‘Shaky’ Audio Series Is a Messy, Real Look at Disabled Life

There are a large number of words you could use to describe Nicole Tompkins the disabled protagonist of Shaky Audible s latest -part comedy audio series passionate wild talented messy But she s also kind of an asshole That s not a role that disabled people have often been able to play in fiction neither pure nor villainous just a regular messed-up human who acts impulsively or lashes out at friends and loved ones during times of stress Even in contemporary times disabled characters are rarely allowed to take center stage in their own stories instead they become inspirational props to the able-bodied characters around them Though Shaky features an ensemble of engaging characters it s Nicole played by Rosa Salazar who drives the plot throughout Katherine Craft Courtesy The new series from writer and director Katherine Craft which was issued on July follows Nicole s journey back to her hometown of Plano after being diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson s at the age of She s trying to hold onto her gig as the drummer in Golden Braid her best friend s band struggling to come to terms with her new illness and distracting herself from her troubles by hooking up with hot guys at every opportunity Craft says she sees a lot of herself in Nicole s impulsiveness and anger at her lot in life In her s Craft underwent a series of surgeries that instead of improving her vision permanently damaged her ability to see I just had this rage inside of me for several years and it was significant for me for Nicole to have that same rage and as a woman too I think women are not supposed to have that kind of rage Craft stated the Texas Observer So it was significant for me to have this lead character who s going through it and is not being pretty and sweet and nice about it A scant years after she moved back home Craft s father who died in was diagnosed with Parkinson s which also inspired the plot of Shaky To further ensure realism Craft worked with Amy Carlson an actress and creator with Parkinson s as a disability consultant It was fun to have a writer and an artist who understood the process who could come in with her own ideas and experiences and help make it a lot richer Carlson also has a small role as a woman who suggests homeopathy could cure Nicole s Parkinson s Thanks to the numerous disabled characters in the supporting cast Shaky introduces listeners to common pitfalls of life with a chronic condition such as unhelpful unsolicited curative advice We also see how other disabled people further along in their journeys than Nicole find autonomy independence and meaning in their lives in spite of or by embracing their conditions But Shaky isn t a lecture on disability civilization or activism It s a laugh-out-loud-funny comedy laced with drama and a strong sense of place We visit boisterous nightclubs playful music therapy classes and even a bougie retirement area where Nicole s mother played by Roselyn S nchez connects with a sexy older gentleman from a dating app The characters and casting also further cement this as a story based in the Lone Star State Frank a recumbent-bike riding neighborhood busybody who eventually becomes Nicole s running coach and Obi-Wan Kenobi-like mentor is memorably brought to life by the Austin character actor Sonny Carl Davis Fast Times at Ridgemont High Bernie the Evil Bong Series and a famous endorsement for Beto O Rourke directed by Richard Linklater Davis performance hints at hidden depths to Frank beneath the cowboy drawl and exasperated jokes which makes his life advice land harder when Nicole certainly slows down long enough to listen Frank was inspired by Craft s father who had an accent similar to Davis and used a recumbent bike with a headrest as a way to stay functioning He was like the neighborhood mayor she recalled He d get on his bike and go hang out in someone s driveway and have a beer It was a really fascinating method of accessibility that let him be out of the house and do stuff As Craft skillfully plays each characters flaws off one another the various plot threads meet in a wild mix of rock music sexy hookups TikTok civilization and even a disability rights protest all of which keeps the listener engrossed through the entire three-and-a-half-hour miniseries It is hard to find fault here I d have liked to see more disability representation among the cast themselves and the audio mixing on a couple of the busier scenes was a bit hard to follow But none of this detracted from my enjoyment of Craft s heartfelt storytelling It s easy to recommend Shaky to fans of audio dramas and I ll be eagerly looking out for whatever Craft does next The post Shaky Audio Series Is a Messy Real Look at Disabled Life appeared first on The Texas Observer