheel at directing, in real-time...

Perfect Show For Rachel was inspired by a spontaneous car ride when, for the first time in Rachel’s life, she had the tools to take control and communicate with Flo in a way that was new to them both. 

Read our interview with Flo and find out more about that car journey, how they developed the show, and what audiences can expect to see 

Read more
A person smiling with people surrounding and gesturing towards them
Rachel sits behind a desk of different buttons
A group of people on satge lifting their arms to the camera, the fist 2 rows of people kneeling down
A man wearing a blonde wig and dancing
A person screaming as the push chair they'r ein is lifted by a group of people
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Production photos

A person smiling with people surrounding and gesturing towards them
Rachel sits behind a desk of different buttons
A group of people on satge lifting their arms to the camera, the fist 2 rows of people kneeling down
A man wearing a blonde wig and dancing
A person screaming as the push chair they'r ein is lifted by a group of people

Trailer