After being diagnosed as autistic in his 40s, Stags Woodward is now equipped with an answer as to why he may not always have the most neurotypical of experiences. Bubbling with personality from the get-go, his refreshing eagerness to share plentiful stories makes the content immediately likeable. Through ample levels of authenticity - and a little oversharing, causing Stags to regularly question the direction of discussion - presents a unique gem of a performer to the comedy scene.
Continuously fast-paced in nature, his speed of thought runs ideally to be followed by the many other neurodivergents littering the audience. We are in the palm of his hand, feeling part of the whirlwind as it gets described. Stating from the start that plenty of digressions will occur, despite the abundance of lists, this maintains the flow that comes from Stags' evident passion for the craft and makes every show different. It is as if he was born to entertain: a privelege to have representing the autistic community, and creating content with neurodivergent viewers in mind.
This approach to stand-up offers the opportunity for engagement in whichever way is desired. There's no fear of being hounded unwillingly for interaction (even if sat in the front row!) as Stags makes an inclusive environment that welcomes collaborative responses, particularly regarding relatable notions, as well as trying to collectively say 'rural brewery'. Although Dr Shore's well-known phrase "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism" will always ring true, there are definitely elements of shared identity. For example, enjoying interactions with animals, often more than humans, unusual sleep schedules, taking strange things literally, and struggles with time management are frequent contenders! However, the conversational style of the show embraces these without overdoing it: autism effects a huge range of experiences, but is explored in a natural way, rather than the typical 'textbook' stance that explains the concept for neurotypical audiences.
Setting expectations early on in preceedings, Stags makes clear that unfortunately, Boxy the cat, featured prominently on the poster, does not make an appearance. To numb the disappointment, we do get to meet him via video being very adorable though. From (multiple) swimming mishaps to a wild handshake incident (some practising of improvements occurred on the way out of the venue), a mirage of embarrassing tales fit amid other adventures that make more sense upon reflection post-diagnosis. Not actually knowing the outcome of his degree is a pretty major one! Through the funny storytelling appears several useful tips, such as adopting a policy of having three of everything to reduce anxiety, with the title of the show specifically chosen as a multiple of three, except not quite, as the 0.5 adds an extra challenge, and 'even half a step is still a step'.
A notable takeaway was actually another rather profound moment as Stags was wrapping up the routine - in the form of ants. He alikens the way he used to make trails for them to cross the garden to the conformity of society. By creating a shortcut, one brave ant will be the first to change direction, soon to be followed by others, thus suggesting that the differences in autistic thinking are simply an alternative pathway which offers benefits when accepted.
In summary, 129.5 Steps to Autistic Success is pure chaotic joy. Hilariously witty content mixed with Stags' infectious energy makes for a memorable combination not to miss. The set feels as if it goes so quickly, you are just left yearning for more.
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