Mat Fraser on BBC's CripTales: Written, Directed, and Acted by People With Disabilities

POPSUGAR: I watched the shorts, and they are absolutely beautiful, Mat. What was it like working with an all-disabled cast and production on this series, because I imagine that must be an extremely rare experience?

Mat Fraser: Well, it was. And, you know, Chris, I've been at this game for about 25 years, and I've built up a large body of partners and colleagues in disability in drama, and you know, it was, frankly, stunning to be able to get this opportunity. I mean, we were in the studio doing it, you know, four or five of us would look at each other around the table, saying, "Whoooooa. Wow." We couldn't quite believe it was happening.

MF: You know, I always have misgivings, born of my experiences of the past. And I'm trying to go, "It'll go different this time." There is a little bit lagging in my head like, is this it? Is this just gonna be it, like, "We've done those. And now we don't need to do disability anymore . . . in that authentic way"? I don't think so. I want to think that every single participant — actor, writer, director — will get more television work as a direct result of this being broadcast. That is my real hope, Chris, to be honest. I'm like any actor: I want an Oscar. [laughs] But the creation of disabled awareness that I've had in doing this has been my crowning joy. It's the one thing I'm most proud of in my whole professional life.

MF: There are a lot of subgroups of people that deserve their go at the monologues. For example, cancer sufferers. I mean, cancer is such a hugely ranging illness that it would easily eat up six monologues. So I think, realistically, my hopes are that each individual gets more work. Would I like to do another one like this, but call it "Duologues," and spend a year putting the people together? Would it be two crips? Would it be a famous actor and a crip in a duologue, to attract lots of attention to it? All these are possible. I don't want to name names, but . . .

PS: But . . .

MF: There are some incredibly famous people who I did approach for this.

PS: OK!

MF: And two that come to mind, and the only reason they didn't — 'cause they were fascinated by the idea — was because they were already busy, 'cause famous people tend to be working all the time.

PS: They do, don't they?

MF: But I got close! I got close, and that was exciting. I was like, "Wow, the climate's really changed." There isn't all this embarrassment around disability anymore. Because in the old days, all we saw were embarrassing portrayals of disability [and] disabled people that were problematic, to do with impairment and people's negative reactions. And all that sort of issue-based rubbish has fallen away now. I think people are really encouraging. They want to see better portrayals of disabled people, and if they can, they want to help make that happen. I mean, I'm directly talking to the television industry here, Chris, as you may or may not realise.

PS: Oh, I get it. The floor is yours.

MF: [louder] Our time is now. There's never been a better time to be disabled in drama. And, award hunters, all I'll say is this: we know traditionally that the quickest way to get an award is to portray a disabled person, but those days are gone. So, what are the new days? I would suggest the new awards coming are for the best new disability project: where the writing is essential, the acting is incredible, and it blows people's minds. That stuff's gonna get the big awards. My question to you in the television industry is, who's gonna take the plunge, and who's gonna be the copycat? That's all I wanna say. And who's gonna miss out completely?

PS: Absolutely.

MF: And you recognise it when you see it. It was important, and finding Matilda Ibini, who wrote the one you're talking about, was difficult, you know, because I'm white, and heterosexual, and an old geezer.

PS: Yeah. [laughs]

MF: I'm an old bloke. She wasn't in my direct circle, and, you know, I admonished myself about that and worked out a strategy for not letting that kind of thing happen again. As you say, I don't believe I've ever seen that as a subject matter either. Matilda is definitely an upcoming talent. This is her first television script.

PS: Fantastic.

MF: But she's a name to watch. I believe there's just been an announcement that she's in development with another writer about a feature film. What I'm happy about is that I've got a really good clutch of disabled writers and actors — of course, I've missed out on some of the best ones, that would be inevitable with anybody's collection.

PS: You can't tell every story.

MF: I wish there'd been a visually impaired project, and a little person project. I mean, I didn't want to choose the monologues or writers by the impairment that would be discussed. Because — no, I wanted it to be up to the writers.

MF: For example, Genevieve Barr, who wrote the one "Thunderbox" about the right to be a mother: she's a deaf writer. And I honestly thought when I commissioned her, she was gonna write a deaf story. But she said no, she wanted to write this particular thing, and when she told us what it was about, we could not say no, of course. That one I find difficult to watch especially toward the end because it's just so upsetting, you know? These things really happen. And like you say, they're very hard-hitting and powerful, some of these.

PS: I mean, that one specifically, "Thunderbox," is so gripping — I was teary by the end. Ruth Madeley is amazing.

MF: Wasn't she good?

PS: So good. Could you tell me about the making of?

MF: Genevieve said, "I want to write this." It's tied to the year abortion became legal in the UK. I don't want to do a spoiler for anyone reading this before they see the thing, but, you know, we get into it. We get into the history of it, and we loved the story and said, "Absolutely, please write it." And then the setting was difficult, because she wanted it in a pop concert, and BBC Studios said, "Uh, we don't have the budget for that." [laughs]

I mean, we had the tiniest budget: the art department in CripTales deserves a special shout-out, because I was amazed at what they were able to do. But it's called "Thunderbox" because that's the colloquial term for a portable toilet that would've been at a festival back in the late '60s. That's where that story is situated. So, all around the festival is happening, but we're looking at this woman, talking about her own private situation, which is highly emotional, in said toilet: a little unusual, but unusual is good.

And then with the director, we got Amit Sharma, an Asian director, who's up at the Birmingham [Repertory] Theatre — had trained in television and film directing, but just never had the opportunity. So I was delighted to be able to give him that opportunity, and he also directed the one called "Hamish," about the guy that gets his first electric wheelchair and goes and does what he's been waiting to do for a long time. [laughs]

PS: It's time we talk about your monologue on casting while disabled, because I think it should be required viewing for any and all casting directors.

MF: [laughs]

PS: Do you think any casting directors are going to watch it and be like, "Oh sh*t, I do that," to themselves?

MF: Well, I didn't intend to do that, and it's the second time I've heard someone comment like that. That really wasn't my intention, to tell off casting. It's just, I wanted this to be funny, but I am quite hard-hitting and confrontational as a human being.

PS: I mean, same.

MF: Certainly as a writer. But most of it is true! I mean, I amalgamated a couple of those stories — two things happen in one story that didn't really happen — but everything is true. All the testimony stuff is true, of course.

I wanted it to be more funny than angry, and I went there. They say, "Don't talk about the acting profession, don't act about acting because you always look like a bad actor." But, I don't know: I was just really motivated to do it. I was being directed by Ewan Marshall, who's a director I really trust. He works me really hard. Harder than is in my comfort zone, which is what I need — certainly on this project. Especially as I'd written it, I had ideas about — maybe I didn't realise I had ideas, but when we got to set, I had ideas about how it should be portrayed that Ewan superseded, and quite rightly. Always listen to my director.

So, I am actually pretty pleased. It is cheeky, and I am a bit nervous about my next audition in front of people if they've seen it. I hadn't thought about it while I writing it, but what happens if I go into an audition with a casting director who's seen "Audition," my monologue, and is now nervous because of how they think I'm going to be with them?

PS: What do you hope viewers get out of this? I hope it's an educational experience, I hope casting gets a lot out of this as well, but for your average viewer, what do you hope they leave with?

MF: I want the average viewer to enjoy these, obviously. But what I would hope is that they find themselves dissatisfied with lesser portrayals of disability — with less authentic versions of what they know in their insides is the truth — and to not put up with it.

And that's it, really; that's what I want for the audience. For the industry, obviously, I want to encourage that we can do the job, we're really good at doing the job, and we should be promoted to do better jobs next time, because everyone will win awards if we do. And also, you know — I think some television ideas are tired and stale and could do with a refresh. Disability could really refresh a subject there, you know? That's what I think. So I want people to go away thinking, that was awesome. Could we get some more, please?