Australian Premiere

Writers and Devisors JESS THOM, JESS MABEL JONES & MATTHEW POUNTNEY

Jess Thom finds going to the theatre difficult. So would you if your Tourette’s had you saying words like ’biscuit’ 16,000 times a day. Her solution? Take to the stage instead.

Backstage in Biscuit Land is a comedic tour de force that mines Thom’s unique neurology—and the tics it produces—to take you deep inside the rabbit hole of a much-misunderstood condition.

Along the way you might encounter penguin gangbangs and squirrel knickers, but it’s hard to be sure when your star is neurologically wired to wander into associative absurdity. As unpredictable as she is enlightening, joyous to watch even when what she comes out with is at times shocking, Thom is proof that creativity doesn’t stick to the script.

Relaxed performances

Ensuring the right welcome for all audience members is very important to Touretteshero which is why every performance is "relaxed". Relaxed performances offer a warm welcome to people who find it difficult to follow the usual conventions of theatre behaviour. This can include: people with learning disabilities, movement disorders, Autistic Spectrum disorder, other neurological conditions, those with young children or babies and of course, people with Tourette's.

Relaxed performances take a laid-back approach to noise or movement coming from the audience. They give everyone permission to relax and respond naturally. Many people feel that relaxed performances offer a more dynamic theatrical experience, which benefits everyone.

Find out more about Touretteshero and the relaxed performance movement. 

Jess has listed her best ticks online — if you feel like a laugh click here.