Subtitled “An Unashamed Claim to Beauty in the Face of Invisibility,” Sins Invalid presented their evening of erotic spoken word performance, dance, song, and performance at Brava Sept. 5 and 6. Seven artists from California to Georgia stripped taboos off of sexuality and disability. While some of the less experienced members of the audience received the more explicitly erotic moments with embarrassed titters, artists Rodney Bell, Nomy Lamm, Leroy Franklyn Moore, Jr., Maria R. Palacios, Cara Page, Noemi Sohn, Seeley Quest, and Patty Berne all performed with an ease and boldness that was refreshingly inspiring.
The material varied in its effectiveness — the poetry being the strongest — as well as the imagery evoked by the aerial dance of Rodney Bell suspended in his wheelchair, arms extended over a pipe high above the stage with the light forming a cross over his body. The implied religious motif needed nothing more to convey both the strength of the manan’s upper torso and the sacrifice that any disabled human being on this planet undergoes. As one poet/performer proclaimed, “Nobody knows what we’ve been through, not even me, not even you.”
Equally strong was the poetry and stage presence of the voluptuous Maria R. Palacios, Latina feminist poet. Her sensuality coupled with her fine use of language turned familiar phrases into gems of perception, such as, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the goddess of them all?” Easy answer: Ms. Palacios is.
Once over the initial shock of seeing the completely nude (and beautiful lanky) body of Leroy Franklin Moore, Jr. walk unabashedly across the stage to take part in a duet, his role of priest in an SNL style hot to trot date skit with childhood friend Maria took on a sultry tone of uproarious humor.
Sins Invalid celebrates the sacred nature of fierce desire and claims all bodies to be beautiful. To this end, their performance succeeded. It is rare for someone who is not disabled to witness a woman remove and replace her prosthetic leg in full view while singing her own unique and beautifully composed lyrics, accompanying herself electronically. It is also inspiring to hear the confessions of a poet claim her self after too many years of filling the void with one night stands after being chided for the “ugliness of a mouth full of slurred words.” Equally moving was the poem “He has short arms.” The evening was emceed by Cara Page who also performed selections of her own stirring work. Co-founded by Director Patty Berne and Writer/Activist Leroy Moore in 2006, Sins Invalid’s uniqueness continues to inspire audiences and redefine the conversation about sexuality and disability. Their poetic bodies and hot activism combine for a powerful, fearless, and sensitive evening of theater. For more information go to www.sinsinvalid.org.
