Perth Voice Interactive

A DISABLED girl group that wear their heart on their sleeve are making their WA debut at the Perth International Cabaret Festival this month.

The five members of The Sisters of Invention have a range of learning difficulties including blindness, cerebral palsy, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Williams Syndrome and an intellectual disability.

But this doesn’t stop them delivering a highly entertaining show that deftly combines humour, issues surrounding their disability, and sing-along tunes with great hooks and melodies.

The ladies want to change people’s views on disability and this is reflected in their clever lyrics, which convey the feelings and emotions of living day-to-day with their conditions.

“We sing mostly originals and maybe two covers,” says The Sisters of Invention’s Aimee Crathern.

“We talk about things that are important to us, like how disabled people live their lives. 

“It’s stuff that you don’t really hear about, because disability is not a big subject. We’re putting our rights where they should be – at the front line.”

Hailing from Adelaide, the group was formed in 2010 when the women met at a choir run by Tutti Arts, a not-for-profit in South Australia that supports artists with disability.

The girls were so impressive, Tutti asked them to form a group and the rest as they say is history. Over the past 14 years, The Sisters of Invention have gone from strength-to-strength, releasing two albums and regularly performing at festivals including the Adelaide Fringe.

Singing their highly personal songs can be empowering and cathartic, Crathern says.

“ I love Ugly Duckling because that’s about me and each time I sing it, it changes me,” she says.

“I feel like I’ve got power after singing that song.

“I also really love Chaos and Serenity because it’s actually quite funny.”

A big influence on the group was the late Aussie comic and disability advocate Stella Young, who died in 2014 aged 32.

Crathern says Young proved you could change people’s views of disability using humour, satire and intelligence.

“She [Stella Young] was amazing and pretty special,” Crathern says.

“We remember her TED Talk. She said things like ‘Someone gave me an award just for getting up in the morning’ and ‘No amount of smiling will change stairs into a ramp!’

“She was a very big advocate for disability. People sometimes treat us (disabled people) like kids, as not able to do things. The reality is people who are disabled, like me, are capable of more than you know. I am a proud disabled woman.”

Crathern says the group are excited about making their WA debut later this month, but every time they play a new venue they are slightly anxious about disability access.

“Venues sometimes think about access for the audiences but not for performers,” she says.

“Things like unstable steps, room for chairs to sit down, not enough privacy, can be a real problem.

“More places should be disability-friendly. People don’t think about it. It’s so stressful if you are disabled and going somewhere new.

“But change will come. It takes so many people.”

Right now the ladies are busy getting their sequins and tiaras ready for their show You Ready for This? at His Majesty’s Theatre on June 19 and 20 as part of the the Perth International Cabaret Festival, which features more than 50 artists in 30-odd shows.

“Our show is funny, it’s emotional, it’s cool, it’s personal and it can really make people think. And of course it’s cabaret! Cabaret is a diverse place,” Crathern says.

For more info and tix see tickets.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK