Arusa Qureshi talks to Jack Hunter about touring his one-person show into schools across Scotland
“You shouldn’t have to live an inspiring life,” performer, writer and poet Jack Hunter says. “Or you shouldn’t be seen as being inspiring in order to just live a normal everyday life.”
When Jack wrote his one-man comedy-drama One of Two, he had a clear purpose in mind: to tell the shared story of twins growing up with Cerebral Palsy. But while Jack and his twin sister Bec were diagnosed as children, as they grew older and progressed through mainstream education, their experiences differed greatly. Bec, a wheelchair user, struggled to get the support she needed at school, largely due to failings within the system which rendered her less “able” than her brother.
A true story centred around a unique relationship, One of Two investigates the vast inequality that exists between disabled and non-disabled people within society. But through the disparity between Jack and Bec’s experiences, it also explores inequalities within the disabled community itself.
“I think it was important to show where the education system fell down,” Jack says of the autobiographical play. “I think it’s also really important, particularly in the context of showing it to young people, to show that, although there are times of strife, you can get out of a bad situation and that things can get better.”
In 2021, Jack applied for the Birds of Paradise & Playwright Studio Scotland Disabled Playwright Award, which allowed for the inception of One of Two. “It was really great for me,” Jack says, reflecting on this period. “It enabled me to have the time and the support and the funding to write the play with a mentor, which was really important for my development as a writer.”
Having this time and support resulted in a whirlwind journey for One of Two, which debuted at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022, winning Summerhall’s Mary Dick Award and nomination for Best Production at the Scottish Theatre Awards at the Fringe, before touring internationally across Europe. Redeveloped and restaged in collaboration with Independent Arts Projects, the show is now making its mark closer to home as part of the Theatre in Schools Scotland programme, bringing its empowering story to students and educators alike.
This approach has resonated strongly with audiences, particularly in schools. “What I’ve learned from touring the show is how people resonate with it, whether they’re in school or whether they’re a teacher. In a way, it puts teachers and students on the same even keel and so I think we’ve learned a lot from that, and also that young people are very understanding.”
The general response has included plenty of laughter and joy, as Jack explains, but also lots of knowing looks from teachers who understand where he’s coming from and younger people starting to question why disabled people are seen differently to begin with. One of the most interesting aspects of the play, however, is its setting. Performing in the very environment the story critiques adds a layer of immediacy and relevance. “It feels way more provocative and way more political to perform it in a school, where there are obstacles and barriers that young disabled people and non-disabled people need to deal with, things like bullying and finding yourself and managing your mental health”
The success of One of Two, as well as the overwhelmingly positive reaction from audiences, highlights the importance of disability-led storytelling, especially against a backdrop of increasing budget cuts in the arts. As Jack notes, “When budget cuts happen and theatres are stripping back their programmes, disabled-led work is going to suffer because theatres and other organisations are going to want to cut back and put things on that are more safe or more commercial.”
Representation is about visibility, but it’s also about shifting societal perceptions, which is what works like One of Two endeavour to do. “It’s really important that we keep telling these stories to show and to prove that disabled people can do multiple things and can be multifaceted and not be defined by their impairment,” Jack continues. “And by impairment, I don’t mean somebody’s condition, I mean societal barriers.”
As Jack prepares to head back to his old high school for the tour’s final stop, he is able to reflect on the considerable impact that One of Two has had thus far. “It has resonated with a lot of young people and in particular a lot of disabled young people. It’s been important for them to be able to see someone who’s like them and to know that things are going to be alright.”
For young people, especially disabled youth, the play has offered a rare and affirming reflection of their experiences. With its heart, humour and thoughtful portrayal of two contrasting stories, One of Two is a shining example of how art can challenge societal norms, inspire change (despite its best efforts not to be inspiring), and offer hope where it’s most needed.
One of Two is written and performed by Jack Hunter, directed by Joe Douglas with Sound Design by Nik Paget-Tomlinson. Jack tours the show with Susan McWhirter, Technical Stage Manager. One of Two is an Independent Arts Projects (IAP) production. The show toured to schools across Scotland between October – December 2024 as part of Theatre in Schools Scotland (TISS): an initiative by Imaginate and National Theatre of Scotland.
Arusa Qureshi is a writer, editor and music programmer based in Edinburgh. She is the current Editor of Fest and the former Editor of The List and writes mostly about music, most recently Flip the Script – a book about women in UK hip hop, published by 404 Ink. Her work has appeared in the Scotsman, Clash, the Guardian, GoldFlakePaint, Time Out, the Quietus, NME and more. She chairs the board of the Scottish Music Centre, sits on the board of the Music Venue Trust and is the co-curator of the award-winning Amplifi series at Edinburgh’s Queens Hall. arusaqureshi.com