As July is Disability Pride Month and news turns to more damaging cuts to the support of disabled people, Ugly Bucket’s Grace Gallagher talks protest.
In a climate of relentless benefit cuts, disabled people are facing mounting pressure—targeted by policies that chip away at their independence, dignity, and support. When times are desperate, we turn to desperate measures. In the case of Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You, those measures come in the form of clowning.
This new show sees 35 disabled performers take to the stage in a dynamic and outrageous spectacle rooted in the spirit of the Block Telethon protests of the early 1990s, but retold through modern perspectives and abstract form.
This year marks a major milestone for disabled arts organisation RAWD as they officially launch as a charity. From humble beginnings in a church hall drama group, RAWD has grown into a vital creative force for learning disabled & neurodivergent people in Merseyside. To celebrate—and respond to the escalating challenges their members face—RAWD teamed up with Liverpool-based clown company Ugly Bucket to explore themes of protest and disabled activism.
The Challenge Isn’t Learning—It’s How We Teach
History is filled with moments where disabled people have fought back—often in bold, creative, and unexpected ways. Our process began in January 2025, as many creative journeys do, with research.
When we began, even the question “what is protest?” felt huge for some members of RAWD. It was unfamiliar ground—intimidating and distant. After all, society often assumes what learning disabled and neurodivergent people can and can’t ‘handle’. This collaboration demonstrates that the issue has never been ability—it’s access.
We learnt about protest not through textbooks, but through clowning. We’ve discovered ways to make big ideas feel accessible, playful and personal. We explored decades of disabled activism—The Blind March, the 504 Sit-In, The Direct Action Network’s London Bus Protests to name a few. However, as clowns, we were drawn—irresistibly—to the garish world of 90s Telethon. The Block Telethon movement, where disabled activists rejected pity-led fundraising campaigns, became a powerful touchpoint for us.
While we play within this world, the show echoes all our learning as RAWD members have stamped this story with their own perspectives and flair. This show is a reflection of the journey they have taken: finding their voice, breaking their own moulds, standing up for what’s right and building confidence to call upon their audience for allyship.
Clowning – More Than Just Laughs
Clowning is often misunderstood—reduced to red noses & big shoes. But clowns come in all different forms and styles. Everyone has an inner clown, an extension of themselves, and part of our process has been guiding RAWD members to discover who their clowns are.
Beyond laughter, we at Ugly Bucket champion the clowning practice as a dynamic tool for community bonding, self exploration, and social change. It’s not just about glorious stupidity, it’s about listening, taking up space, making bold choices, and connecting authentically with others. Why is clowning an unexpected yet perfect protest tool? Because when people are laughing, they’re listening, and Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You gives RAWD members the platform to be heard.
Clowning, like access, is deeply personal. In this project, we’ve seen RAWD members emerge in ways we couldn’t have predicted. We’ve been challenged to adapt our practice, to innovate, and to discover new ways of learning. This wasn’t about simplifying protest—it was about reimagining how we learn. When the method shifts, the possibilities expand.
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You shows its audience that not only can RAWD members handle it, but they can tear up the rulebook, re-write their script, and laugh along every step of the way.
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You takes place on Saturday 5th July 4pm and Monday 7th July 7.30pm at Unity Theatre and Wednesday 9th July 7.30pm and Saturday 12th July 2pm at Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port.
