Article about disability benefit cuts

                                                             Political research



Article about disability benefit cuts
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/austerity-cuts-are-causing-mental-distress-and-are-linked-to-rise-in-suicides-health-professionals-a6712651.html 

Response-
This is shocking how Mark Wood wasn't given benefits from his disability and his mental illness. His local GP even said he is "not compatible with life" yet Wood only had £40 a week after his disability and housing benefits were cut. His sister said that he struggled to live with that amount. The goverment try to patch things up by funding £1.5 million for research as apart of their "government suicide prevention strategy". Wood not only weighed 5st 8lbs but also suffered from anxiety, obsessive traits and an eating disorder.

Reflect-
This article has now made me extremely passionate about this issue. I am very fortunate to be basing one of the performance scenes on this issue. I think from reading this article we need to emphasis the struggle without benefits for people who need them and how it compares for people who do not have any disabilities. This can be done through dramatic monologues or even placards. If the panel demands the wheel chair user to dance using his feet and then the contestant attempts to do so with a placard saying "I feel abused/ violated" it might make the audience feel more sympathetic towards the issue. The ensemble could laugh behind the audience as contestant falls to the ground trying to dance to further create the effect of sympathy. We could even use Mark Wood as the person who is the wheel chair user instead of his orginal disability but keep in all of the things that are relatable in the article. I will even research for any interviews with his sister to see how is life was and add it into the monologue.